Better Chaplain Series - Don't Let It Die On Your Desk

Think about the last thing you really didn’t want to do; maybe it was a purchase request or a report or an inspection. Maybe you’re in the midst of it. Maybe it’s long overdue. Maybe you should be doing it instead of reading this article.

Is your desk (or e-mail) where projects go to die? Do you serve in a position with way too much paperwork and you’re only finishing projects because someone has to remind you?

If it’s not you, can you think of someone whose desk is a blackhole of productivity squashing procrastination? I like to think my desk isn’t that sort of place, but I can instantly think of a dozen desks that are…and the oldest thing on my to-do list is from September (writing this in January), so it probably is my desk too.

Chaplain, you are thus called:

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, not for men. ~ Colossians 3:23

Would Jesus be happy with that report stuck in your e-mail holding up the whole process? If he was your supervisor, would you make sure you turned in a quality product?

Maybe you’re thinking that what you're holding is unjust and by delaying the process you’re helping someone. Passive aggressiveness is never the answer, so if it’s unjust, you need to disapprove it and fight it, but move it off your desk! If it’s wrong, say so and call for improvement.

If your desk is renowned for holding up whole processes, then repent, and press towards the upward call your have in Christ Jesus your Lord. I’ll log-off now, I have a September item on my list to go check off.

More:

1. In the “Zero Inbox” technique of e-mail management we’re told not to read an e-mail twice, but to make a decision on it, and either respond immediately, or make a task to respond. Teddy Roosevelt said, “In the moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Indecision should never be the mark of a Christian, was Jesus ever indecisive?

2. Read Luke 14:21, what is the speed by which God expects us to respond?

3. But we say, the problem is with bureaucracy! Why then does Ecclesiastes 5:9 say that it is gain for a land to have a king involved in plowing fields? If your bureaucracy is running poorly, perhaps the problem is who looks at you when you look in the mirror.

4. Resources:

Got Questions Ministries. “What does the Bible Say about Procrastination?” GotQuestions.org. Accessed 13 January 2025. https://www.gotquestions.org/procrastination-Bible.html

Slugs and Bugs. Whatever You Do (Colossians 3:17,23), on Sing the Bible with Slugs and Bugs, Volume 1, Slugs and Bugs Music, 2014.

Perman, Matt. What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014.

Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2016.

Better Chaplain Series - Bigger is Not Better

The deacon Phillip is one of my favorite preachers in the Bible. God scattered the infant church into the world and Phillip originally landed in Samaria. Here he won a great apologetic victory over a leading false teacher, and joy and salvation, healing, baptism, church planting, and amazement abounded. It was the definition of revival, and Philip was at the center of it.

Then Philip is directed by God to pick up and move to a desert place. It's a desert place because there is very little water, but it's more of a desert because there were very few people. No joy, no salvation, no healing, no baptisms, no churches, and no amazement save for what Philip brought with him.

I wonder if Philip was tempted to throw his hands up in the air and question God why he had to move from a feast to a famine, from a paradise to a desert, from abundant ministry to a lot of quiet time.

Chaplain, has God ever called you from a revival to a drought? Have you spent years at one duty station building towards revival only to see it passed on to other shepherds? Does your new duty station look like a desert? Doesn't God appreciate your talents and your ministry and your impact? Doesn't he need you?

The truth is, God doesn't need you, but he opts to use you, and sometimes he puts you in the desert for your good and his glory. I don't know about Philip, but I know about me, and I've been tempted to see myself as the catalyst for church growth, that I'm some sort of savior for struggling people and ministries...God has a unique way of humbling us when that happens.

I'm not perfect. But, Jesus is perfect! I'm not holy. But, Jesus is holy! I'm not righteous. But, Jesus is righteous. I'm not perfect love, but Jesus is perfect love. Apart from Jesus, I'm not perfect, holy, righteous, or loving...but apart from me, he still is perfect, holy, righteous, and loving. So, who needs who? I need him! He doesn't need me! And likewise, you need him, and you don't need me! ~ Eric Ludy

But then Philip learns why he's in the desert when God uses him to lead a man to Christ. The man is going the wrong way to find faith and the truth, but God gives him what he needs: a Bible and a preacher to show him Christ (Romans 10:14-17). And then the Spirit transferred Philip to a new ministry in Azotus and Caesarea, and guess what he did there? He preached.

Go and do likewise, after reading Acts 8:4-40 for encouragement.

More:

1. Have you had mountaintop experiences and valley experiences in your Christian life and ministry? Was God faithful in both? Were there victories in the valley that can encourage you and others today?

2. Elijah found himself hunted and in despair after a great victory on Mount Carmel; God uses the experience to humble Elijah and call Elisha. Elijah's time in the desert was intense, but God, as always, proved himself faithful (See 1 Kings 19). Why might God put you through the desert?

3. Jonah was called from a thriving ministry in Israel to a hostile desert land in Assyria. Though Jonah was not happy about it at all, God won one of his greatest victories there only dwarfed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the salvation of your soul. I wouldn't change a thing about Jonah's story, and I'm sure he wouldn't either. What would you change about your story?

4. Chaplain Preston Taylor said after his desert experience that nearly took his life, "Never doubt in the darkness what you learned in the light," and Ross King puts his spin on it, "Let me believe in the desert what I believed by the riverside." Consider memorizing both of those quotes and putting them to work.

5. Resources:

King, Ross, "Believe in the Desert," Unfinished, Garden Entertainment, 2021.

Shearer, Canyon. Honing the Congregation to Be Attentive to Expository Preaching at First Baptist Church New Lebanon, Ohio. Louisville: The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2020. https://repository.sbts.edu/handle/10392/6133 (Read Chapter 2 specifically on Philip)

Better Chaplain Series - Make It Awkward

Common advice to new chaplains is, "Don't be awkward!" or "Don't be weird!" I asked a senior chaplain recently to elaborate on that statement and the consensus seems to be: don't assume your hobbies are your ministry. Specific examples were chaplains that talked about sci-fi at every opportunity and dressed up in cosplay for squadron parties. In that sense, don't be awkward!

But in a godly sense, ministry requires awkward conversations. Herod Antipas, Tetrarch (sort of a king, sort of a governor, sort of a councilman) of Judea in the early First Century, had married the wife of his brother: open adultery. John the Baptist continuously rebuked Herod, and made Herod's wife exceedingly angry. Herod, to his credit, did listen to John, but did not act on the righteous and holy things being said. Herod, in another act of lust, ultimately had John the Baptist executed. (Read Mark 6:17-29)

It is awkward to rebuke a king, and while we know Herod's final state, his eternity and progeny was almost changed because John was not afraid to bring tension into their relationship, nor risk to his own life. Multitudes have been encouraged (a word which literally means to put-courage-in) by John's example, and many many lives have been changed.

As a chaplain sometimes you have to knock on a door or walk into a room where people don't want to hear the truth or what you have to say. Do it anyways. Make calls that say, "You know what you're supposed to do, why aren't you doing it?" Did you hear a rumor that might not be true? Run it to ground; people appreciate when you help the truth come out and that you cared enough about them to try. See sin in someone that they can't see? Call it out!

I was mentored early in my career on how to take unnecessary awkwardness out of mandatory conversations. In that instance we needed to talk to one person in a cubicle farm; instead of walking directly to their desk and confronting them we talked to every cubicle on the way to their desk, then asked important questions that seemed like just a normal unit engagement. It removed embarrassment that would not have helped the situation; but we have to be cognizant that difficult discussions require risk of embarrassment.

A common counseling question that cuts straight to the heart is, "What don't you want me to know that I need to know?" AWKWARD! But I shudder at how many counseling sessions I've wasted talking about symptoms when the heart issues were much deeper. How much time and pain could have been saved if I'd asked, "Are you telling me the truth?" "Did you hit your spouse?" or "Why aren't you obeying God?" "What sort of fruit would an unbeliever be producing in this situation?"

Make it awkward, for Jesus' sake.

More:

1. How many times did Jesus escalate the drama in situations by saying things that inflamed his audience? Is Proverbs 15:1, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" a command or a principle? How Christlike can you be if no-one has ever tried to crucify you?

2. Paul is recorded as opposing Peter to his face. Was the truth helped or hindered by Paul's boldness? Was the friendship and brotherhood between Paul and Peter helped or hindered?

3. No-one wants to have awkward conversations, but they often end with great results. Memorize, "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11)

4. Resources:

York, Hershael and Bert Decker. Preaching With Bold Assurance: A Solid and Enduring Approach to Engaging Exposition. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2003.

Dallimore, Arnold. George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth-Century Revival - Volume 2. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1980.

Adams, Jay. How to Help People Change: The Four-Step Biblical Process. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.

The "Awkward Turtle" hand-gesture from so many youth groups

Better Chaplain Series - No Drifting Allowed!

It's generally recommended for new commanders to come in first to observe, then to make changes over the coming weeks. You've probably heard a new commander say something like, "All standing orders remain in effect." There is wisdom in not coming in and tearing up all existing policies and decisions without knowing the why behind them.

But, without clear and decisive leadership, which way does an organization drift? The tendency is to get lax on regulations, and to become bloated with red tape, committees, and policies (often contradictory). Have you ever seen an organization drift into decency and order and efficiency?

There is a reason Jesus didn't say,

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand! Become incrementally better and better until you've reached the goal, and work towards forward movement in the belief department. ~ Not Mark 1:15

One of the hardest parts of being a chaplain is the constant changes of assignment and station, but a true blessing in these moves is that you can evaluate whether you're holding to your first love, or if tradition and compromise have taken over your ministry.

But if you're caught in a downward drift (the only kind), there is still hope, as seen in the Conservative Resurgence of the Southern Baptist Convention 30 years ago, or the Wesleyan movement of the Methodist Church in the last ten years, the Downgrade Controversy that lost Charles Spurgeon many friends of 150 years ago, or the Reformation in the 1500s where many men and women shed their blood for the truth. Just because you've done it wrong in the past does not mean you have to do it wrong in the future.

But you won't drift there, you must make a radical repentant change to the truth.

You might say, "Brother Paul, if I stand up and say these things in my church they'll kill me." Then go die. ~ Paul Washer

More:

1. Consider the ministries of Josiah and Nehemiah; did they slowly bring the nation back to the truth, or did they make major changes based on the Word of God? Can you think of other examples of clear decision leading to godliness either inside or outside of the Bible?

2. The International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention called for churches not to ask, "What's wrong with what we're doing?" but to ask, "What is right with what we're doing?" Is it possible that you've been weighted down with all sorts of sins and traditions that beset so easily? Notice that in Hebrews 12:1 that it's not just sin to watch out for.

3. You'll lose friends for standing for the truth and cancelling unhelpful programs. Ask yourself Paul's question from Galatians 1:10, "Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."

4. Resources:

Murray, Iain H. The Forgotten Spurgeon. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1966.

Mohler, R. Albert. "Don't Just Do Something, Stand There." YouTube. Louisville, KY: The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, August 31, 1993. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OLHcCSgi2k

Luther, Martin. 95 Theses. Wittenburg: Castle Church Door, 1517.

Better Chaplain Series - Book and Media Recommendations

Leadership / Men's Growth:

Mohler, R. Albert, Jr. The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, 2012.

Hughes, R. Kent. Disciplines of a Godly Man. Wheaton: Crossway, 1991.

Grief:

White, James. Grieving: Your Path Back to Peace. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1997.

MacArthur, John. Safe in the Arms of God: Truth From Heaven About the Death of a Child. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2003.

Shearer, Canyon. "Hope in the Loss of a Baby." Trust and Obey. April 4, 2020. https://trustobey.blogspot.com/2020/04/hope-in-loss-of-baby.html

Evangelism:

Comfort, Ray. The Way of the Master. Alachua, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2006.

van der Bijl, Andrew and Al Janssen. Light Force. London: Open Doors International, 2004.

Deeper Faith:

Phillips, Dan. The World-Tilting Gospel: Embracing a Biblical Worldview and Hanging on Tight. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2011.

Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim's Progress. 1678. Reprint, London: Penguin Classics, 2008.

Redemption:

Rose, Darlene Deibler. Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II. New York: HarperOne, 1988.

Kastler, Shane E. Nathan Bedford Forrest's Redemption. New York: Pelican Publishing, 2010.

Productivity:

Perman, Matt. What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. Wheaton: Crossway, 2014.

Wilson, Doug. Ploductivity: A Practical Guide to Consistent Productivity. Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 2018.

Pornography and Sexual Abuse:

Lambert, Heath. Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013.

Jones, Dawn Scott. When a Woman You Love is Abused: A Husband's Guide to Helping Her. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008.

Counseling:

Scott, Stuart, and Heath Lambert. Counseling the Hard Cases: An 8-Point Model for Effective Therapy. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.

Welch, Edward T. Blame It on the Brain? Neuroscience and the Nature of Sin. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2024.

Ellen, Nicolas. "How to Quiet a Noisy Soul." YouTube. July 22, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0dwHcj6Tec

Chaplaincy:

Taylor, Robert Preston. Days of Anguish, Days of Hope. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.

Cash, Carey. A Table in the Presence: A Personal Story of God's Faithfulness in the Midst of Tragedy. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006.

Linzey, Paul and Keith Travis. Military Ministry: Chaplains in the Twenty-First Century. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2022.

Better Chaplain Series - Work for the King and the Saints

 At a very difficult time in Israel’s history the prophet Elijah had promised a drought, angering the king and queen, and was in exile for 3 years. The queen had ordered the killing of the prophets of God to establish her religion.

One of the most trusted advisors of the wicked king Ahab was a man named Obadiah (1 Kings 18:3ff), who had served the LORD from his youth, and who in recent days had cared for a hundred prophets out of his own pocket.

Obadiah was a servant of God and of the king, though the two did not always agree. While he certainly was not perfect, scripture says nothing negative of Obadiah, so while it would be tempting to say that he should have opposed Ahab to his face, we see that Obadiah was in a place to bless both the nation and the people of God.

Chaplain, do you always agree with the decisions of your leadership? If you’re a chaplain of the United States, your professed king is the Constitution, and while a wonderful document, it can be interpreted and invoked to accomplish atrocities which God certainly is not happy with. You must choose if your role is that of Obadiah or Elijah, and to fulfill your calling in whichever role God has placed you in. Elijah was not in a position to care for 100 prophets, and Obadiah was not in a place to raise a child from the dead, nor to stop the blessings of Heaven from falling on Israel, but together God was accomplishing great things through both to bring the nation to repentance.

It could be argued that Obadiah’s influence led to great reforms under future leaders and the cutting off of Baal and Asherah worship in Israel. It would have been simple for scripture to leave him out of the story all together, but he’s there, and he’s important, and he teaches us that we can serve both the king of our nation and the King of heaven. Go, and do likewise.

More:

1. Peter and John answered the leaders in their time with, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19) If faced with a law that contradicts the law of God, who will you obey? Which nation will last longer? (cf Hebrews 13:14)

2. Obadiah was paying for ministry out of his own pocket, some chaplains have called this the “Obadiah Fund”, what can you fund that will further the kingdom of God?

3. William Wilberforce, who spent three decades abolishing slavery in the United Kingdom, wanted to quit Parliament for the wickedness he observed there. His mentor, John Newton encouraged him to stay to call England to repentance and abolish the slave trade. Is there something or someone you can reach because of your position that an outsider could not?

4. Further Resources:

Benge, Janet, and Geoff Benge. William Wilberforce: Take Up the Fight. Seattle: YWAM Publishing, 2002.

Astor, David, producer. Amazing Grace. Directed by Michael Apted. Walden Media, 2006. DVD.

Better Chaplain Series - Equip Others

 Is the chaplain:

    1. an apostle (one sent by God)

    2. a prophet (one who speaks for God)

    3. an evangelist (one who tells the good news of salvation)

    4. a pastor (one who seeks and tends the sheep of his master)

    5. a teacher (one who illuminates and helps others to understand God’s word and creation)

Regardless which you choose (or all of the above), Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us that the chaplain is given to equip the saints for the work of the ministry for building up the body of Christ. His calling and gifting is not for personal use in building himself up or making himself a self-sufficient maverick, but are given for investing in others, calling out their gifting, identifying where saints (all who are sanctified, set-apart, made holy in Christ) are strong and employing them, and identifying where they are weak and exhorting them.

Is your chaplaincy a competition? Are you withholding information or hoarding ministry for your own benefit? What are your efforts doing for the body of Christ?

I have been blessed to see three men become chaplains under my ministry, ordain two others, and commission many to minister in their sphere of influence. Though only a shadow of the glory of Christ’s rewards, I often like to say, “My favorite medals are medals that others’ are wearing, my favorite awards are sitting on others’ shelves, and my favorite stripes are sewn on others’ uniforms.”

I once had a job assigned to me that I’d done before. After accepting the job, I realized that I should give it to a young man who had never done the job. He spent a long night prepping for the massive job the next day, with my direction, and he did a phenomenal job despite a lot of stress and personal growth. Then he was awarded a medal for that job, and was later promoted for his many accomplishments with that medal being the crowing achievement. I was originally embittered because he was recognized for a job I could have done, but I’ve learned to rejoice for all of the good he’s done since–by the grace of God–I gave him one opportunity.

Rejoice in fruit growing on others’ trees. ~ John Piper

More:

1. What do you think Paul wanted us to do with Jesus’ quote, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

2. Is it lazy to delegate tasks to others when you’re more than capable of accomplishing the job by yourself? What if they’re incapable of accomplishing the tasks? Read Ezekiel 34:4-6 and consider if you’ve fulfilled your ministry.

3. Did anyone equip you early in your ministry? Where would you be without them?

4. Further Resources:

Scott, Stuart. One Another: A Guide for Strengthening and Serving Others in Christ. Bemidji, MN: Focus Publishing, 2006.

Laniak, Timothy S. Shepherds After My Own Heart: Pastoral Traditions and Leadership in the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006.

Better Chaplain Series - Speak with Authority

How many times have you heard someone share something merely because they were supposed to? They had no investment, no conviction, and probably didn’t even believe the message they were sharing?

I had a brand-new commander deliver a rebuke to their squadron a couple years ago; it was clear that the new commander didn’t know the context, the details, or the ramifications of what happened, only that they were directed to deliver the message. It was vapid, empty, and probably changed not a single mind that day, even though it was a necessary message.

Have you ever heard a someone offer a message or invocation that had no meaning or backbone? I have, more times than I can count. So did the followers of Jesus,

When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. ~ Matthew 7:28-29

Chaplain, you have the words of eternal life, they aren’t yours, but you’d better believe them, share them, preach them, pray them, and exhort them. When you pray, if the prayer isn’t interesting to you, it certainly isn’t interesting to your audience. Paul said the reason he prayed out loud was so that he could build up his hearers (1 Cor 14:16-17); Jesus said something similar (John 11:42). When you speak, make sure it’s to build up others.

When you pray, make sure it’s a heartfelt and real prayer. When you speak, make sure it’s helpful and has the whole of heaven’s authority standing behind it. Paul exhorted Titus,

Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no-one disregard you” ~ Titus 2:15

More:

1. Paul says that the Christian is an ambassador of Christ. What is the measurement of a good ambassador? Isn’t it that the king is pleased with the spirit and substance in which he shares the message?

2. Is your job to reap converts or faithfully share the message? What happens if they don’t listen? Is it your fault, or theirs? Read 1 Thessalonians 4:8 and chew on it.

3. Referees in sports are paid to make definitive decisions and make authoritative judgement calls. Have you ever seen a timid umpire who makes unclear calls? What are some ways that referees can make a crowd mad? What are some ways a referee can get fired? Who gives that referee the authority to make game-changing calls?

4. Resources:

Ash, Christopher. The Priority of Preaching. Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2009.

Mohler, R. Albert. He is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008.

Better Chaplain Series - Have an Agenda

If you spend any time in worldly conversation, you’ll notice that the vast majority of dialogue doesn’t matter. Maybe they’re about sports, or the weather, or hobbies, but they have no real value in any lasting sense. Yet, there continues to be an appetite for “organic” counseling and conversation, where the hope is we’ll land on something valuable on accident, or as the relationship progresses.

I was in the Middle East some years ago (pre-GPS) and we got lost near dark, the driver panicked and started taking random turns. We finally got him to pull over and we tried to figure out where we were. We couldn’t backtrack because of the randomness and roundabouts, and as the sun set we lost all sense of direction. Fortunately we found one landmark that allowed us to figure out where we were, and that allowed us to use our maps to get to our destination.

How many conversations have you had that just followed the random twists and turns? Have you ever been in a conversation and asked, “How in the world did we get here?” A chaplain should always be steering the conversation and have a destination in mind; otherwise how are you ever going to get somewhere good? I love how Hershael York puts it,

I really don’t want anybody to be around me 15 minutes without knowing the two loves of my life—the Lord Jesus and [my wife].

The real goal is making it feel like an organic conversation that lands on eternal truths; taking some scenic turns and byways, always knowing where you’re trying to end-up with a plan on how to get there. I love hiking with the kids and popping out at the parking lot when they thought they still had miles to go. What a coincidence? Or was it dad with a GPS and a trail map?

Take control of the conversation, and remember what Heath Lambert says,

Counseling is either discipleship or evangelism.

How are you going to get to Jesus? What questions will make the person you’re talking to think about eternity? I ended a conversation (outside of chaplaincy) with someone recently and they said, “You really made me mad!” It wasn’t my goal to make them mad, and I would have preferred instant joy in them, but I rejoice that now the Holy Spirit has a seed planted in their heart which he can grow.

In a future article we’ll talk about making sure we share the truth in love, not with the end goal of making people mad.

More:

1. What did Paul mean when he said, “I endeavored to know nothing among you except for Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)? Can you say the same?

2. If faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of Christ, who have you told?

3. Think back to a time when someone got right to the point with you: did that annoy you, or do you appreciate that person?

4. Further Resources:

Mohler, R. Albert. The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters. Bloomington: Bethany House, 2012.

York, Hershael. Pastor Well. Podcast. Louisville, KY: The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Better Chaplain Series - Calling or Career

Does God call the equipped or equip the called? Before becoming a chaplain I used to say, “Chaplains are the most overpaid ministers in the world.” I don’t say that as often as I used to, but I do still say it. Chaplaincy generally comes with better budgets, more stable futures, and better retirements than church ministry.

The Book of Judges reminds us over and over, “There was no king in Israel in those days, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” While the whole of Israel was in uproar and full-blown sin, Judges 17-21 give us vignettes of some of the common and heinous sins that were occurring. We’re introduced in chapter 17 to a man named Micah who is seeking to buy favor with God, and he sets up his own little church in his house and places one of his sons as priest. But he, you, and I know that his son is an illegitimate priest: he’s not from the tribe of Levi, his ordination is fraudulent, his training is non-existent, and I suspect, he's not doing a very good job.

Then a Levite wanders into the camp, at least someone from the right tribe, looking for someone to hire him as priest.

Micah gives him six things:

1. A Place to Live (Stay)

2. A Place to Serve (with me)

3. A Title (be a father and a priest)

4. A Reasonable Paycheck (I will give you 10 shekels a year)

5. Clerical Clothing to Wear (a suit of clothes)

6. Steady Meals (and your victuals)

Unfortunately, this Levite is content to serve under the idolatrous Micah. The priest does not rebuke Micah for his idolatry, he does not encourage repentance, later he stands by as his master is ransacked and maligned, and when the opportunity presents itself, he runs off to bigger and better ministry, though his overlooking the sins of so many leads to war and exponential destruction.

So, chaplain, why do you serve (do you see the parallel)? Is it because you have a Masters of Divinity and you need a place to minister? One that will give you the title of chaplain and officer, impressive base pay, Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), Basic Allowance for Sustenance (BAS), a clothing allowance, and something the Levite never dreamed of, paternity leave and a solid retirement? Or is it because God has called you to a dark and dying people that desperately needs your call to repentance and moral uprightness to point them to the King who is able to serve as priest forever? Do you want the benefits, or do you want to serve Christ?

All he aimed at was to get bread, not to do good. ~ Matthew Henry

More:

1. Was it wrong for a priest in the time of the Judges to be paid for his work? Is it wrong for a minister today to be paid for his work? If not, how do you ensure that your comfort and love of money is not consuming your soul and reeking havoc on your usefulness? Can you say like Paul, "I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel." (Acts 20:33)?

2. The temptation is to set-up a Sacerdotal religion, one where the priesthood outranks the populace. How can you faithfully say that you came to serve, not to be served, and to ensure that you aren't puffed up by your knowledge and experience?

3. Do you know the story of Balaam son of Beor? He was hired by an enemy king to invoke curses upon Israel. The amount he received is veiled from us, but it was certainly not a small amount (Cf Numbers 22:7, 18). Could it be said that he gained the world and lost his soul?

4. Further Resources:

Reidhead, Paris. Ten Shekels and a Shirt. Sermon. Preached 1964.

Lawson, Steven J. Famine in the Land: A Passionate Call for Expository Preaching. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2003.