Special Ministries has established a new certification program to equip pastors who currently serve or those who wish to serve as chaplains to better meet the spiritual and emotional needs of those under their care. The first course—offered online through Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.—began Aug. 23.

Special Ministries received several grants from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to develop the program. "Some of the military installations, some of the jails and prisons, and some of the health care facilities were tightening their requirements for clergy—especially if they want to do more than just follow up on their own denominational members," says Rev. Roger Zehms, chairman of the Chaplaincy Certification Committee. By being certified, WELS chaplains are better able to gain regular access to WELS members as well as to those who don't know their Savior.

Currently five pastors have been accepted into the program, which includes WELS courses as well as practical experience classes from a nationwide accepted program. Rev. Robert Dick, pastor at Divinity-Divine Charity, Whitefish Bay, Wis., is taking the first WELS course offered: "Communicating Forgiveness." He says that he feels the course will help him in his role as a volunteer chaplain for a local fire department, a position in which he often counsels people who have been affected by fire and death.

"Pretty much when we get called, it's always the person's worst day," Dick says. Though he has already taken several secular classes for dealing with trauma and stress management, "I thought we should be able to do something like that from a religious standpoint," he says. "It will better help me serve the congregation and the people I am in touch with for the chaplaincy."

Although anyone can take individual courses, the certification program is only open to pastors and staff ministers. Zehms says that a future goal is to offer a doctrinal course as a prerequisite and then open up the program to laypeople as well.

To learn more about the program, contact WELS. The second course in the program—"A Scriptural Approach to Dealing with Addiction"—will be offered through Martin Luther College in spring 2011. Find out more at www.mlc-wels.edu.