1. ACM is a department at the General Conference, the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church near Washington, D.C. As a world-wide department, ACM has counterpart offices in the division headquarters around the world, making a global network for the advancement of this work. ACM is responsible for development and oversight of the chaplaincy ministries of the church - in diverse settings such as corrections, education, healthcare and the military.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Chaplains are experienced ministers of the church with pastoral training and credentials. In many cases they have also taken specialized training that equips them to practice ministry in their particular institutional setting, such as Clinical Pastoral Education for healthcare chaplaincy. Much of what the chaplain does resembles the familiar work of the parish pastor, and much is unique for the individual setting - such as battlefield ministry for the military chaplain, clinical team collaboration in the hospital, etc. The core distinction of chaplaincy, however, is that much of the chaplain's work is for people who are facing crisis situations and who benefit from skilled ministry during times of need. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Ecclesiastical endorsement is the affirmation of the church that a candidate for chaplaincy is a minister in good standing, has adequate training for chaplaincy and is deemed to represent the church well in that setting. Follow this link for more information about ecclesiastical endorsement.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. A lot of people, including many in mid-career, wonder if the Lord is calling them into ministry and if chaplaincy is the place for them. Give us a call; we do a lot of career counseling and will help you determine how close you might be to that goal. We'll also help you outline a course of action if you need to take additional training. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. While that varies a bit from one area of chaplaincy to another, there are some general requirements. These include 1) A personal commitment to Jesus Christ and the message and mission of the Adventist Church; 2) Spiritual gifts for ministry; 3) Personal and family life that gives a positive testimony; 4) Graduate theological training that includes an accredited Master of Divinity degree or equivalent; 4) Successful ministry experience, and 5) Continuing accountability to the Lord and the church. In addition, some fields involve additional specialized training, such as healthcare chaplaincy that requires Clinical Pastoral Education. For some areas of chaplaincy ecclesiastical endorsement is also a requirement of the employer. It can be a bit of a puzzle trying to figure out all of this, so give us a call if you have questions. Fortunately for those who may be older there are now more flexible ways to obtain some of the qualifications listed above. We can help you look at your options.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is a popular form of clinically-oriented pastoral training that is often used to either prepare for chaplaincy or to enhance pastoral skills at any time. It is probably the best known form of clinical pastoral training, but by no means the only one. For various purposes pastors and chaplains also engage in clinical supervised training for counseling, marriage and family therapy an so on. In North America CPE is required for endorsement by ACM for healthcare chaplaincy. It is also required by many employer, primarily hospitals, but sometimes also correctional systems, etc. CPE has been called the study of the "living human document." It is a process of at least 400 hours of supervised learning that takes place in a variety of settings, but usually in a hospital. Don't let the hospital throw you off; its not just for hospital chaplains. The learning that takes place is applicable to ministry anywhere - parish, prison, schools, military, etc. A certified supervisor and a peer group of 4-6 students work together for the duration of the program. Students are assigned as chaplains on certain units and proceed to minister there. Students and supervisor meet almost daily for a variety of learning experiences - lectures, case studies, role plays, theological reflection, etc. Students bring material and ministry experiences from their units to the group for sharing and processing. The combination of purposeful reflection on ministry experience, feedback from peers and guidance from the supervisor proves to be a power learning milieu. CPE is taken in the full-time intensive format, which takes about 10 weeks or so to complete, and the extended format which is part-time and takes longer. Once you have take a basic unit of CPE, you qualify to apply for a residency (usually one year with a stipend). 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. There are a lot of good training programs, but be sure that the one you take will qualify for the professional requirements that you will have to meet in chaplaincy. A general rule of thumb is that CPE should be taken from a supervisor certified by a professionally recognized pastoral training organization. In North America these include the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), the Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education (CAPPE), the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) and the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP). CPSP is a relatively new (but very credible) organization and ACM recognizes their training for endorsement purposes. However, since CPSP is fairly new, be sure that if you do a basic unit of CPSP training that it will be accepted for entry if you are considering a residency at another center. In North America CPE is offered at nearly 400 locations, but overseas the number of programs is limited. There are some good programs in Manila, Philippines; Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa; Vellore, India and elsewhere. Check with your division ACM director to determine if there are any programs in your division territory. Check out the LINKS button for further information on NAD-based CPE accrediting bodies. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Not necessarily. To serve as a chaplain you will need to qualify for ministerial credentials from the church. Male chaplains are usually ordained ministers, but some are in process toward that objective, usually serving as licensed ministers. Following current church policy, female chaplains are commissioned ministers. Chaplaincy is a very welcoming ministry venue for qualified women.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. ACM is not a placement service, but we often are instrumental in helping connect prospective employers and chaplains. And, once endorsed, we can provide valuable references to prospective employers.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. All Seventh-day Adventist chaplains remain accountable to the church through endorsement and credentialing, but they may or may not be directly employed by the church. In North America, for example, in all government-related chaplaincies (such as prisons, the military, public hospitals, etc.) the chaplain is employed by that government agency and paid from public funds. Chaplains employed by private institutions (hospitals, business/industry, etc.) are remunerated by that organization. Chaplains in Adventist-operated hospitals receive their pay from either the institution itself, or on a pass-through from the institution to the local conference and then to the chaplain. In Adventist-operated schools chaplains are paid by either the school or the conference; but in public campus chaplaincy the situation is more complex, with the pay coming from a variety of sources. Except for chaplains in Adventist schools, nearly all Adventist chaplains are remunerated from non-tithe funds originating outside the church. This makes Adventist chaplaincy a great bargain. For example, in North America alone it would take millions of dollars each year if we had to pay our chaplains from church funds. Adventist chaplains make a very cost-effective contribution to the mission of the church each year. 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Our chaplains are known as Seventh-day Adventist ministers, but they minister to all people, regardless of faith background. Of course, they can provide a special support ministry for Adventists who are also there; such as helping our youth with Sabbath accommodations in the military or on the public campus. Nurturing Adventists is very much part of their work, but so is also reaching out to others. 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. The answer is yes. In their lives and ministry Adventist chaplains can live out the Gospel every day. Chaplains in public settings, such as corrections and the military, must be careful to not advocate unique Adventist positions in general Protestant worship services, but in many places they are free to conduct Adventist Bible study groups that are billed as such. And they are always free to respond to the spirit of inquiry when people ask about what we believe. The bottom line is that sharing our beliefs must always be done in a manner that respects the beliefs of others and is ethical. 

Frequently Asked Military-Related Questions - Answers

1. The NSO is organized as part of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries, It is developed most fully in the North American Division, but the NSO is available to assist all world divisions in dealing with military-related issues. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Follow this link to the National Service Organization section for additional information about Sabbath accommodation and military reserve issues. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Yes. Follow this link to information about the Immigrants Alternate Oath for U.S. Citizenship.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Unfortunately, there is no such guarantee. During your basic training you will almost certainly be required to participate in various exercises on Sabbath. After that, however, the situation might or might not change. It will depend on a variety of factors, including the attitude of your commanding officer, your own attitude and work record in general, the possibility of working an alternative schedule, the unique national laws of your country, etc. Many Adventist military members have had few Sabbath problems, while others have been challenged in this area. Because of this and related matters, the church counsels its members to seriously consider these issues before making a decision on voluntary military service. 

Help is available through the NSO for current military members with religious accommodation problems. Contact your conference or union NSO director, your nearest ACM Field Representative or your division ACM office. Follow this link to information on people to contact at the NSO. acm@nad.adventist.org