The Role of a Chaplain
The people of sport have tremendous influence. Many are called to be Christ’s ambassadors to the sporting community and are given a unique opportunity to publicly display the parallel between biblical principles and athletic fundamentals. But too often, the people of sport are the most misunderstood and spiritually neglected. They are also some of the most exploited and overexposed within the Christian community.
That’s why the sports chaplain is among the most strategic points of ministry for our complex world.
While the uninformed may consider chaplaincy a one-dimensional ministry, it is truly multi-faceted, demanding and challenging. Sports chaplains impact a wide variety of people such as athletes, coaches, family members, administrators, athletic trainers and support staff. They serve various sectors of the sports public including campuses, teams and tours.
What does it take to be a Chaplain?
FCA wants to provide teams with the
best trained, most effective Chaplains that they can,
so we have created a process:
- Completion of the on-line Chaplains Training (FCAChaplains.org). Which
includes an application process called the Ministry Leader Application.
- Initiation of a relationship with a FCA staff member in
your area for further training, encouragement, facilitation and
accountability
- Communication with the FCA staff prior to the season for planning, prayer, resources, etc.
- Communication with the FCA staff during the season for encouragement, problem solving and further direction.
- Communication at the end of the season for evaluation, reporting of results, etc.
- Connection with the Chaplains Network
for ongoing training, encouragement, resources, information on regional
training opportunities and more from those who are actively engaged as
Sport Chaplains. The details of this will be covered in the training.
Introduction
The term chaplain comes from the French word chapele that means the church. That is what a chaplain is…the representative of God. The chaplain is the presence of God wherever he is. How awesome it is that over time this word has come to mean God’s presence in the midst of college athletes — people who represent Him.
Chaplains have an important role. Some people cannot get to a church building. Some people don’t want to go to a church building. Competitions and traveling take place on Sunday. The chaplain gets to bring the presence of God to athletes and coaches at a time when they can’t get to a local church. Chaplains also play an important role because at times an athlete will share something with a chaplain that he would not share with a coach, giving the chaplain a chance to help the coach and athlete. Other times athletics bring about crisis situations that provide opportunities for chaplains to serve. Circumstances such as a tragedy, death of a loved one, or consequences for bad decisions lead to counseling and ministry opportunities with troubled athletes. As the chaplain builds relationships with coaches and athletes that lead to trust, they are able to use God’s Word to speak truth and encouragement, model Christ-like behavior, and pray for them. In his letter to Timothy, Paul said, “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.” 1 Tim. 4:8 (NLT)
Athletics has many rewards, but the chaplain gets to share about a prize that will last long after a season or one’s eligibility has run out. A chaplain has the opportunity to make an eternal impact in the lives of coaches and athletes.
When talking about the importance of a chaplain, Tommy Nelson, Pastor of Denton Bible Church and chaplain to numerous teams over the years said, “There is a certain aspect of a chaplain that wants to relate, (always being there, always wanting to be seen, always wanting to be available, meeting with the athletes personally, sharing God’s Word at chapel) there is a certain aspect of a chaplain that wants to be above.We are the chapele.We are the presence of God in an organization, and we are unlike anyone else there.We bring an element that nothing else brings. We are the ambassador of God! That is who we are.”
The chaplain is God’s presence in the arena of athletics. What an awesome opportunity and responsibility!