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transformation'that'will'come'at'the'return'of'Christ.'' Ɛ ĂŶ ĞǆƚĞŶƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐŚƵƌĐŚ͛Ɛ ŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ ĂŶĚ
ministry,'the'Chaplain'ŝƐ Ă ƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ ǁŝƚŶĞƐƐ ƚŽ ŚƌŝƐƚ͛Ɛ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŐĞŶĞƌal'resurrection.'

20. Vindication.''The'resurrection'vindicated'Christ.'He'was'content'to'die,'trusting'God'to'raise'
Him.''ChaplainƐ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŽ ũƵƐƚŝĨǇ ƚŚĞŵƐĞůǀĞƐ ďǇ ĂĐƚŝǀŝƚŝĞƐ͕ ǁŽƌĚƐ͕ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚŝŽŶƐ Žƌ ƋƵĂůŝĨŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͘ tĞ
are'content'for'God'to'vindicate'us'in'due'time,'and'meekly'endure'alongside'those'who'also'meet'the'
consequences'of'being'misunderstood'by'the'host'institution'and'its'assumptions.''

21. Ascension.'''Christ'ascended'and'was'enthroned'to'exercise'supreme'authority'to'brinŐ ŝŶ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ
Kingdom'through'his'church.''This'gives'Chaplains'confidence'in'prayer,'and'confidence'that''ŽĚ͛Ɛ'
project'to'transform'the"kingdom"of"this"world"into"the"Kingdoms"of"our"Lord"and"of"his"Christ'(Rev'
11:15)'will'be'accomplished:'as'ChaplainƐ ŵŝŶŝƐƚĞƌ ŝŶ ƚŚŝƐ ǁŽƌůĚ͛Ɛ ŝŶƐƚŝƚutions,'we'know'we'are'part'of'
the'coming'of'his'Kingdom.'The'outpost'may'be'lonely,'the'outcome'will'be'glorious!'

22. Pentecost'and'the'Church.''The'sending'of'the'Spirit'marked'the'effective'beginning'of'the'
cŚƵƌĐŚ͛Ɛ ŵŝŶŝƐƚƌǇ.'She'bears'witness'to'the'coming'age'in'many'ways:'she'receives'the'blessings'of'being'
under'the'lordship'of'Christ,'being'fed'and'cared'for'by'Him.''She'understands'the'spiritual'context'of'
humanity'which'is'hidden'from,'yet'so'perplexes'and'frustrates'our'race.''She'has'prayerful'access'to'the'
power'of'God.''She'has'been'given'spiritual'gifts'unavailable'to'the'rest'of'humanity.''She'bears'spiritual'
fruit,'much'of'which'is'seen'in'the'contexts'of'human'suffering'and'human'relationships,'both'of'which'
pose'the'greatest'challenges'to'human'resources.''She'reminds'humanity'that'this'world'is'passing,'and'
that'we'must'give'account'of'what'we'have'done'to'God'Himself.''She'offers'redemption'through'the'
Gospel'of'Christ'to'all'without'discrimination.'All'these'ministries'do'much'to'improve'human'lives,'and'
ƐŽ ŝƚ͛Ɛ no'surprise'that'institutions'seek'Christian'ministers'from'churches'as'their'Chaplains'so'that'they'
might'share'in'the'blessings'which'come'from'the'kingdom'of'God'alone.''As'we'have'seen'(para'5)'
Chaplains'represent'Christ'in'his'church'to'the'world:'they'can'do'so'because'of'Christ͛Ɛ ƉƌĞƐĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ
them'and'in'his'church'by'his'Spirit.'''

23. ŚƌŝƐƚ͛Ɛ ZĞƚƵƌŶ.'ChaplainƐ ƌĞŵĞŵďĞƌ ƚŚĂƚ ŚƌŝƐƚ͛Ɛ ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŝƐ ǁŚĞŶ ƚŚĞǇ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƚŚĞǇ
minister'to'will'be'judged.'They'remember'and'bear'witness'that'this'age'is'passing'but'that'the'next'is'
eternal.' ŚƌŝƐƚ͛Ɛ glory'on'that'day'makes'sense'of'frustrations,'lends'urgency'and'gives'significance'
throughout'our'ministry'in'this'day'(1'Cor'15:58).'

Summary'and'Conclusion'

24. Evangelical'ministers'have'every'reason'for'confidence'as'Chaplains.'The'world'has'opened'a'
door'to'us,'and'in'that'we'should'see'the'providential'hand'of'God.'Whilst'the'change'of'ministry'
paradigm'from'Preaching'to'Presence'can'be'disconcerting,'we'are'not'being'unfaithful'to'our'calling.''
The'Triune'God'who'has'unlimited'patience'(1'Tim'1:16)'has'always'been'content'to'be'present'among'
our'race.'Even'when'he'appeared'on'earth'in'human'flesh,'he'waited'30'years'before'He'proclaimed'the'
Kingdom.'In'any'event,'the'responsibilities'we'have'towards'sinners:'the'love'we'feel'towards'lost'souls'
in'their'confusion,'the'weakness'of'the'saints'God'has'placed'in'the'institutions'we'serve,'the'urgency'
ƚŚĂƚ ŚƌŝƐƚ͛Ɛ ŝŵƉĞŶĚŝŶŐ ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŝŵƉĂƌƚƐ:'all'these'exert'a'right'pressure'to'keep'Chaplains'zealous'as'well'
as'patient.''As'Chaplains'grapple'with'the'challenges'of'being'witnesses,'we'also'become'better'Pastors'

Gospel'Chaplaincy'in'a'Secular'Age'ʹ'page'8'of'9'ʹ'September'2011'

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