Ministry of Presence

Nov 10

Nov 10 Ministry of Presence

I first heard the term “Ministry of Presence” when I attended the Army’s Chaplains Officer Basic Course. It sounded interesting because I never heard ministry described that way. My first reaction concerned how one was supposed to assist finding faith if you did not, in theory, even have to say a word. Is hanging out with soldiers a ministry within itself?

Do not underestimate the power in hanging out with the people you serve. Even if you do not strike up a conversation, your presence speaks volumes. Workplace ministry requires presence to make an impact. Staying in one’s office waiting for people to come by or to make their appointment helps those who visit. Getting out of the office ensures that a lot more people get to know who you are.

Whether in Corporate Chaplaincy or Military Chaplaincy, one must be careful to not be disruptive for those who have a job to do. You must find appropriate times and places to have discussions and informal counseling. Often, these are not times to get into deep issues. Rather, these are times to assess the need and potentially to make a recommendation for further assistance. These are times to meet people where they are.

The Ministry of Presence may be in break rooms, cafeterias, or even in the parking lot when walking to or from work. Military Chaplains ensure they are present by doing what soldiers, sailors, airmen, defenders, and marines do. This means going out for field training, airborne operations, physical training, and deployments. The more austere the environment, the better. Military people appreciate that their Chaplain is not “back in the rear” where it is comfortable. Experiencing what they experience brings instant rapport. Chaplains sponsor events that intertwine spiritual instruction with common military life. Physical training with the Chaplain can be a time when someone sings out a spiritual message in a cadence or cites Scripture in between sit ups and pushups. The possibilities are endless for Chaplain events.

Also remember your supervisors/commanders and their staff. Occasionally the staff will have a “beer call” after work on Friday. Chaplains are members of the staff too. Again, hanging out has its advantages. Remember that Jesus was a friend of sinners and some people put a target on his back for being a drunkard. Jesus cared more for the people who needed him than he did for answering claims against his character.

In a few more senior positions, my role was an “action officer” or “executive officer.” My role was described as an “Enabling Ministry.” I think this description was to make you feel better about the fewer interactions in the workplace. I was tucked away in an office or a cubicle. My job was to perform tasks and get others to do so. So then, how can one conduct a Ministry of Presence? One must be intentional. While at the Pentagon I could do most of my tasks through an email or phone call. However, I intentionally left my cubicle and went to the other person’s cubicle with my request. The visits were often centered around spirituality. The additional benefit was that there is nothing like personal contact for collaboration.

Another demonstration for the Ministry of Presence is when we had a potential active shooter in our building. They told us to shelter in place. However, I have always seen the Chaplain’s role as a first responder. I left the office and went to a classroom where some were in training. They were scared. They found it comforting that a Chaplain would show up and talk to them.

Here are some of the benefits in keeping the Ministry of Presence a vital part of what you do:

Building rapport