Posted: 3/19/04
NAMB chaplain numbers appear on the rise
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
The total number of chaplains endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention North American Mission Board dropped from 2000 to 2003 but is on the rise this year, according to an agency spokesman.
Total NAMB-endorsed chaplains in active service dropped about 7 percent–from 2,590 in 2000 to 2,406 in 2003, according to spokesman Marty King. Healthcare endorsements dropped most.
The 3,287 recorded in last year's SBC Annual was a reporting anomaly, King noted. Unlike the other numbers cited, that total included retirees and chaplains holding multiple endorsements, such as an individual who serves as a chaplain both in a hospital and with a fire department.
It appears that most of those who wanted to transfer already have done it, King said. NAMB year-to-date endorsement numbers are up; the board endorsed about 50 chaplains in its first two meetings this year.
Most chaplain employers, including the military, require endorsement. The process certifies a person is prepared to be a spiritual counselor. NAMB is the endorsing agency of the SBC.
The drop in NAMB-endorsed chaplains coincides with other Baptist groups starting to endorse chaplains. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship began endorsing chaplains in 1998. The Baptist General Convention of Texas started endorsing chaplains in 2002.
Clearly, some chaplains transferred their endorsements from NAMB to the more recent endorsers because they felt “more closely aligned” with those groups, King said.
In recent years, NAMB has stopped endorsing ordained female chaplains and even more recently decided to stop ordaining female military chaplains, angering some of the chaplains the board had endorsed.
The departure of Bob Vickers, former director of NAMB chaplaincy evangelism, also infuriated some ministers.
Bobby Smith, director of the BGCT chaplaincy relations office, said chaplains are transferring for more than theological reasons.
The BGCT chaplaincy effort goes beyond endorsement to focus on fellowship. Smith routinely visits chaplains in the field and calls them together for an annual retreat.
“People are transferring across because they like our ministry of relationship and support,” he said.
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