Many might think chaplains only work in hospitals or the military.
But what is mostly unknown is a rapidly growing field — marketplace chaplains.
“A lot of people think a pastor is someone that works at a church, preaches on Sunday mornings and shepherds the flock of the local church community,” noted Matt Bostic, chaplain and business life coach. “A chaplain is more of a pastor in the marketplace. Whereas maybe 50% of Christians in America go to church on Sunday, 100% go to work on Monday.
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“So chaplains have an incredible opportunity to take the pastoral gift into the business marketplace and find their flock to lead in the workforce.”
Bostic has been both a pastor and a chaplain. While pastoring he had “a drive, a fire that was lit” in him on Sunday nights. That was frustrating because he wouldn’t see most congregants again until the next Sunday, if they even came then.
“So when the world of chaplaincy was opened up to my eyes, I saw the value in being able to be a church that never sleeps,” Bostic related. “You get to go meet them where they’re at, where they spend a majority of their life — whether it’s behind the desk or underneath a truck or in the middle of a steel mill, Monday through Friday.”
Relationships
Building relationships is key, Bostic noted. He makes a point to interact with every employee at each business where he serves, through a simple handshake or really listening when he asks, “How are you?”
Continually seeking the Holy Spirit for the time and space to let God work is critical.
“You look for that moment when they might have a break in their day and you can tell they wanna talk and just say, ‘Hey, Matt, let me tell you what’s going on with my family,’” Bostic said.
Marketplace chaplaincy is a good way for a bivocational pastor to continue pastoring while paying the bills by doing what he is already called and gifted to do. It’s also an option for those with the heart of a pastor but not necessarily the gift of preaching or leading a church.
One unique component of the ministry is learning the human resource aspect. It’s necessary to understand how to do ministry without violating company policies or the law. Interactions must be “non-threatening and permission-based.”
Chaplains also must know how to conduct a funeral, officiate a wedding or visit employees who are hospitalized.
“A lot of employees don’t have a local church and if someone dies, you’re their pastor,” Bostic noted. “I’ve done many, many, many hospital visits this year because the owner of the company said, ‘We have a guy — he cut his leg open. He’s in ICU and he doesn’t have a local church. Would you go there and pray for him and sit with the family? ‘
“And so, you’re literally pastoring a business. That’s your flock, that’s your congregation. You’re just not preaching on Sunday morning,” Bostic said.
Real care
Meeting needs and building relationships is key.
He recalled that for three months one man wouldn’t interact with him, but in the fourth month he needed help. He couldn’t find a plumber willing to work on a Saturday.
After contacting Bostic, “He saw that, ‘Wow! Man, this guy isn’t just walking around preaching at people — he really cares about me. It’s Saturday afternoon; he found a plumber and now we’re getting a leak fixed.’
“Today, when I walk into that business it’s a ‘high five,’ ‘how you doing?’ We’re friends. It just goes to show you that people are looking for someone to say, ‘You’re valuable, you matter to me,’” Bostic said.
Meeting people ‘where they are at’
Many won’t attend church because they aren’t “cleaned up.” Bostic recalled one employee who apologized for cussing in front of him. He assured him it was okay.
“Smoking, drinking, cussing, whatever — they all feel like, ‘I’ll get all that fixed up and then I’ll go to church,’” Bostic said. “That’s just the furthest thing from the truth. That’s why church has declined over the years. We’ve made it feel like, ‘You get cleaned up, then you can be around the pastor, then you can lead a small group, then you can sing in the choir. You’ve got to have a collared shirt and have your shirt tucked in to be able to come in.’
“God said, ‘I love you. I know exactly who you are inside now and I love every part of you that you hate, every part of you that’s broken, that’s wounded, that’s sinful. I don’t see that behavior. I see my Son crucified.’”
Bostic noted “that’s the fun part of my job,” meeting people “where they’re at” and letting them know “how valuable they are. There’s a real special blessing that comes when you give your life away to other people.”
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