Just as the medical corps help soldiers in times of physical need, our military chaplains help those in spiritual need. Chaplains like James Carter, who was stationed between Saudi Arabia and Iraq during Operation Desert Shield, stand on the front lines of a spiritual battle.
Chaplain Carter recalls, “I had four months with me, the soldiers, camels—the whole nine yards. And I said, ‘Lord, what can I do?’” Then one day mail call came and he was given a big box. When he opened it, he found copies of The Holiness of God by Dr. R.C. Sproul and other trusted resources.
This important outreach to the men and women of the United States military is only possible thanks to the generous support of friends like you.
“These resources provide the unmatched combination of biblical faithfulness and intellectual stimulation that our soldiers both need and want.”
—CH (MAJ) Eric Leetch
“This growing gold mine of material will bear fruit for eternity.”
—CH (MAJ) Mark
Chaplain John Sackett told the story of one soldier leaving on a trip: “Hey Chaplain! Give me something to read during my two weeks at school,” he said. Chaplain Sackett gave him two booklets by Dr. Sproul: How to Develop a Christian Conscience and What Is the Church? The soldier came back later and asked to meet regularly. He had never taken his Christian faith seriously, but these booklets had shown him his need for discipleship and further study in Reformed theology so that he might lead his family well.
Another important aspect of this outreach effort is the chaplains themselves. Many work without the support and encouragement of other mature Christians, and Ligonier seeks to serve them in tangible ways. Bob Nay, a chaplain who has been stationed in Macedonia, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Japan, and Alaska, among other places, communicated his deep appreciation:
“These materials remind us of the Reformed faith, allowing us to approach our context from a biblical worldview. In many ways, it’s like a continuing education for chaplains.”
Our strategy is simple: we want to get the teaching resources that Ligonier has been producing for decades into the hands of servicemen and women—we want to be a spiritual supply line for them.
To ensure that our resource packages suit the unique ministry needs of chaplains and their troops, we worked closely with several chaplains to develop this program. The response has been positive, with 200 chaplains currently enrolled. This is a far-reaching partnership, as chaplains use these resources to minister to thousands of troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Sinai Peninsula, Korea, Germany, here in the United States, and in other regions throughout the world.
In order to fully fund this important outreach for the next year, we need to raise $30,000 over the next 30 days. Thank you for your generous gifts.
Donating $50 funds one resource package.
Donating $100 funds two resource packages.
P.S. We are always looking to gain new chaplain partners. If you know a chaplain who would be interested in receiving our materials, please put them in contact with our team at chaplain@ligonier.org. It would be a privilege to serve them in any way we are able.
