u/bavincksbuddy

Hi all, interested in becoming a chaplain for the USAF. I have an MDiv, 4 units of CPE, board certified chaplain, ordained in a Protestant denom, 6 years of ministry service (does part-time ministry count too?), and working on a Marriage and Family degree.

I'd love to hear about the day-to-day operations or any links/resources that might be helpful? How long are the days (are you able to truly clock out, or is it more like the pastoral role where you are always "on call')? What are your deployments like? Best things and hardest thing to navigate in your role?

I am also curious about specific tasks--are you preaching weekly or sharing this task with a team depending on denomination? I see many chaplains leading their religious services, and I am wondering if this is a large part of the role. Are you organizing general events (marriage retreats? youth events?). Are you organizing more denomination-specific events (discipleship groups, baptisms, church partnership activities)? What would you say are the percentages of your job from the ministry triangle of: preaching, counseling, administration? Would you say your role is more team/collaboration based, or more individualized (think solo pastor structure mostly individualized tasks vs multi-pastor team highly collaborative). I also see that there are civilian ministry coordinators that are hired, so I'm wondering what the difference is from what they do vs what the chaplain does? What does the religious airman do?

Big thank you!

I have an MDiv and CPE units, do I need more training for hospice regulations to be a bereavement coordinator? like specific grief counseling training?

I have a denominational connection interested in getting me into their church as a pastor. There are two main campuses: one senior pastor over both campuses, and have two executive pastors (one for each campus). There are two teaching pastors that rotate between the two campuses, and then there are two main co-pastors for each campus (this is what I would be). Each campus has a youth ministry pastor, and then there are 1-2 other pastors at each campus focusing on another niche (outreach, bilingual, seniors, spiritual formation/counseling, etc.)

I would be based at one campus and supporting the ministries there, but I would also be rotating between both campuses for preaching (along with the senior pastor, executive pastors, campus pastors, and teaching pastors on staff, about 7 on a shared pulpit rotation). Essentially, based on gifting and interest and duties, each pastor will be on a rotational preaching schedule, so I would be preaching 1x a month either at my campus or the other campus, for example. Huge emphasis on collaborative preaching for that matter (sermon should be ready for group preaching feedback two weeks before preaching).

It’s a unique structure. I like the shared pulpit. I like collaborative preaching. Curious about your experience with similar structures and/or co-pastoring and what it has been like?