workshops and breakout sessions

We are excited to share a number of quality breakout presentations and workshops. You will be able to choose any four (4) sessions that interest you the most. Choose wisely! Each session will be offered twice during four specific times during the regular conference. Refer to the schedule for times. All sessions will be held in the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy, the same building you find reception, sign in, and vendors. 

how to become a chaplain with christian chaplains & coaching

Chaplain James Kirkland MTS, BCC

Executive Director and CPE Supervisory Educator

Jim is the founding director of Christian Chaplains & Coaching and serves as its Executive Director. With more than 30 years experience in Executive Leadership, Management, Pastoral Care, and Chaplaincy he brings a unique talent to the field of Chaplaincy. We are on mission to restore Chaplaincy to Christianity. 


In this session you will learn the importance of receiving an ordination in your Chaplain work that goes beyond a simple title or certification. You will discover what has been taking place in secular Chaplaincy as New Age Thought and Secular Humanism has directed Chaplaincy away from its original Christian roots. And, what are the requirements, steps, and process that might allow you to become one of our member ordained Chaplains. Join us for an informative view of how to become a Chaplain, and why you are so needed!

why take cpe?

Barry Surratt MAGTS, BCC

CPE Program Director

Barry has more than 25 years experience in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care. Highly skilled as a Board Certified Chaplain and valued staff member of Christian Chaplains & Coaching


Increasingly, CPE or Clinical Pastoral Education is being required for employment as a Chaplain or Spiritual Care Provider. Yet, until how, it has been impossible to find a program that holds to a Biblical Christian Worldview. In recent years, Chaplaincy and CPE has become anything but Christian. Is it possible to have a quality CPE education, teaching to the Common Qualifications for Chaplaincy, but from an unapologetically Biblical Christian Worldview? Yes! Learn more about this wonderful opportunity to go deep in self-awareness, make progress at becoming the person God created you to be, and learn the craft of Chaplaincy and Spiritual care wherever you serve.

Gods Greater grace

Dr. Ron Harvell and Marsha Harvell

Ron is a Brigadier General Airforce Chaplain Retired

Professor at Charleston Southern University and Director of The Dewey Center for Chaplaincy

Marsha is an international Precept Upon Precept Bible teacher and experienced disciple maker. 


Together, Ron and Marsha will teach you how to use scripture memorization as a tool for praying powerful prayers, using the very word of God to pray back to Him. Learn to pray for your family, loved ones, friends, students, and ministry clients. Consider the wonderful 50 Steps with Jesus discipleship program they created. Christian Chaplains & Coaching is proud to recommend these resources to all of our Chaplains. They are a must resource for effective discipleship ministry. Come to this workshop and learn all about them. 

https://godsgreatergrace.com/

moral injury - definition, identification, consequences, treatment  

Dr. Harold Koenig

Duke University

Professor of Psychiatry and Association Professor of Medicine at Duke University Health Systems. Published over 625 scientific articles, 100 chapters, 60 books. In June 2023, ranked 10th in the world by Research.com in the category of Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientists, and 7th best in the U.S. A renowned researcher on the subject of the value of spiritual care by people of faith. 


This special Saturday 2 hour session is available to all who registered for the conference. This is our bonus program and will be held in the main Chapel. We will examine the concept of "Moral Injury." This is a must workshop for Chaplains and Spiritual Care providers no matter what setting in which they serve. This syndrome of Moral Injury is receiving more and more attention within the mental health field, and rightly so. You will learn how to identify it when its symptoms are present in the people you serve. You will understand what it is and the consequences suffered by people who have it. And more importantly, what can you do about it? That is, how might it be treated from a secular and a faith-based perspective? 

the need for ministry to the incarcerated and their families

Evelyn Lemly and Karen Swanson

Evelyn is CEO of Kairos Prison Ministry International and also serves as the current President of the Correctional Ministries and Chaplain Association (CMCA). 


Karen Swanson Ed.D is Director of Correctional Ministries Institute Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. She is the co-founder of Correctional Ministries and Chaplain Association (CMCA) 


In this session you will learn that incarcerated men, women, youth, and their families are often forgotten missions in our own backyard. The are over 2 million incarcerated each year and 113 million adults directly impacted by incarceration today. We will discuss the need for ministry to the incarcerated and the impact on their lives, communities, and society. There is great need and many opportunities to serve them as Chaplains, both professional and lay volunteer. We will discuss some of the ways for Chaplains to be involved in prisons, jails, and with ministries who work in Correctional ministry. 

Essentials of care for trauma survivors

Beth Broom LPC-S, CCTP-II

Executive Director

Beth owns a private counseling practice specializing in trauma healing. She is the founder and director of Christian Trauma Healing Network, a non-profit organization bringing trauma care and healing to Christians in the church and society. Christian Chaplains & Coaching is pleased to collaborate with this wonderful ministry to offer training and certification to our Chaplains. 


In this breakout session you discover the surprising number of survivors of trauma that surround you. They often suffer from significant relational, emotional, and bodily struggles. We must gain understanding of how to help them with a Christian perspective. You will receive practical tools for connecting with survivors of trauma, caring for their emotional, mental, physical, relational, and spiritual needs. We will discuss how to bring calm to intense distress, how to grieve with someone enduring trauma, and setting goals for growth and thriving. We will consider how to watch for burnout and compassion fatigue. Learn also how you can become certified in trauma care and earn Continuing Education Credits for your Chaplain Certification. 

prison ministry resources for chaplains

T Jay Roland

Ordained Chaplain of Christian Chaplains & Coaching

T Jay serves as the Chaplain Resource Manager for Prison Fellowship. We believe the Church is the primary conduit for Jesus ongoing ministry here on earth. We delight in equipping the Church for works of service. Chaplains and Churches can minister to the families of the incarcerated through our Angel Tree program or serve in our Academy and Hope Event. Chaplains are encouraged to be involved in these things and our Outrageous Justice Small Group Curriculum. 


In this session you will learn about the various programs offered by Prison Fellowship and the significant resources we can provide to you. Learn how you may benefit from these resources in your own ministry. How might they be used in your Church? And perhaps you too can become a Chaplain and make a difference in so many lives. We can equip you with the material and resources you need. 

earn a masters in chaplaincy with credit for CPE

Dr. Matthew Hallam PhD, MA, MBA

Vice President

Matt is Vice President of God's Bible School and College. He is knowledgeable on GBSC's graduate degrees and the important partnership with Christian Chaplains & Coaching for advanced Chaplain Education leading to a Master of Arts in Chaplaincy.


In this session you will learn how you can earn an affordable Master's Degree that includes 24 graduate credits from the Clinical Pastoral Education you obtain from Christian Chaplains & Coaching. This is an MA In Ministry - Chaplaincy degree at God's Bible School and College. We are accredited by the Association of Biblical Higher Education, a U.S. Department of Education recognized Accreditor. We are proud to partner with Christian Chaplains & Coaching to offer this amazing program. 

chaplaincy and meeting the needs of the elderly

Dr. Dave Lescalleet M.Div, D.Min

Executive Director

Dave is director of the PruittCares Foundation and Director of Chaplaincy for PruittHealth. He is responsible for the spiritual care services within the PruittHealth family of providers, which serve approximately 24,000 patients daily in more than 180 locations throughout Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Christian Chaplains & Coaching is pleased to collaborate for advanced Chaplain training, lay Chaplain credentialing, and Clinical Pastoral Education. 


You will learn that as many as 60 percent of those living in nursing homes do not have regular visitors. Largely forgotten, and with the rise in the boomer generation, the need for professional and volunteer lay Chaplains to serve in long-term health care is greater than it has ever been. In this session we will discuss the need, the solutions, the steps forward on how individuals and churches can impact this important mission field. In our collaboration with Christian Chaplains & Coaching, the training in Chaplaincy they offer is a valuable and appreciated resource to us. 

Warriors of the word bible memorization workshop

Aaron House

Executive Director

Aaron is the founder and executive director of Piercing Word ministry and co-author of the "Warriors of the Word." He has a fiery zeal for Jesus Christ and for the Word of God, and he has personally memorized and performed 26 books of the Bible before a public audience.


In this workshop you learn ideas and techniques to successfully memorize God's Word for yourself and wield the sword of the Spirit in your everyday life. You will gain access to the important resources of "Warriors of the Word" which is highly recommended by Christian Chaplains & Coaching. Join us for a scripture fueled good time in the Word of God! 


Click here to learn more about the resource.

the best environment for trauma healing - the small group

Chris Adsit 

National Resource Coordinator for REBOOT Recovery

During the past 19 years he and his wife have focused their ministry on trauma healing for the military, first responders, and their families. They have written “The Combat Trauma Healing Manual” (for veterans); “When War Comes Home” (for wives of combat vets); “The First Responder Healing Manual” and others. They have trained hundreds of chaplains and pastors around the world since 2014.


In this session you will discover how secular therapists agree with the Bible: the small group setting is the ideal one for trauma healing. REBOOT Recovery has been on the cutting edge of Biblical small group trauma healing since 2011. You will discover the 5 avenues of input for recovery: the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the REBOOT curriculum, the group facilitator, and each group participant. Stuffing down trauma memories guarantees that a person will never heal. But talking about them in a safe environment of trusted peers hastens and deepens healing. Participants in this workshop will be exposed to REBOOT Recovery’s four ministry thrusts: Military, First Responder, General Public, and International. They will also learn important principles for leading trauma healing groups, and how these principles can be applied internationally in war-torn countries. Christian Chaplains & Coaching is proud to collaborate and recommend this ministry and their resources. 

Biblical Victim care

Sydney Millage, Director of Clarity in Action Ministries

She is a certified biblical counselor (ABC) and author of "Sanctuary: Help and Hope for Victims of Domestic Abuse," and "37 Ways to be Taken Captive." 


According to the CDC, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience physical violence from their intimate partner in their lifetime. Is there a way to identify the issue before it turns violent? This session will provide context and tools to identify tactics of control, impacts on victims, and practical Biblical responses. It will equip you, as a people helper, better interact with people everywhere you encounter them. 


Stay tuned for more! Christian Chaplains & Coaching is working with Sydney to create a certification course on this important subject for our Chaplains Academy. It will provide continuing education and a valuable certification. 


christ centered chaplaincy

Dr. Tom Vann, MA, M.Ed, M.S.S., Th.M, Ph.D, D.Min

Director of the Master of Arts in Chaplaincy program and Professor at Dallas Baptist Seminary. Having served as an Airforce Chapel Manager, Pastor, Army Chaplain, an College/Seminary professor since 1969. 


Chaplaincy is the "Greatest story never told!" In this session you will learn the importance and the strategy behind obtaining a Christ-Centered and Biblically-Based education in Chaplain ministry as taught in our accredited Master of Arts in Chaplain Ministry. 

healing after abortion: illuminating paths of grace

Heidi Inlow, Case Manager

Heidi supervises the After Abortion Line team to ensure clients are cared for compassionately and without judgment, given a safe space to share their experiences, and connected to the healing resources and providers who best meet their needs. She also collaborates, unites, and supports abortion healing providers to help people hurting from abortion to heal.

This talk will consider how chaplains can help women and men heal from the emotional struggles and grief that some experience after abortion. We'll explore factors that intersect with abortion, such as addiction, abuse, sex trafficking, homelessness, poverty, etc. You will learn a 4-Step Process for engaging in constructive, compassionate conversations with people affected by abortion. We will tackle sensitive integration of faith and fostering trust and support in pastoral care, bridging diverse beliefs and experiences. Through a dynamic blend of presentation, interactive discussion, and role play, we will empower chaplains to be agents of transformative love in a world longing for healing and grace.

theology of the body: biblical answers to sexuality and gender

Rev. Zach Coffin holds a master's degree in Pastoral Theology and serves as Director of Partnerships at Kingswood University. He coaches churches in presence-driven approach to life and ministry. 


In an era of deep cultural confusion, this session will show you how to engage issues of sexuality and gender with compassion, confidence, and Biblical conviction. It must begin with understanding the rich theology of the human body. This breakout will help you better articulate what God designed our bodies "for" and will equip you with practical tools for leading, parenting, partnering in your context. We will unpack God's original design for our physical bodies. 

hospitality - the art of sharing our lives for the gospel

Stephanie Caudle holds a Masters in Biblical Counseling. She serves as Director of Mobilization for Cadence International. Has served with Cadence on 3 continents for 23 years. 


Join Cadence International Staff as they share stories, strategies, and 60+ years of fruitful ministry experience working with Chaplains to the Military using God’s command to “practice hospitality”. We will explore together how anyone can incorporate life changing, Christ-centered hospitality into their ministry. How to meet people where they are, participate with God in loving them, and invite and equip them to love Jesus and people as they too become His disciples. 


Hospitality is a priority for Christian ministry and we at Christian Chaplains & Coaching are excited about our collaboration with Cadence International! 



exploring full time correctional chaplaincy

Chaplain Jon Nienhuis MDiv joined Good News Global (GNG) in 2015 as the Lead Chaplain at Brevard County Detention Center in Cocoa, FL. He joined GNG after serving 5 years in Sheboygan WI. He now serves the Chaplain care team as assistant director of Chaplains, focused on recruiting. 

This breakout session will explore the Biblical grounds for God's call to jail and prison ministry. You will learn about: Working in Ceasar's household, cross-cultural ministry, God's heart for "The least of these," and Chaplain self-care. Upon completion of this session you will have a biblical foundation and understanding for jail and prison ministry, and the importance of self care. And who knows, in our collaboration with Christian Chaplains & Coaching you may even find a paying job! Join us and find out.