Church of God Chaplains Meet in Iraq
By Dr. Jerry McNabb, Assistant Director, Chaplains Commission
The Church of God Chaplains Commission has over 3,000 Community Service Chaplains in some 69 different countries and endorses over 200 full time chaplains, of which approximately 84 are military active duty and reserve chaplains serving around the world.
At the present time the Church of God has seven Army chaplains in Iraq, one in Afghanistan and one Navy chaplain serving afloat on a ship in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. Recently, Church of God Chaplain (CPT) Jeff Bartels’ path crossed with two of the six other Church of God chaplains stationed in Iraq.
On the front lines of a war that has lasted longer than WW II, God allowed these chaplains to meet and have a time of fellowship with each other. In this time of conflict to be able to be ministered to by another chaplain is a blessing, but to have a divine intervention that placed these three Pentecostal chaplains together, truly was a miracle. Just to be able to speak to a brother that not only understands your faith background but shares that same Pentecostal faith. No one, outside of those who have been there, could ever understand what an encouragement this is and how it gives you hope, so that you can endure the long 15 month deployments and stay spiritually refreshed enough to keep sharing the Gospel of Christ to the men and women in the Armed Forces.
Chaplain Bartels said, “It has been understood time and time again in military chaplain circles that relationships are keys to success and strength. The Chaplain Corps is a small group of professionals called to serve–for these brothers and sisters in ministry that call is to Christ and Country.”
