Chaplain Cox says, “At the opposite
end of the range of these officers’ activi-
ties, there are times of relative calm.
Some special times for a chaplain and an
officer can be on ‘ride-alongs.’ On a quiet
evening, opportunities can come up to
talk from the heart. God opens these
doors. For a chaplain who has earned his
or her stripes and is a part of their world,
it’s a time for some special one-on-one
care. What a tremendous ministry!
Nothing is more gratifying than to share
Christ’s caregiving message of hope and
salvation.”
The Chaplains Commission has a
corps of over 400 men and women
serving as law-enforcement chaplains
Tennessee Pastors Darrell Bewley across the states and around the world.
(left) and Jerry Cox also serve as
All chaplains, no matter where they
law-enforcement chaplains.
serve, have a single-minded determina-
tion. They have to go beyond the gates
rating. Everyone works hard to maintain Stress debriefings are a vital part of of the church because that’s where the
a high standard of excellence. It is a min- trained chaplains’ caregiving ability.” people are.
istry, a calling—we can do nothing less
than our very best.”
Law enforcement is one of the most
demanding and stressful occupations an
Professionalism With Power
individual can have. Opinion polls, sur-
The more I delve into chaplaincy ministries, the more I appreciate the “in-break-
veys, and statistical findings bear this out
ing” of the Holy Spirit.
with gloomy regularity. Imagine working
While chaplaincy represents the finest of professional training and experiences, we
in a place where almost every action you
must always give the Holy Spirit the right to break in on our professional agenda. Even
take is scrutinized by government agen-
in the middle of the most delicate
cies, watchdog groups, and political
therapeutic process, the Holy Spir-
opportunists. That would be stressful
it will often take us in another
enough, but then add the element of
direction—an action that a secular
danger as you confront people on a daily
therapist would interpret as an
basis who, to phrase it nicely, do not
interruption.
have in mind the best interests of regular
This is simply the way we do
citizens. All of this brews a stewpot of
business. We come to this ministry
emotions. That is where the chaplain
with the best possible training,
comes in.
but we acknowledge it is “not by
“We are there to back up law officers
works of righteousness which we
in every possible way—to support them
have done, but according to His
and their families. No one can nor
mercy” (Titus 3:5, NKJV). It is
deserves to carry these kinds of stress lev-
professionalism coupled with the
els without support—genuine, caregiving
acknowledgment that God is
support,” says Chaplain McGinnis. “In
always present, and He has a right
high-stress situations, their discipline and
to be prominent in our ministry at
instant readiness take over, sometimes
all levels. —Robert D. Crick
aided by a high dose of adrenaline. In
those really bad situations where loss of
To learn more about the
life unfortunately occurs, especially in the
Church of God Chaplains
case of another officer, chaplains are
Commission, visit their Web site:
there to help ‘bring these officers down’
www.cogchaplains.com
from the intensity of traumatic events.
EVANGEL • AUG 2009 13
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