“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me” (John 15:5).
Application: As long as you’re connected to the Vine, you’ll be fine.
Public Service Chaplaincy Trends:
- Polarization of beliefs creates stressful working environments.
- Chaplains are dealing with their stressors while helping others they serve to manage stress.
- With the focus on improving financial performance, public service chaplaincy positions are threatened.
- Covenantal pluralism is an emerging framework around shaping spiritual care to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse religious population. It seeks to pursue equal opportunities for all to propose their religious beliefs and behaviors without imposing them on others and leverage both shared values and differences for the common good.
- Public Safety and Disaster Relief Chaplaincy endorsements have increased to meet the needs of natural disasters and crises occurring more frequently in the United States.
Recommended Chaplain Resources:
- Chase Hughes’ book, Six Minute X-Ray offers a comprehensive guide to quickly reading people’s hidden emotions and motivations through body language and verbal cues.Hughes dedicated two decades of his life to the United States Navy. During his service, he held various positions, with one of his most notable roles being a lead curriculum developer for tactical operations in the field of behavioral science.This invaluable resource provides practical, actionable techniques that can be applied in real-life chaplain settings to make accurate assessments and ensure timely, appropriate interventions. While the book covers a lot of material, Hughes reassures readers that with the information, practice, and tools provided, anyone can master these skills “beyond what 99% of psychologists are capable of seeing in less than six minutes” of a personal encounter.
- In the latest American Medical Association videocast, Dr. Christina Puchalski, MD (Professor of Medicine and Executive Director, George Washington Institute for Spirituality & Health), a pioneer in the field of spiritual care and health, explores the vital connection between spirituality and medicine.From defining “whole person care” to sharing groundbreaking research on how spirituality impacts health outcomes, this discussion is a powerful reminder of the chaplain’s essential role in modern healthcare.
Brent’s Upcoming Conference Attendance through July 2025:
- May 18–21: Association of Clinical Pastoral Education Annual Meeting (Minneapolis, MN)
- Jun 8–11: SBC Annual Meeting and Chaplains Reception (Dallas, TX)
- Jun 12–15: Association of Professional Chaplains Annual Meeting (Minneapolis, MN)
- July 21–25: International Conference of Police Chaplains Annual Training (Little Rock, AR)
Published May 12, 2025
