Army base creates unique ministry for endorsed chaplain pastoral care responsibilities. But there are other times when Coggins’ ministry is as unique as the assignments of the men and women he serves. For example, his unit was among the first group of aid workers to arrive after the 2010 January earthquake in Haiti. They were charged with re-opening the nation’s airport so that further assistance could arrive. Coggins, the son of a Navy chaplain, also seeks to meet the unique needs of his parishioners in the field. Extended wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have led to long and repeat deployments for U.S. service men and women. For service people, whether pilots, mechanics, cooks or combatants, the pressure of Michael and Rachel Coggins are both CBF-endorsed military chaplains. Rachel recently finished a yearlong deployment in the Middle East.
their daily jobs is intense. Few battlefields have clear borders, and rockets can rain in on support troops as well as those in the front lines. These experiences and the deaths that accompany war can lead to spiritual crisis and post-traumatic stress syndrome. “Working as a chaplain is about helping people release the stressors — recognizing God’s presence in their lives and of finding peace in prayer and other spiritual practices,” said Coggins.
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or the men and women in the U.S. military, whose daily work is focused on preparing for and waging war, the demands and stress of the job are high. These challenges are combined with the loneliness and anxiety of living apart from spouses and children, which makes the ministry of military chaplains very specialized and vitally important. “I know it from the inside,” said Air Force chaplain Michael Coggins, who has spent approximately seven of his 25 years of marriage apart from his wife, also a military chaplain. “I tell them, ‘I’ve worn your shoes.’” Coggins, endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 2002, currently serves as the lead or “wing chaplain” for the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field in Florida, just outside of Pensacola. The base is home to 8,000 men and women, including specialized Air Force units known as Air Commandos. As senior pastor of the base chapel, Coggins’ ministry is at times much like that of other pastors. The chapel offers three worship services each Sunday, plus educational and social activities. Coggins and a team of Air Force chaplains share the preaching, teaching, counseling and
Chaplain ministers to guards at federal prison
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very day, Luke Langston and a staff of 12 chaplains serve a group of more than 7,000 people. But the setting isn’t a church; it’s a prison. Langston serves as a chaplain for the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Butner, N.C. Langston ministers not only to convicted felons and petty criminals but also to the 1,500 guards and staff who spend every day working for the safety and rehabilitation of the inmates. The five-institution complex acts as a selfsustaining city, complete with a gas station, education department, food service unit and medical center. “My primary job is to facilitate the religious expression of all faiths represented here,” said Langston, a CBF-endorsed chaplain. “Ministry here does not happen in an office. Ministry happens in conversations in the cafeteria or walking the halls communicating with inmates who want to talk.”
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fellowship!
Langston’s ministry varies from scheduling blocks of time for members of different faiths to study or worship in the chapel to leading a diverse Christian worship service each Sunday. There is always a chaplain on call in case of emergency, and Langston and his team have a schedule that varies to accommodate the religious needs of the inmates. He spends the remainder of his time working alongside the staff at FCC Butner, building relationships.When high-stress events occur, such as an inmate committing suicide in 2010, Langston is able to minister to those affected because of his relationships with staff. “It’s such a relational ministry,” Langston said. “We have mutual respect for each other, which provides a good foundation for building strong relationships. One by one, they are beginning to share their hearts and their lives with me. It is about being a friend to someone who might not otherwise have an opportunity to see God.” One year into his position, Langston is still
finding creative ways to be the presence of Christ in a prison setting, where rules and regulations limit his interaction with prisoners. For example, although he can’t play basketball with the Luke Langston inmates, he can spend time watching their games and talking with them in between plays. “I try to follow Jesus’ model of building relationships with everyone,” Langston said. “Generally, inmates either become bitter in prison, or they see it as an opportunity to change. Helping inmates and staff alike realize that there is a purpose for their lives opens the door to a more hopeful future.”
CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors are included in the Fellowship’s annual prayer calendar, Prayers of the People. This free resource is available through The CBF Store at www.thecbfstore.info.
February/March 2011