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To be a successful chaplain requires acrifice, study, hard work and dedication. All of these qualities are needed to be able to serve your assigned community or congregation. I was not aware of the diversified communities a chaplain functions in. Trying to understand the culture and backgrounds of the community, religious, socio-economic and cultural preferences are so very important.

A chaplain needs to understand at least the very basic concepts of all major religions and their beliefs so they can better minister to the needs of all these divergent communities and not offend anyone, which would be contrary to the purpose of helping others in their time of need. I can fully understand now why I need to take the other courses ULC requires to attain the chaplain title.

A good minister should know who to report to and why, he or she must know the chain of command and protocol of the organization they work for and to realize what is appropriate and what is not. Another important issue that was raised was the important issue of when to punt, when to recognize the problem being presented to me is beyond my capabilities and should be handled by a professional in the field where the problem lies.

This Online Seminary course also taught that a chaplain needs to take of themselves as well. Burnout, Stress, emotional involvement are things to watch out for and take care of. If a chaplain goes down they are of no use to anyone. A chaplain needs to know when to draw the line and not get too emotionally invested in a person they are ministering to. Instead of helping a person solve their problem, they then become part of the problem instead of the solution. Especially in first responder ministries, a chaplain may need professional counseling themselves after a terrible accident, multiple fatalities etc.

Just like a professional carpenter, a successful chaplain, will carry with them, their "box" of tools. A Bible to read from), kleenex tissues (to give to those that are crying), bible tracts (to teach from or comfort those with biblical scriptures, a laptop to keep track of appointments (to communicate by email or show presentations), a crucifix, holy water or oil (to bless and anoint their congregation) etc. I also learned a good chaplain should never betray their core beliefs, they should say true to them and not try and fit their beliefs to the circumstances they are in. Be honest with people with certain requests and offer other individuals of similar beliefs to service them. This way there is no conflict and or resentment or guilt for that matter.

I also noticed that various organization have different requirements for hiring a chaplain. For the military you have to actually join the military and be an officer to perform chaplain duties. I enjoyed this Online Seminary course so very much, I am sorry it is over. It was very simple to understand, presented logically and covered every facet of being a chaplain. It has encouraged me to continue on with my studies and helped me understand the full ramifications of being a chaplain. This course has defined my ministry and opened my eyes to what I am doing and how I am doing it. I want to thank the author for this wonderful Chaplaincy course and would recommend this course to anyone considering a career as a chaplain! --Rev. Andy Arecco