• Discussion Forum

  What are the priorities of the chaplain at the institution where you serve?

  Posted by info on 03/04/2021 at 10:16

  Ashley Gentry (Bowen is maiden name) replied 1 month ago 6 Members · 5 Replies

  • CM401-01
• 5 Replies

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  Ashley Gentry (Bowen is maiden name)

  Member

  01/17/2025 at 05:51

  To offer support wherever the person is at through listening, accompanying to court, praying, sickbed and hospice support, grief support…the list is almost endless. The ultimate goal is for people to come to know Christ.

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  Lonnie

  Member

  02/04/2023 at 17:51

  Our jail does not yet have a chaplain. We are working toward the goal of a chaplain for the inmates (the staff are already covered.) We are looking at a position that will help train the volunteers, oversee religious programs, provide one-on-one spiritual counseling, and work with the mental health professionals on staff. Having inmates in 3 facilities makes this extra challenging.

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  Akinyemi emmanuel Lapinni

  Member

  01/10/2023 at 16:30

  The cha[plain ensures the spiritual growth of the inmates and staff and cultivate an atmosphere for healthy spirituality within the institution. Beyond this , the chaplain may coordinate volunteers and also oversees all religious services from all faith, and may reach out to local religious organizations to provide specific religious requested by inmates or staff

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  William Brooks

  Member

  06/04/2022 at 15:52

  To oversee all religious services from all faith, by contacting local religious organizations to provide specific religious requested by inmates. She also is tasked with getting requested religious materials for the inmates. In addition, she ministers to staff upon request. She leads one (Christian) service religious per week which she calls a “church service.”

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  Ken Mahood

  Member

  05/02/2022 at 21:20

  1. provide religious care as requested by inmates.
  2. provide religious services/ reading materials for inmates
  3. Coordinate volunteers from various groups and faiths to minister to inmates.
  4. be a positive influence and force in the correctional facility.

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• Discussion Forum

  Why do you think the ministry of corrections chaplains is misunderstood by the church?

  Posted by info on 03/04/2021 at 10:16

  Carla Burkhart replied 1 week, 6 days ago 8 Members · 7 Replies

  • CM401-01
• 7 Replies

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  Carla Burkhart

  Member

  02/09/2025 at 20:20

  Some churches want to preach at people rather than listen and come alongside someone. You need to build a relationship with an incarcerated person before they will trust you and what you say about Christ. Sometimes we just need to be a presence of peace.

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  Ashley Gentry (Bowen is maiden name)

  Member

  01/17/2025 at 05:58

  Perhaps overly simplifying the need to share the gospel as just a short, brief prayer as the only answer to all a person’s problems. It is uncomfortable and hard to walk alongside a person through valleys of grief, doubt, anger, trauma and fear. It takes a lot of creativity from the Holy Spirit, because the population is so very diverse. For me personally, chaplaincy had been akin to being a foreign missionary in multiple cultures/belief systems/generations/locations in a rapid fire manner.

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  Lee Steiger

  Member

  05/16/2023 at 19:50

  The church doesn’t understand all of the variables in being a corrections chaplain: (a) like what types of punishments society expects; (b) the idealogies of institutions — the logic of punishment practices; and (c) the variety of other religions practiced by inmates in the prison. The truly haven’t been educated how the role of the chaplain has changed so dramatically over the decades/centuries of our country’s history.

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  Lonnie

  Member

  02/04/2023 at 17:48

  Churches tend to focus on their specific beliefs and teachings vs. the big picture. Chaplains are expected to be knowledgeable about various religions and minister to the individual. Many churches also feel they can change the criminal and don’t always comprehend what led to the crime whether it be socio-economic circumstances, addiction, etc. They also don’t understand we can only change ourselves, including criminals. “Finding Jesus” doesn’t solve the problem because they often leave Him behind when they are released. When the church gets involved with released inmates, they might begin to understand the complexity of the criminal.

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  Akinyemi emmanuel Lapinni

  Member

  01/10/2023 at 16:37

  First of all since chaplain deals with people of different religious orientations, the church may not likely understand this kind of ministry given to the legalistic approach of the church to issues. Sometimes, the church may feel that there is no reference to chaplaincy in the Bible, as such the misunderstanding

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