October 27, 2008
Alliance Chaplain Andy Kikuta received the prestigious John A. Price Excellency in Chaplaincy Award recently at the Annual Training Seminar of the International Conference of Police Chaplains in Mobile, Alabama. Kikuta has served with the Honolulu, Hawaii, police department for 23 years and currently is the senior chaplain of seven volunteer chaplains.
“My areas of responsibility involve caring for the Chief’s Office, Communications Division, Criminal Investigation Division, Human Resources Division, Media and Legislative Liaison Office, and our uniformed patrol district,” said Kikuta. “We primarily serve the officers, civilian employees, and families of our department in a supportive role, being with them especially in tragic situations. Upon request, we will assist the officers with cases involving the public.”
Kikuta, whose Japanese name translates to chrysanthemum field, has been planting seeds of the gospel on the island of Oahu for 28 years, beginning as an assistant pastor at Kapahulu (Alliance) Bible Church and then planting Hawaii Kai (Alliance) Community Church, where he continues his leadership today. Kikuta is married to his wife of 33 years, Claudia, and the couple has three adult children.
September 24, 2008
Alliance Chaplain Kevin Pies (U.S. Army) lost his beloved wife, Lorrie, Sunday morning, September 21, ending her three-year battle with cancer. Lorrie’s steadfast faith and perseverance were a testimony of God’s constant presence in her life.
As a military chaplain’s wife, Lorrie had opportunity to be involved in numerous projects and outreaches. Lorrie was a talented violinist, teacher, and writer. Her life touched many facets of the Colorado Springs, Colorado, community, including the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and the Child Development Center at the Air Force Academy. She was a member of the Jerry Jenkins Christian Writers Guild as well as a supporting writer of the recent International Bible Society’s Military Family Bible, Hope Beyond the Battle, the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and Campus Crusade’s Military Ministry Web site.
Lorrie still had time to participate in son Kenny’s band activities, mentor her college-age daughter, Victoria, and complete her college degree—much of this during the time when she was battling cancer. Lorrie served her family and community with a humble spirit and to God’s glory. Lorrie was 47.
Visitation will be held Saturday, September 27, 2008, from 2-5 p.m. at Swan Law Funeral Home in Colorado Springs. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 28, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. at the Soldiers’ Memorial Chapel, Ft. Carson, CO, with an Internment Service at the Mountview Cemetery, Billings, MT, on October 1, 2008, at 11 a.m.
Condolences may be sent to: Chaplain (MAJ) Kevin Pies, 6710 Dublin LP W, Colorado Springs, CO 80918.
August 21, 2008
Alliance military chaplains and their families met for fellowship, training, and spiritual blessing in Colorado Springs on August 7–10. Some of the high points were:
- Training on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is an issue many returning soldiers are facing.
- Testimonials of God’s power in their lives. Chaplain (CPT) Aaron White, U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, told of God’s grace and provision during his 15 months in Afghanistan. LT Don Twist, CHC, U.S. Navy, shared his own struggles with PTSD and how God has been so faithful to both him and his family.
- Dr. Daniel Shayesteh spoke on Christianity and Islam.
- Chaplain (1LT) Rob Olson became our newest Alliance Army Chaplain when the Oath of Office was given and he was pinned (crosses were placed on his uniform by fellow chaplains). Chaplain Rob and his wife, Katie, will begin their new ministry at Ft. Stewart, Georgia.
- Major General Bob Dees, U.S. Army (Retired) spoke at the Chaplain Banquet on Saturday evening, and Rev. David Goodin was the guest pastor for the Sunday morning worship time.
Please continue to pray for our chaplains and their families. Erik Gramling and Steve Moser are now deployed to the Middle East.
Please note that the above event was not funded by the Great Commission Fund. Funds given by these chaplains and others enable support for our military and other chaplaincy personnel.
February 6, 2008
Among the Spiritual Needs of Older Adults identified by Dr Harold Koenig of Duke University are: “The need for a sense of usefulness,” and “A need to love and serve others.” In the Sunday Morning Chapel Services at The Baptist Home of Bismarck, an offering is taken that is distributed to a number of community and international ministries. The Missouri Valley Habitat for Humanity organization is one of those organizations.
Chaplain Clyde Leimberer says “To our surprise and joy, the keys to the seventeenth house built in Bismarck/ Mandan, ND have been turned over to the Brady Davis family. Mrs. Davis (Anna) is a Certified Nursing Assistant at The Baptist Home and Brady works at HIT in Mandan. This is a family of eight and they definitely needed a house. As well, both Brady and Anna work in caring professions.
In the Sunday Morning Service, January 20, the residents of The Baptist Home presented some Housewarming gifts to the Davis family in celebration of their new home. The gifts were a special framed picture with a “Bless this House” poem and a ‘model home’ made of bags of microwave popcorn with miniature candy bars for shingles, windows and doors. This special occasion gave the residents the opportunity to see the fruits of their donations added to others and benefiting people they know.
The residents offerings are also sponsoring a 9 year old child from Sri Lanka through World Vision, as well as contributing regularly to the Salvation Army, KNDR Christian Radio, Interfaith the Sonshine Society and Sioux Falls Seminary.
June 26, 2007
Alliance chaplains serve on U.S. military installations around the world, on ships at sea, and with military forces deployed worldwide. Duties include conducting worship services on base and in the field. The following is a list of Alliance military chaplains who have served on the front lines:
Afghanistan
- Army Chaplain Steve Moser; Army Chaplain Doug Prentice served two tours
- Commander Chuck Anderson was deployed with his Marines
Iraq
- Army Chaplains Aaron White, Kevin Pies and Fred Townsend
- Commander Val Jensen, (Navy Chaplain) has served twice with the Marines
- Army Chaplain Erik Gramling has served in Iraq and Kuwait
Army Chaplain David Bowlus has deployed with his Ranger Battalion and Ranger Regiment numerous times to many regions in the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
Middle East and Persian Gulf
- U. S. Navy Chaplain Jeff Milne has deployed with the Navy to the Persian Gulf and with the Marines to the Middle East
- National Guard Chaplains Jesse Hall and Shelby Grant are deploying with their units to the Middle East
- Other Alliance Chaplains have been deployed with their National Guard and Reserve units as well, including Rich Bower, Pierre Allegre, Jeff Wheeland and Jeff Taylor
Chaplain Aaron White recalls a non-Alliance military chaplain who served with him in Afghanistan, saying: “Nurture the living, care for the wounded, honor the dead. This is what we are called to do everyday.”
Bob Collins, retired Army chaplain and director for Alliance Chaplain Ministries, agrees: “Pray for our chaplains. They are missionaries to a different culture, preaching the gospel in areas where no pastor or missionary can go. Their appointments are made by God!”
April 24, 2007
Institutional Chaplaincy with The Christian and Missionary Alliance has emerged from obscurity to become one of the Alliance’s most dynamic and effective means of outreach to hurting and disenfranchised people. Institutional Chaplaincy is on the cutting edge of home and overseas missions.
Alliance Institutional Chaplains know how to engage people who live and work outside the organized church. Chaplains have received specialized training and possess skill sets that uniquely prepare them for ministry to those who suffer and who are seeking meaning in their lives, especially as they approach death.
Alliance Chaplains have always regarded themselves as missionaries at their place of employment. Chaplains are sent by the Alliance to extend the love of Christ to a lost and dying world. In many ways, they become the face of Jesus to those who might not see Jesus in any other way.
Federal Chaplains include Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard Chaplains. These military chaplains serve in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Other Federal Chaplains serve in the Federal Bureau of Prisons and in Veteran Administration Hospitals. Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Chaplains are voluntary federally recognized chaplains that provide ministry to members of the Civil Air Patrol and their families. In the C&MA these are all licensed and ordained spiritual leaders.
These Chaplains serve both God and country by bringing their unique ministry gifts to serve military members and their families, war veterans, professional staffs and federal prisoners. These services may be provided in places and in facilities where local pastors may never be allowed to go. It is a ministry that requires specialized training and may require a commitment to serve the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines of our nation in the broad, challenging, diverse, and ever changing environment. It may require special training in hospital or prison ministry.
Military Chaplains minister to our nation's sons and daughters, and their families. As with any military member, chaplains must endure the hardships, separations, and deprivations of those whom they serve. Like any Minister, they must provide dynamic and genuine ministry with a shepherd's heart.
Our nation's Military VA Hospitals and Federal Prisons deserve qualified, committed, and called men and women to serve as spiritual leaders. The Alliance desires to endorse men and women who truly believe they are called to serve others and to demonstrate the love of Jesus in a specialized environment. If you are considering the call to any of these ministries, please know: the need has never been greater, the experience never so rich.
Contact Rev. Bob Collins, Chaplain, US Army (Retired), to find out how you may serve.
Office Phone: (254) 699-9809
Cell: (254) 258-0400
e-mail: rcollins2@hot.rr.com
April 18, 2007
By CDR Charles J. Anderson, Chaplain 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit/Task Force Linebacker
Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, is a remote area, accessible only by helicopter, SUV, or military tactical vehicle. Our outing here was very good. We were away from our camp outside of Tarin Kowt about 5 hours, from morning to midday, and it was hot.
Tarin Kowt’s people are pitifully destitute. Everything is in shambles. The clinic is in deplorable condition, but it is a place to receive patients. The building has no electrical power or running water—all infrastructure large and small has crumbled.
Talking With the Children
The children are darling and shy, but they compete desperately for handouts. After I gained situational awareness within the clinic compound, I knelt in a shady area and the children began to approach me, a towering giant. They became less intimidated when I removed my boonie cover and they saw my short grey hair. Grey hair receives respect from Afghans.
Then, I removed my dark glasses so they could see my eyes. Some Afghans wear eyeglasses, but it is rare. I mimed not being able to see the children without my glasses, and then I donned them and expressed delight at seeing the children. They giggled in response.
I showed the children my earplugs, flashlight, multi-tool, canteen, and first aid kit. I thought about pulling out my whistle and blowing it, but figured they would want to blow it, too. So, I kept it hidden.
The children pointed to my nametape, so I taught some of them to say “ANDERSON,” and pointed to myself. They pointed to my oak leaf cluster insignia, so I touched the leaves of the nearby tree and said, “leaves.” They pointed to the cross on my flak/ballistic vest and made the sign of the cross with their fingers, so I pointed to myself, patted my heart and pointed heavenward, saying, “I love Allah.”
Then I pointed to the children, patted my heart and pointed heavenward, while asking, “Do you love Allah?” They nodded, but I do not think they understand the concept of a loving God.
Joe, Ann-Margaret, and Iris
One little boy I named “Joe” was not shy. He seemed to like that I called him Joe. One girl I called “Ann-Margaret” because she reminded me of that beautiful, saucy actress as she chewed bubble gum and blew bubbles.
Another girl I named “Iris” because of her beautiful pale eyes. The girls seem to like wearing the color green. Some of the Afghans, it seems especially females, are rather fair with pale eyes. The women from puberty to menopause cover themselves, including their faces, with blue pleated burkas or other dark full-body covering.
High Child Mortality Rates
Most women have many children; {meanwhile] Afghanistan’s mortality rate among children from birth to 4 years of age is 25 percent. Girls and old women leave their faces in plain view while covering their heads. Boys and unmarried young men wear small ornate caps; married men add a turban to their headgear.
Mullahs (community religious scholars) usually wear white turbans. Everyone squats on the ground or floor; if they take a bench or another chair, they will squat upon it.
Poignant Needs
Three medical cases were particularly poignant. A toddler had a huge abscessed left eye and a cataract on her right eye. The docs sent her to a hospital, and said her left eye was, likely, beyond salvaging.
A small boy who had had a closed head trauma several months ago was semi-comatose and skeletal. The docs said there was nothing they could do for him. I laid my hands on him and prayed for him. One man carried his young burka-clad wife into the clinic because she was too weak to walk due to a neurological condition.
The Plight of Girls
The hands of “Ann-Margaret,” and some other children and women, were stained a rust red. I was told this indicated a male baby in the household. Male children are doted upon, whereas girls have to grovel for anything they can get.
We tossed field ration bread and candy to the children and they pounced upon it like wolves. Earlier I had tried to hand goodies to the children and was overwhelmed by a throng of competing kids. Again, the girls seemed most desperate for anything material and for the intangible, our attention.
We Americans have it all: the gospel and wealth. Afghans have none of that. They are largely devoid of the gospel, a fact that grinds inwardly upon anyone whose heart is entwined with the heart of the Savior.
What You Can Do
Pray for Afghanistan’s broken, spiritually lost people who are in desperate need of their heavenly Father’s love.
Chaplain Chuck Anderson retired from the U.S. Navy Chaplaincy in 2008. He serves in the Southwestern District as a Regional Ministry Coordinator for The Alliance. He lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
by Army Chaplain Erik Gramling
On his second deployment, Chaplain Gramling accompanied his unit from Germany to Kuwait for 15 months, returning to his family in Germany in summer 2009.
I arrived at Sabre Army Airfield (at Fort Campbell) and walked to the front of the line where 30 Blackhawk crews were doing their final checks and readying themselves for take off. Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Division. On this day the Blackhawks were being sent to the port in Jacksonville, Florida, to be disassembled and placed on a sailing vessel for deployment in Kuwait.
I went from bird to bird, chatting, laughing, praying, and reading from Psalm 62. The Blackhawks took off by company every 45 minutes. This gave me close to 30 minutes with each company before it got too loud to hear.
While some crews were revving up, I could do little more than pat the pilots on their shoulders and fold my hands together pointing to the sky to tell them that I was praying for them. But before all the companies took flight, I was able talk with almost everyone.
As they took off, it was a site to see . . . truly awesome. These are the days that I think, “Wow, I’m being paid to do this!”
But that doesn’t mean it was easy.
During the drive in, I was praying for courage and boldness. It’s so easy to feel insignificant and out of place at times. But, the key for me is remembering that I’m to be a godly encouragement to the soldiers. Some will reject me (Christ), but many others will be happy to see me and be prayed for. It is this thought that I held on to and went in His name.
After the deployment, I was able to spend another hour talking to a few sergeants and I was thankful for the extended time with the troops.
Please pray for a soldier named Adam (not his real name). He is a good solider who has made bad decisions and is reaping the fruits of sin. Two days prior to the Blackhawk deployment, he told me that he turned back to God and had given everything over to Him. It gave us a good chance to talk about sin and repentance . . . and the need to be in fellowship with other believers. He has suffered in his relationship with his sergeants and I encouraged him to win back their trust. Pray for Adam to make it and for him to truly seek Jesus!
By FBOP Chaplain Carlos González
Imagine this: You are called to become the pastor of a church in the town referred to as the ”middle-of-nowhere.” The population is about 1,600, all male, all have problems with the law (some still proclaim they are innocent), and there is one social class. There is one “supermarket” (AKA, the ”Commissary”), there is one standard of life, everyone eats in the same place, there is one police station, one mayor (the “Warden”), one recreational park, one hospital, one school, one factory, and of course, one church.
This town’s population is made of men from all parts of the world. Different languages are spoken, and different cultures and practices are represented here. In “middle-of-nowhere,” 15 different religions are practiced.
One thing “middle-of-nowhere” is not missing is rules. There are hundreds of rules, procedures, policies, and laws enforced in this town. The residents of “middle-of-nowhere” work in certain areas, but everyone is in charge of the rules. “Middle-of-nowhere” residents work in certain areas, but the people keeping the rules and providing the services in this town do not live here, they are “outsiders” (“staff”).
As a pastor, you are one of the “outsiders.”
The big thing about this town is “SECURITY.” Everything is driven by it, and everybody (including you) is responsible for it. Now, as I said, you are called by God to become the pastor of the church in “middle-of-nowhere.” If you accept God’s call, there are few conditions that “middle-of-nowhere” expects you will submit to.
First, you are to be the pastor for all “middle-of-nowhere” residents. They expect that you will express God’s love to every residents (even those that do not attend your service) and to the “outsiders” as well.
Second, you are to open the doors of “your” church to all the different religious groups that may be represented in this population. “Your” church will become a religious center, if you will. You are not expected to lead all services, but to coordinate the speakers that may be needed. You should be prepared to answer any religious question that the “mayor” or any other “outsider” may have.
Third, you are to maintain “security” in the church and elsewhere. Finally, you are to be the “conscience” of the town. It is expected that you will bring understanding, and promote fairness between the “outsiders” and the residents; it is hoped that you will be the town’s “peacemaker.”
If you accept this “call,” with these conditions (there may be more), you will have accepted the “call” that I accepted five years ago.
My ministry is not like any other. I can do almost everything a local pastor does in his church with regard to ministry activities. And there are some “advantages.”
First, I do not have a governing board. Second, I do not have to be concerned with the offerings and tithes of the members of my church; the “town” provides for all of my needs. Finally, I do not have to be concerned if the members of my church do not like the sermon from last Sunday. There is no other church in town. The “disadvantages” are some of the “conditions.”
This ministry is not like traditional “missions,” either. You are in a missionary field, but an undiscovered one. You will have the opportunity to witness to individuals from all parts of the world. You will be exposed to different religions, and you will use your classes on “contextual theology” a lot. You will not see the real fruits of your labor/ministry, because the members of your church may leave to return to their hometowns far from “middle-of-nowhere.”
I arrived at the Federal Correctional Complex in Victorville, California, on August 1999. I was honored to be the one chosen to “activate” the largest medium security level institution in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). It houses more than 1,600 male inmates; the average sentence is 12 years (some have life-sentences).
A small Federal Prison Camp (we call it “Satellite”) houses more than 250 female inmates on minimal security. In about four years this will become the largest prison complex in the FBOP across the nation.
We received our first inmates in June 2000. I had three inmates in my first Spanish Protestant Service. Today we have a regular attendance in the high 70s and a weekly Bible study with attendance in the high 30s. On the last Easter Sunday we had our first baptismal service ; 15 new believers were baptized. We celebrate monthly Communion Services, and we are building the Kingdom here in Victorville.
I believe that the greatest “question or issue” a Chaplain in the FBOP must solve is “how to be a slave to everyone,” to meet the needs of those from other religions. I want prove to the inmates that I am fair and consistent with all, that I am a man of integrity, and that I have love for them.
Paul for me shares the deep truths of what I consider to be the prison ministry in 1 Cor. 9:16-23. He says; “I make myself a slave to everyone” (1 Cor. 9:19). When you do ministry, you should give yourself. We should give the best of our abilities, of our knowledge, and of ourselves . . . we know that doing so is not enough. But by giving the best of us, we are offering the best to God.
Furthermore, we give ourselves by understanding that speech is not all that preaching is about. Paul shares a very unique and complicated concept here. He says: “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.” The word in Greek used here is the verb well known “ginomai.” A very common verb with a profound meaning in this passage.
We understand that Paul is not saying to be a Jew, but rather to become like a Jew. Not to be one, but to have a likeness of one. To be able to find “common ground” by which the receiver of your preaching and ministry can find himself in you, can identify with you.
I appreciate how Paul describes this, “I make myself a slave.” Servanthood is the best way to preach and to do ministry. I like to think that by facilitating, supervising, and protecting the religious rights of all inmates I am doing precisely that. I am showing to the inmates that I am a man of God, someone that wants to serve and help them, so that my preaching, ministry, and testimony will be more effective with the sole intention that I “may save some.”
I believe that the greatest “challenge” for a chaplain in the FBOP is to make disciples. Many of the believers that we care for are believers that have not received “sound doctrine.” Most of the time, it is not their fault. They try to serve the Lord in a very difficult environment.
Imagine being a “Christian” in a place where you do not have privacy. You do not choose your roommate, the one who works with you, and who goes to church with you. There might be “non-Christians” trying to convince you that they have the “truth.”
You can deceive no one. You have to learn to be genuine. There is no privacy here. So, everyone knows your failures.
You also try to grow despite limited access to literature, limited access to the fellowship of the “saints,” and limited access to “outside” ministers. Therefore, it is a very difficult “Christian life” and easy to be exposed to the wrong teaching. So I have to learned to be patient, understanding, and loving, helping them to learn, and in most cases, to relearn Christian doctrine.
It is a unique ministry. It is a blessing and honor that the Lord has given me to help the [least] of His brothers (Matthew 25:40).
Let me share some of my prayer requests. First, pray for you! Pray that the Lord will open doors for you to become involved in prison ministry.
I remember Dr. David Rambo calling us to “re-evangelize America.” If you want to see the real struggles of America, visit a prison.
In the FBOP alone, we are growing at an astronomical pace. Since 1970 we have more than doubled our inmate population. If we keep we keep up this growth pattern, our population will triple by 2015. We have to open an average of three new institutions per year in order to keep up with the growth. The sad part is that this is only a reflection of our communities. You need to be a part of these . . .
Pray for ATS and other Alliance college students, that they may discover this “undiscovered field,” that the Lord will send ministers to this field. When I went to ATS, I knew of some students that had no sense of what the Lord wanted for them to do.
Today, the FBOP has a great need for committed chaplains. They are required to be less than 36 years old, have an M. Div. and two years of full-time ministry. Please, pray that those in ministry studies will be sensitive to the Lord’s call and the Kingdom’s needs in this area.
Pray for Rev. Philip Harden (FCI Fort Dix), Rev. Mark Nevius (FCI Tucson) and me (FCC Victorville). We are your representatives in the FBOP. Pray for our wives and children.
Finally, pray for your “brothers and sisters” in churches like the one in FCC Victorville. They need your prayers and our ministry. Pray that the Lord’s light will shine and break thru the darkness that envelops most of our prisons.
Chaplain González is currently the senior chaplain at a large federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania; in this capacity, he supervises several prison chaplains. He has also served as senior chaplain in a federal prison in Miami, Florida. Continue to pray for his ministry, his family, and his safety.
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