Ministry Practicum Paper

 MINISTRY PRACTICUM PAPER

Introduction

      Jesus told His disciples ahead of time that one of the things He would expect of them, was to visit Him while He was in prison (an indirect reference to other brothers or believers). The disciples probably didn’t have a full grasp of the implication of Jesus’ words until after a number of them had a firsthand experience of what it means to be incarcerated. The deep implications of Jesus’ thoughts and words are; how does it feel to be in prison? What does life behind bars look like? How beautiful, relieving and comforting it is to have someone tell you, “I care” when every other person out there has forgotten? This was another reason why he would condemn those on the Day of Judgment to eternal punishment – because, He was in prison and they refused to visit him (Matt 25:31-46).  

       Jesus had indirectly painted a dark picture of the experience of a prisoner. The challenge He gave His disciples is as relevant today, considering the level at which crime has attained among humanity and considering the state of prisons in the USA. Jesus will however have a great joy in some when He returns. These just don’t visit those in prison, but minister to the prisoners, the prison staff and officers, sharing the light of Christ to people confined in cells who cannot be reached easily by others. These are the chaplains. This paper will take a look at the concept of chaplaincy in regards to practical experience obtained at the Union County Jail in Elizabeth, New Jersey. It takes a look at the prison system, its nature and the kind of ministry needs there. It then takes a look at the roles chaplains play as well as my own in ministering and meeting the needs of prisoners and other personnel. The ministry of the chaplain is an effective tool in ministering the gospel to those who otherwise might not have been reached considering their secluded nature. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1, NRSV)

The Concept of Chaplaincy

     There are different backgrounds to the history of chaplaincy. A much older source traces the history to 4th Century legend Martins of Tours. St Martin’s was a member of the Roman army born around 326AD to a pagan family. Around the age of 27, he was passing by the gate of Amiens of Gaul on a very cold day when he saw a man freezing on the side of the road. This man’s plea was ignored by several others who rode past on their horses but it drew the attention of Martins who had nothing to offer than cutting his cape in half and sharing the other half with the beggar to prevent him from freezing. In the night he had a vision where he came to understand that the beggar was Christ himself. The vision shook him to the core so much he decided to follow Christ and was baptized. The half cape (Latin cappa) became a relic and was kept in a container called capella. From it came the term Chapel – a place where the robe of Christ is shared, not stored. The keeper of the cape was the Capellanus and that is where the word “chaplain” is derived.