Five Considerations Before Chaplaincy

Rev. Brian T. Hurley, (2006), serves full time as a staff chaplain at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, Florida. He received M.Div., BCC, from Asbury Theological Seminary, Florida Dunnam campus.

Five Considerations Before Chaplaincy

If you are considering being a chaplain in a hospital or institutional setting there is much to consider.  It is an incredible profession that has many challenges yet is very rewarding.  Being a chaplain means being with people at some of the most sacred moments of life - what a privilege to accompany others in the midst of these important times.

1) Calling– If you do not feel specifically called by God to do this type of work, do not do it.  It must be a deep calling, where your spirit knows this is something you must do.  If this calling is not clear, then the heaviness of the work will wear on you and you will not be able to do it for the long haul.  You must know that this is what God is calling you to do.

2) CPE – Clinical Pastoral Education– There are many myths, rumors and stories about CPE.  I have heard various opinions about CPE and its purpose in training pastors.  Like many things in life it is not perfect, nor is it a consistent process at every CPE center. However, it is an excellent way to learn about yourself and how you will respond in different situations.  Contrary to some opinions, it is more than teaching you how to make a hospital visit.  It focuses on you and what hinders and helps you be a better chaplain and in turn teaches you how to support the patient and family.  It is a must to prepare to be a chaplain and is valuable to anyone preparing for ministry.

3) Care (for self)– If you do not learn how to take care of yourself you will not survive as a chaplain.  Because of the rigors of the job and the physical, emotional and spiritual demands that a chaplain endures you have to develop good habits of self-care.  Take care of your body beginning with your feet (having the right shoes is essential), your physical self (eating properly and exercising regularly), your soul (laugh often and stay connected to God) and your head (having someone you can talk to who can help you unpack the complexities of your job).

4) Courage– Being a chaplain takes courage.  Courage to be self aware in a way most people are not.  This self-awareness is key in setting boundaries and providing the best care possible to those you serve.  Courage to be with strangers in some of their deepest, darkest and most intimate moments of their lives.  Courage to advocate for others helping them receive what they need to heal, not only physically, but spiritually and emotionally.

5) Colorful – Be ready for a colorful experience.  My colleagues and I often say, “In what other job can you experience these types of things?”  The situations you will face are more interesting than any television show or movie.  Each day is diverse.  Within the stretch of a few hours, I can go from leading story time on the pediatric unit to meeting with a newly diagnosed cancer patient followed by standing in the ICU by the bedside of a person who has just died, helping the patients’ family begin the grief journey.

It is a privilege to be called to such a unique ministry full of amazing opportunities.