Do you have a passionate desire to be involved in a dynamic pastoral care ministry within the healthcare setting? As a professional healthcare Chaplain, you can make a difference in the lives of those who are suffering, recovering or dying. In addition, you can minister to their loved ones as well as the medical staff. The ministry of a healthcare Chaplain in these stressful situations can often restore the spirits of those in need and make an eternal difference in their lives. HCMA Chaplains daily respond to the spiritual needs of people from different cultures and ethnic groups, people with various worldviews and beliefs, and people who are searching for meaning in life. Serving with HCMA as a professional healthcare Chaplain is about the potential of bringing God closer to the patient/resident and the patient/resident closer to God.
If you are a seminary student, pastor, commissioned or ordained minister, missionary or other person with an active ministry background and a sense of a calling to a ministry at the bedside, you could be a part of the HCMA chaplaincy care team. HCMA offers you an opportunity to build upon your theological knowledge and ministerial experience by equipping you through clinical pastoral education for this specialized ministry in a specialized setting.
Are You Qualified?
Are you qualified to be a healthcare Chaplain with HCMA? If you are thinking about HCMA chaplaincy as a possible ministry option, you will need to meet the following requirements for a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC):
- A clear statement of conversion to Christ
- A vital and growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ
- A definite leading and calling to healthcare chaplaincy
- A graduate level theological degree (or equivalent)
- At least two years of pastoral ministry experience
- Ordination or commissioning from a recognized Christian faith group
- Ecclesiastical endorsement
Qualifying as a Board Certified Chaplain
You don’t meet these requirements because you don’t have a seminary degree or you’re not ordained, but you still feel called to this ministry at the bedside? Check out the qualifications for a Certified Clinical Chaplain (CCC). Qualifying as a Clinical Chaplain
Applicants may need to be able to raise their own financial support. Though many healthcare facilities do provide a full or partial stipend, some do not. This is often true during the chaplaincy training program and may also continue to be true after you’re fully certified. Once accepted as a Chaplain-Trainee, HCMA will provide you with guidance in raising financial support for your ministry. If God has called you, He will provide.
