Center for Chaplaincy joins forces with Liberty Baptist Fellowship for annual chaplain conference

Last week, Liberty University’s Center for Chaplaincy partnered with the Liberty Baptist Fellowship to host the 2024 Liberty Chaplain Conference: Equipping Chaplains to Equip the Saints.

The annual event, held at the Liberty Mountain Conference Center, provided LBF-endorsed chaplains and their spouses with a time of fellowship and refreshment surrounded by likeminded believers. With 179 chaplains, 52 chaplain spouses, and over 20 additional guests in attendance, participants represented a wide range of chaplain service, including the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, prison ministry, corporate organizations, sports organizations, law enforcement, Secret Service, and various healthcare arenas.

Each day included worship led by Air Force Chaplain Capt. Shawn Taylor and lectures on pressing issues affecting chaplains today. Many of the speakers were Liberty faculty and staff. Monday evening featured a keynote sermon from Thomas Road Baptist Church Pastor and Liberty University Chancellor Jonathan Falwell.

On Tuesday morning, guests heard from John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Dean Dr. Troy Temple and Liberty Center for Chaplaincy Director and LBF Endorser Dr. Steven Keith, who shared on equipping chaplains with the Gospel. That afternoon, Liberty Clinical Pastoral Education Director and LBF Associate Endorser Dr. James Wright presented on equipping chaplains to make disciples, and Global Studies Chair Dr. Melody Harper spoke on cultural intelligence. The evening continued with panel discussions before group dinners.

“This event provides an opportunity for fellowship,” said Dr. Brian Harvey, assistant director of Liberty’s Center for Chaplaincy. “From a scriptural standpoint, it’s that ‘Koinonia’ of giving that opportunity for the edification and the building of the body of believers, with this particular body of believers being LBF-endorsed chaplains and Liberty chaplain students, so they are equipped to go back out. It’s about coming in and getting refreshed, renewed, restored, and equipped with new or refined skills that we can carry back out into the field where we are serving as chaplains and (equipping) the saints.”

On Wednesday, Liberty President Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dr. Dondi Costin taught on being equipped with the Holy Spirit. Costin previously served 36 years in the Air Force, most recently as the 18th Air Force Chief of Chaplains. During his message, he shared about the life of Lynchburg native and World War II veteran Desmond Doss, who heroically saved 75 men during the battle of Hacksaw Ridge, as well as the Bible story about the Apostles at Pentecost. Costin encouraged chaplains to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they spread the Gospel to others.

“(In whatever space you work), you build relationships with people so that they can know that regardless of what the world says, there is at least one person who believes the Bible and lives their life in such a way that they acknowledge what the Bible says is true,” he said. “You do it in such a way that they can see — despite the difficulty that happens to you, disappointment, and all the things that you might consider to be persecution — they get to see somebody who understands what it is like to be in a very close relationship with the Spirit of God.”

Wednesday featured messages from Chaplain Brig. Gen. Mike Sproul (Air Force), Liberty Law Professor Joseph Martins, and National Center for Healthy Veterans Director Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Bob Dees, who shared about being equipped with resiliency. Panel discussions and a breakout session for chaplain spouses were also provided.

The final day of the summit featured sessions on striving for Christlikeness and being equipped with emotional intelligence, led by Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Jack Stumme (Army) and Chaplain Maj. Rob Pitts (Air Force), respectively. That evening, evangelist and Liberty Board of Trustees Chairman Tim Lee emphasized the crucial role that chaplains have in changing lives for Christ.

“To me, you are a very, very important group of people,” Lee said. “And you are a unique people that serves in the capacity you serve. Not everyone wants to do what you are doing and it’s not easy. Dr. Bill Rice (evangelist) used to say, ‘If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.’ But not everybody is doing it. A lot of people throw in the towel and quit, a lot of people get discouraged, but I want to tell you that you’re doing a great and important work.”

For Jacob Palma (’21), who earned his Master of Divinity in Professional Chaplaincy – Military from Liberty, the event provided a time of “refreshment and unity.” Palma now serves as a community chaplain at The Summit senior living community in Lynchburg.

“Being that we are all chaplains in our respective areas, we can all come together, due to LBF being our endorser, under one purpose and get encouragement from one another,” he said, “The speakers pour into us, realigning ourselves to the purpose of why we are doing this, which is to glorify Christ in our respective communities. This was definitely an enjoyment to come and meet other likeminded chaplains who share our values of our endorsing body.”

Liberty University remains the number one educator of military chaplains in the nation. Army reserve chaplain and Liberty alumnus James Ferguson (’22,’23) said the event provided him with encouragement to continue serving his unit in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his church in Huntington, W.Va. Ferguson earned his Master of Arts in Christian Ministry and Master of Divinity in Pastoral Counseling through Liberty University Online Programs.

“Emboldening believers to be humble and faithful is really what this is about,” he said. “Without these conferences, the Lord is still going to use us, but we would absolutely not be as effective. It’s extremely important.”

The Center for Chaplaincy, housed in the Liberty University Theological Seminary, prepares students to be effective chaplains through an innovative curriculum along with a distinctive commitment to chaplaincy research, publication, and dynamic outreach.

On Nov. 11, as part of Liberty’s Military Appreciation Month events, the university will host an Honoring Chaplains Event, which will include two panel discussions (11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) and a Chaplains Museum Open House at Jerry Falwell Library. In addition, there will be an Honoring Chaplains Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on the Academic Lawn.