Navy Reserve chaplain officer addresses NOBTS chapel
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By Marilyn Stewart
Rear Admiral Endel Lee, a Navy Reserve chaplain officer and North American Mission Board church planting catalyst in military communities, challenged a chapel audience at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to “”Do your part”” for the Kingdom.
The Feb. 8 service included the commissioning of a new Navy chaplain.
NOBTS President Chuck Kelley encouraged the audience in opening remarks to consider the varied service opportunities available to chaplains.
“”It is a special day on our campus because we are focusing our attention on a very particular calling in ministry, one which does not get much attention — that is, the chaplain,”” Kelley said. “”They make a great impact.””
Kelley noted chaplains serve in settings ranging from “”military to hospital to industry.”” More than in some fields of ministry, Kelley added, chaplains are “”expected”” to lead out in spiritual conversations.
“”They expect a chaplain to be a representative of faith,”” Kelley said. “”This is a high calling indeed.””
Lee’s 35-year military career includes more than 10 years in the Marines and 22 years as a Navy Reserve chaplain, encompassing deployments overseas and mobilizations to New York City following the September 2001 terror attacks and the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Lee currently is the Navy’s deputy chief of chaplains for reserve matters at the Pentagon and a former NOBTS faculty member.
