So, what is in the name?   There are three names in religious life with different meanings. As I describe my thoughts please remember, all of the saved; those working for the Gospel and those who are being served, to are today's Apostles.  Don't drop the ball!

  A preacher is a name for a good orator or agitator, who will whip the people into conviction or motivate them to consider action.  I have known pastors who call themselves preachers, but I think they using the title they want to be known as, rather than what they actually do.  A well serving pastor might want to be recognized as a talented preacher, even though he spends countless hours at bedsides and with parishioners.

The pastor is the name for a person who serves the spiritual needs within an body of believers.  This person will listen, minister and care for the people.  They will deliver the sermons and usually live in the trenches with the congregation.  I heard at a Johnson University chapel service, the pastor is in charge of tables and chair.  This warning was given to the school body as their future job description.  I heard them laughing and hoped they will still find the joy at 5 am in a church fellowship hall on Easter morning.  The service oriented heart of a pastor can also be seen in the role of chaplain.

The chaplain is the odd person that you run into at the grocery store and after a 30 minute conversation you still wonder what they actually do.  Sometimes a chaplain is a person doing a job rather than a ministry.  In the job field of chaplain service, they seem to have regular hours and a normal life,  This can be true in hospitals and non combat military service.  However a chaplain in the field may also serve as the occasion arises.  When tragedy strikes, the chaplain is on duty.  This can happen 24x7 just like the life of a pastor.  The chaplain may work with or without a place of worship, independently or on a team.  Typically when a chaplain is on a payroll, they have a secular boss which can create the same headaches found in most churches.

Now, I address my title as a Free Range Chaplain.  I would like to state before the job description is unveiled, this is not an invitation to others.  The position is either assigned by God or just happens to fall in front of the foot steps of the drifting apostle.  A Free Range Chaplain must live on their own financial support.  To be paid by worldly reward for your ministry, is to be compromised.  You will be held accountable to the giver and not be free of worldly strings attached to your pocket book.  I always hear the paid clergy say that is not scriptural!  I know this, because they say the same thing to me as they defend their rightful income.  I totally believe and financially support ministers income to use their calling to reach people and maintain the spiritual feeding of their congregations.   This is a sound and holy calling and they deserve to be supported from the household of faith.  The Free Range Chaplain is different.  When a person is providing spiritual services to people, the money must not be involved due to the profiteers that already swarm the cloth.
 
A Free Ranger Chaplain is on 24x7x365.  This is where I drop the ball!  I have decided to list all of the challenges I face as a Free Range Chaplain.  They were conveniently listed for me in the Holy Bible, book of Galatians, chapter 5.(22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.).  I appreciate the Lord giving me my job description in the inspired Word!  I would love to say I know not, so I fear not, but when you truly love God's children, you don't want to come to the table empty handed.  The fear of God is my motivation.  This is not a fear to hide from but a fear to share with others who seek God's job description.

Sometimes the fear of failure is easier than trusting in the Lord.  A Free Ranger of past was Isaiah.  I would like to share a message about fear in the next few days, so back to the trail.  My email is TrailPastor@gmail.com