So what is Chaplains Collective really all about, anyways?

Prior to stepping into sports chaplaincy in 2004 I had a very narrow view of chaplaincy as a whole.  As a young 23 year old kid trying to find my place in ministry, chaplaincy just wasn’t something that was on my radar.

I was familiar with hospice and prison chaplains, and I knew our Armed Forces and first responders had chaplains as well; beyond that the idea of chaplains existing within the ‘marketplace’ just wasn’t there.

Since 2004 my view of chaplaincy has broadened dramatically, and I’ve come to discover that chaplains have beautifully woven themselves into nearly every industry and niche you can think of.

For 14 years my chaplaincy niche was motorsports (prior to transitioning into corporate chaplaincy), ranging from amateur weekend racers to full-time professional NASCAR teams. I was just one of countless men and women across America who were serving in the world of motor sports. What I came to discover during my time in motorsports was that there was a bit of an ‘art form’ to successful chaplaincy within competitive auto racing, and for the most part the men and women who were functioning as chaplains within this niche were doing it really well.

What I also noticed was that they were very isolated from other chaplains. It wasn’t that they were isolated from other chaplains within motorsports, rather that they were isolated from other chaplains across the chaplaincy landscape of America.

Motorsports chaplains do chaplaincy exceedingly well within their niche. Corporate Chaplains of America does chaplaincy exceedingly well within corporate America. First Responder chaplains. Hospice Chaplains. Military Chaplains. NFL Chaplains. They have all worked to master the art form of chaplaincy within their niche, but are all seemingly isolated from each other.

Despite this isolation, each niche of chaplains contains within them a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, an expertise that when shared could find beautiful application within other niches as well (when adapted and adjusted properly).

It’s within this observed isolation that Jeff and I began to dream together about a network that could bridge both niche and industry to create a healthy network of men and women sharing their ‘art’ with each other. And what if it wasn’t just a ‘network’, but source of chaplaincy standards and training that could promote and provoke a healthy foundation for chaplains?

It was amidst these dreams and conversations that Chaplains Collective came alive.

It wasn’t about creating another ‘brand’ or trying to be the next big thing in chaplaincy; it was about developing a network and resource that can universally supplement chaplains everywhere regardless of their niche or affiliation. It was about creating a standard of chaplaincy that unites cross-niche and brings a new level of consistency and professionalism for all who would wear the title ‘chaplain’.

Our mission is this, to grow a thriving collective of engaged chaplains who are equipped and empowered through meaningful connections, training and resources.

What exactly does that look like?

Connections.

We want to connect men and women across all fields and disciplines of chaplaincy. Regardless of our niche, we all have a wealth of experiences and practices to share with each other. Just because I worked around race cars and you worked around fireman doesn’t mean we can’t encourage each other. The logos we wear shouldn’t dictate the information we share; as one body of Christ we should be growing and encouraging each other in our calling to be chaplains. Our mission is to foster a network that allows these connections to happen.

Training.

We don’t want to be another Corporate Chaplains of America, Health Care Ministry Association, Motor Racing Outreach or the like; we just want to be us and empower you to be you. Regardless of the logo or the title, we want to provide meaning training and impactful to anyone who calls themselves Chaplain. Our mission is to train men and women to function as chaplains regardless of the logo they choose to wear.

Resources.

We recognize that not every chaplain has a ‘home base’ to operate from. For those who do not have a home base, we want to be that home base. We want to give a trusted brand, a robust administrative suite and a personal experience to men and women who have no affiliation for their chaplaincy. From insurance and financial processing to coaching and mentoring; our mission is to be a resource to men and women who want to pursue their call to be chaplain.

Whether you wear our logo or that of another ministry, we just want to see you making a radical difference within the Kingdom of God through your calling as Chaplain.

Interested in becoming a Chaplain yourself? Learn more here!