The Ministry of Presence
Presented by J. R. Peyton, D. Min.
The following
story is a true story. Changes have been
made to protect the characters, but the story essentially remains
unchanged. It is offered here at the
outset of this paper to provide a real example of the ministry of presence in
progress. It was originally written
(with some variations) the day of its occurrence during my CPE (Clinical
Pastoral Education) training in 2008.
Like many, such
encounters are neither planned nor predictable, but rather come as a surprise
and provide fodder for reflection and intrinsic rewards for a long time. I met
Lewis one cold, wintery Saturday morning when the nurse informed me that she
had a man who had been given a poor diagnosis of cancer, and he was not dealing
with it very well. She wanted to know,
since I was there visiting another patient, if I could stop in and visit
him. I agreed, and because of the nature
of the timing and the quick visit (as you will see), I knew no more about the
background of the patient as person and patient than what I have articulated
here.
The
following is the scenario as I experienced it: When I arrive at the client’s room, Lewis is
sitting up with his legs crossed on a flat hospital bed, and the hospital table
is across the bed in front of him. On
the table are an open briefcase, a cell phone, and miscellaneous papers. Beside Lewis on the bed are several,
obviously already read, local and national newspapers, including the Wall
Street Journal. Lewis looks young for 52
and relatively healthy and alert. On the
end of his nose is perched a pair of reading glasses. He is wearing designer-type sweats that look
out of place in the ICU, his hair is well-groomed, he is clean-shaven, and
looks like he is waiting to play the part of a businessman in a movie. As a matter of fact, Lewis, in general, looks
out of place in the ICU and makes me wonder what he is doing there. Lewis looks like he should be at the gym
instead of the ICU.
Lewis
looks up as I enter, “Hello, Lewis, my name is Joey, and I am the
chaplain this weekend here at…”
“[Profanity],
Get the h… out of here!” much to my surprise he again said loudly,
“GET OUT!”
This
is not what I expected, and the nurse must have had her wires crossed. As I began backing out, “I’m
sorry! The nurse thought you might like
a visit!”
“JUST
GET OUT!” he repeats now, hollering and including a few non-repeatable
adjectives.
“Goodbye,
and have a nice day!” I walk out
the door as I refuse to indulge his narcissistic need to rile me.
When
I am about 10 feet from the door and moving fast, another holler is heard from
the room, “CHAPLAIN, GET BACK IN HERE!”
As
my brain and feet have a tug-of-war about what we are going to do, I turn
around and return to the door and just stick my head in. There is no sense in going in too far just to
get thrown out again, “Yes!” I replied rather timidly.
Not
as loudly, “Get back in here!”
My
timidity is showing when I take one step inside the door, “You told me
to get out!”
Now
talking in an almost normal voice, but as one who is used to giving orders,
“I know, but I want to ask you a question!”
As
I walk over to the bed, I am thinking fast and trying to get back in control of
the situation, “May I take a seat?”
Lewis
seems surprised by my remaining ability to ask if I can be seated, but points
to the chair by the bed and says, “Help yourself.”
Sitting
down slowly and crossing my legs and leaning back in what I call my counselor
position, calmly asking, “So what
would you like to ask me?”
With
an exasperated expression, like one would sometimes address a foolish child,
Lewis asks, “Just what did you think you were going to do when you came
in here? Just march in here, mumble some
holy prayer, and everything would change for the better?”
With
a chuckle, “Maybe! Certainly
wouldn’t hurt to try prayer, but probably not what I would have done
first.” I will choose my battle,
and this is not the one I want to fight, especially since I am convinced that
this is not the basis of his anger; besides, there is some truth and humor in
his question/postulation.
He fails to see the humor, “It’s a good thing you
chaplains are not paid! It would be a
waste of money!
“I’m sure some would agree with you!” Again, to fight this battle here would not
solve anything or benefit Lewis at all, and I am sure it would be a lost
cause. It would not help my cause here
to let him know that I am paid, and paid rather well, considering.
Continuing his questioning above, “Seriously, what
would you have liked to accomplish here when you were going to visit me?” Aha, now we are getting to the
question behind the question. His professional curiosity will kill the
proverbial cat.
With a little smile on my face, “Oh, I already
accomplished what I set out to do!” I
say this before I really have time to think about what I am saying. I sense a power greater than myself; God’s
Holy Spirit is present and filling my mouth in my hour of need.
Surprise is obvious on his face, “Oh, and what is
that?” I too am trying to mask
the surprise on my face and figure out what to say next.
“Are you sure you want me to explain this to you? It might be better if we just let it work on
you slowly!” God’s Spirit has not
left me, and by now I think I know where He is leading this conversation. While this is apropos to what I had been
studying, this is the first time it has been quickened to my mind while
speaking to a patient.
The proverbial hook is set in Lewis’ psyche, and he is not
about to let me go, “No, I want to know what you think you accomplished
in those few seconds!”
“Ok, we will start with the
most obvious. First, you are no longer
sitting here alone fretting over your diagnosis. You have me (foolish, time and money-wasting
as I am) to think about and talk to.”
I say this light- heartedly with a chuckle (♫ A spoon full of
sugar... ♪).
He too chuckles, “I guess you got me there! You might be good for something! What else do you think you accomplished?”
Taking my time, I postulate a second reason, knowing that
I am hitting closer to home with each reason, “Another obvious thing is
that I am indirectly relieving some of your stress by giving you a place to
vent some of your frustration!”
To my surprise, Lewis quickly agrees. This time he is more serious, “Yeah,
you’re right again! I felt like my head
was going to explode when you came in, and now I am feeling that less. What else?”
While before his bitterness and anger made him blind to help,
when offered, he now seems almost eager to know what I am going to say next.
“Well, the other is not as easy to see, but I will try to
explain. First, your records say that
you are Christian. Is that
correct?” It is now time to use
what I have learned during my recent studies and hope that I am on target.
He nods, “Yes, I have been a member of [some
name like Crestfield Community Church] all my life. I usually go every week.”
Here goes my best, “You see, Lewis, there is a
thing we chaplains call ‘presence’. As
ministers of Christ, we don’t represent the hospital or ourselves, even though
what we do reflects on both. No, we
represent Christ! Even though you did
not want me to visit earlier, just the fact that you realized I was a chaplain
triggered memories in your mind. The
fact that you go to church weekly tells me there has been lots of meaning
attached to church and the things of God throughout your life. I don’t know what those things are exactly,
but let me speculate for a moment. For
some, the chaplain’s presence might trigger the memory of a godly mother who
bandaged their skinned knees and said prayers, that reminds you today that God
is here, and He does care about your diagnosis.
For others, they memorized the 23rd Psalm, and the chaplain’s presence
reminds them that God is their Shepherd and that even though you now walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, you don’t have to fear such evil for
God is with you…”
By this time a tear rolls down his cheek as Lewis
interrupts, “Stop! Stop! You win!
I can’t take any more. Please go
now! You’re right. Forgive me for earlier. Just go!”
He wipes his tear away with a tissue.
With a little smile, “Ok, I will go. I just wanted to answer your question. Don’t worry about earlier. Considering what you’re going through, it’s
understandable. Would you like me to say
one of those holy prayers before I leave?”
Much subdued, “Yeah, like you said, it couldn’t
hurt!”
“Dear Lord, you see the fear and the pain…” I begin
a short prayer and then quietly leave the room.
My work is done, but the Master’s has only just begun.
A
huge blow hit Lewis, when the doctors told him that he had cancer and was
facing the possibility of an early death, which left his faith reeling. His misguided anger at me as the chaplain
actually gave God the loophole through which to minister and provide salve for
his fear and pain. It is always amazing
to see God’s Spirit at work in people’s lives and how He uses me to be an
instrument of His Spirit, even though I often have no forewarning of the
situation.
A Ministry of Presence
In
the following space and time this writer/presenter will provide a brief review
of how the subject of presence is viewed, approached, and defined by both
scientific and theological worldviews.
Secondly, we will see how this benefits and hinders Apostolics[1]
with an Apostolic hermeneutic[2] as
their theological worldview. Finally,
how does/can an Apostolic worldview change, improve, and benefit the definition
and understanding of the ministry of presence?
To
avoid and/or not include a discussion of presence from the perspective of the
psychosocial field would not only limit one’s understanding of the ministry of
presence, but also not fully appreciate the breadth and complexity of the
issue. Simply put, the effect of
presence, from a purely psychosocial perspective, is the effect that a police
or military uniform has upon a crowd of people in an open market; the effect
that the entrance of the known president of a super power has when he walks
upon the stage; or the expectation placed upon a doctor by the family of a very
sick/injured patient when she enters a cubical in an emergency room.
Looking
specifically or literally, as the psychosocial perspective tends to do, the
“…etymology of the word ‘present’ expresses very well the deep meaning
here. ‘Pre’ means ‘in front of,’ or ‘in
the presence of’; and ‘ens’ from ‘esse’ means ‘to be,’ ‘to be by,’ or ‘to be in
front of someone or something.’ …Presence, therefore, implies spatial nearness,
…a spatial nearness which can have a very pregnant meaning.”[3] Such presence becomes “pregnant” when wielded
like a sword in the hands of people of position and authority. For example, when former President Clinton
felt the “pain” of the underprivileged masses, he came alongside them and won
the hearts of the common people.
Further,
the definition of a ‘Ministry of Presence,’ found in the Dictionary of Pastoral
Care and Counseling, reflects the etymology of the words ‘minister’ (servant)
and ‘presence’ (see above): “Ministry of Presence – A form of servanthood
characterized by suffering, alongside of and with the hurt and oppressed. Ministry of presence in the pastoral office
means vulnerability to and participation in the life-world of those served.”[4]
Such a ‘coming
alongside of’ by the ‘servants of society’ is beneficial and necessary to the
role of many professions and to society at large. The respect (for the most part) given to a
police officer as he walks up to a car on a dark moonless night provides the
very fiber, security, and stability for our society. This same effect and/or benefit cannot be
dismissed or denied by the chaplain.
Respect for the clergy by the majority of society has been part of our
societal norms for thousands of years and benefited those who have ministered
throughout the ages and continues to benefit chaplains today.
Unfortunately,
some writers/theologians attempt to limit the definition to a non-spiritual
understanding of the ministry of presence.
Biocca tries to make this case by stating (limiting) that a ministry of
presence must be quantifiable, reproducible, and tangible. He therefore concludes that any “…philosophy
of presence might be most fruitfully approached via the philosophy of
mind.” By doing so, researchers would
build on “…rich, solid ground and avoid building on quicksand.”[5] As we will see, this is an untenable position
for Apostolics.
Attempts to
solidify a manageable definition of the ministry of presence that would appease
psychosocial researchers have led theologians like the Whiteheads (foremost
researchers in reflective pastoral education) to practically define presence as
a set of skills such as attending, assertion, and decision.[6] Taylor (who writes on pastoral skill
building) further buys such a limitation and modifies the Whiteheads’ position
slightly, “The presence skills are attending, responding, and assessing.”[7] It is again the position of this writer that
both the Whiteheads and Taylor postulations are valuable and useable for the
Apostolic chaplain, but like the psychosocial postulation, any effort to limit
the ministry of presence to such definitions is both untenable for Apostolics
and a disservice and/or limiting to the working of God’s Spirit.
Another important
position to consider is that of the Lutheran theologians, “Presence does not
precede communication, but presence itself is brought into existence through
the communication.”[8] By communication, Schoonenburg is referring
to the priority given by Lutherans to the communicating of the written Word,
symbolized to many by Luther’s cry “Sola Scriptor”. The Lutheran dedication to the written Word
of God, while admirable (and should be emulated by Apostolics), prevents an
independent working of the Spirit. For
Apostolics this independence is not in the sense that it has nothing to do with
the written Word of God, but that the Spirit can work prior to one’s hearing
the written Word. It is imperative to
understand that for Apostolics the Spirit can work prior to the hearing of the
Word, but when the Spirit works it must be in agreement with the Word.
Before considering
an Apostolic definition, there is one final position, taken in an effort to
define a ministry of presence that limits the working of God’s Spirit, that one
needs to consider. This position was
solidified in a study done by Stokes that emphatically showed that there is a
direct connection between the perception (ability to be aware of presence at
work) of presence and the prior experience of the patient.[9] Stoke believed that she proved that for the
Spirit to be at work in the ministry of presence the patient had to have prior
experience with the working of the Spirit.
Duffy, a Roman Catholic priest, also postulated, “Presence is shaped in
symbol and enhanced by conflict and crisis. Symbols alone are capable of
dealing with the complexity of experience that forms the core of presence.”[10] As Apostolics, we cannot deny the benefit of
such prior experience laden by the symbols associated, but at the same time
have by similar experience seen the Spirit work/move upon those that have never
before been exposed to the Spirit and therefore are barren of any symbolic
reference.
So far we have
shown that a definition of the ministry of presence could include, but is not
limited to: a psychosocial expectation in response to positional power and
authority; an etymological understanding of the servant coming alongside the
patient; a praxis of skills set to enhance the success of coming alongside; the
imperativeness of God’s written Word and Promises being in agreement with the
working of the Spirit but not limiting the Spirit until the Word is read; and
the value of prior experience that is often represented by symbols and
rituals. For many this is enough, but
for Apostolics we cannot leave the definition of the ministry of presence in
such a limited human fashion.
No example, for
this writer, better illustrates a ministry of presence better than the story of
Elizabeth’s receiving Mary’s visit in Luke chapter 1. The babe in Elizabeth leaped, being filled
with the Holy Spirit in the presence of Mary, who was literally pregnant with
the presence of God. Mary herself was
the recipient of the Spirit as she was moved on and impregnated by and with
that same Spirit. Mary’s response to the
laudations of Elizabeth was, “My being proclaims the greatness [or presence]
of the Lord.”[11] “Real presence is measured by God’s presence,
which we continue to encounter in our lives.”[12]
And who will be so bold as to attempt to measure God’s presence? Exactly how would one quantify, reproduce,
and make tangible God’s very presence?
If God is always good, trustable, and beneficial, who would want to
limit the working of his Spirit with human definitions and a finite
understanding?
Why not let God be
God? Jesus promised the disciples that
He would go before them into Galilee,[13]
and it would be the position of this writer to continue to let God go before,
with, and after the chaplain to do the work that He desires. While the prior delineated listing of
definitions of the ministry of presence cannot be ignored, it is certainly only
a partial human understanding of what God is doing every time the chaplain
walks into a hospital room. The chaplain
must learn to walk by faith and not by sight[14]
and leave both the “successes” and “failures” in the hands of God.
Oneness Apostolics
hold at least two very poignant theological doctrines that are pertinent to our
conversation. First, Apostolics believe
in the inevitability of the infilling of God’s Spirit in the hearts and lives
of all believers.[15] This infilling is not a tailored form of God
made to fit into man, but in the same sense as Christ’s incarnation with the
Spirit, believers are also filled with the entirety of God when they are ‘born
again’. The second point further
enhances this, Apostolics believe in the absolute Oneness of God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are
manifestations of that One God and not separate beings working together in one
purpose or one relationship.[16] Therefore, when the Spirit-filled Apostolic
chaplain walks through a hospital, the very Father of creation and Son of
redemption live inside of his heart as God’s Spirit. However, the very omnipresence of this same
God allows that same Spirit to both proceed and to follow the chaplain on his
rounds. “As admittedly finite creatures,
we [chaplains] can incarnate God’s love in a powerful way (especially with
the above understanding)[17]
to those in crisis… so can the presence of the chaplain become a window through
which the infinite Source of hope can be glimpse.”[18]
In 1954 Wayne
Oates wrote in an effort to define the pastoral encounter of the Chaplain, “The
pastoral task is the participation in the divine human encounter. The sovereignty of God, the principle of
incarnation whereby the Word was made flesh, the activity of the Holy Spirit in
contemporary living, and the function of the church as the body of Christ – these
are the realities that the pastor symbolizes and represents in pastoral care
and personal counseling they become functional realities rather than
theoretical topics of discussion.”[19] This definition, if one can define something
as unknowable as the working of God’s Spirit, seems to be much more in keeping
with an Apostolic understanding that the chaplain is a mere ‘participant’ in
such an encounter and seems to embrace the incarnational aspects of the “divine
human encounter” between a patient, the chaplain, and God’s Spirit.
This
writer is convinced that resting our ‘performance’ in the hands of God, who is
an active participant in such encounters, nullifies the biggest challenge of
the Apostolic chaplain. Chaplaincy
requires (mandates), that “the ministry to the ill is to be ready to give what
the patients need – this is not necessarily what the [chaplain] or the hospital
staff think he or she may have to offer.”[20] The Apostolic believer who is programmed from
his/her spiritual conception to be evangelical in every encounter must learn to
trust the working of God’s Spirit to whet the appetite of the patient, causing
them to cry out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”[21] Any deviation from this will only get the
chaplain kicked out of the field, but even more important, identifies their
inability to trust the working of God’s Spirit to do His part of the job. “Someone who believes that our work and
careers belong to a larger process of change and redemption, that we are not
solely responsible for the future of the world, need be less frenetic and
compulsive.”[22]
Considering that the chaplain is only a vessel for
God’s Spirit, in which to live and to work, “…the ultimate goal of the pastoral
visitation of the sick should [then] be the increase of the presence of the
Spirit…”[23] For the Spirit-filled Apostolic chaplain this
should come naturally, especially if he is relying upon the Spirit and not upon
his own ability, talents, and education.
From personal experience I can assure the reader that “… signs shall follow them that believe…”[24]
and do not need to be sought after. The
Spirit of the Lord will work, but the question is, Who will let Him?[25] At the beginning of my third unit of CPE, a
Catholic Sister introduced me to the class in this manner, “This is Joey, and
things happen to him that don’t happen to other chaplains.” After only a short year of training, other
chaplains had already recognized a difference, things happened when I walked
into certain rooms that some of them had never heard of before. “In a complex and changing world we
are challenged to discern the continuing presence and action of God and to
respond, faithfully and effectively, to this presence.”[26]
Bibliography
Biocca, Frank. (2001) Inserting the Presence of Mind into a
Philosophy of Presence: A Response to Sheridan and Mantoviani and Riva.
Presence: Volume 10, Number 5, October 2001.
Ciampa, Ralph C. (1994) God-Talk
in Pastoral Care: Three Dimensions of the Pastoral Encounter. Downloaded
from Atlas in June 2009. A paper presented at the Cumberland, Maryland Memorial
Hospital.
Duffy, Regis A. (1982) Real
Presence, Worship, Sacraments, and Commitment. San Francisco, California:
Harper and Row, Publishers.
Schoonenberg, Piet. (1966) Presence
and The Eucharistic Presence.
Appeared in Tijdschrift voor Theologie (1966) and Cross Currents, Winter
(1967). Downloaded from Atlas in June 2009.
Stokes, Janet. (1999) Ministry
of Presence and Presence of the Spirit in Pastoral Visitation. The Journal
of Pastoral Care, Summer 1999, Vol. 53, No. 2. Downloaded from Atlas in June
2009.
Taylor, Charles W. (1991).
The Skilled Pastor, Counseling as the Practice of Theology. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fortress Press.
Whitehead, James D. and
Whitehead, Evelyn E. (1983) Method in Ministry, Theological Reflection and
Christian Ministry. New York: New York.
[1] For the
purposes of this paper, the term Apostolic or Apostolics will refer to the
mainstream mindset of Oneness Pentecostals.
It is also not the intention of the writer to say that other chaplains
and/or other faiths may not agree with many of the postulations of this paper
(because many of them do). It is only
the intention to tailor this paper to its audience, the Oneness Apostolic
Symposium 2009.
[2] For the
purposes of this paper, an Apostolic hermeneutic shall be defined as one that
gives absolute privilege and priority to the teaching and writings of the
Apostles over the teachings and writings of history and/or tradition.
[3]
Schoonenberg, Piet. (1966) Presence and The Eucharistic Presence. Appeared in Tijdschrift voor Theologie (1966)
and Cross Currents, Winter (1967). Downloaded from Atlas in June 2009. Page
40-41.
[4] Quoted
by Stokes, Janet. Ministry of Presence and Presence of the Spirit in
Pastoral Visitation. The Journal of Pastoral Care, Summer 1999, Vol. 53,
No. 2. Downloaded from Atlas in June 2009. Page 192.
[5] Biocca,
Frank. Inserting the Presence of Mind
into a Philosophy of Presence: A Response to Sheridan and Mantoviani and Riva.
Presence: Volume 10, Number 5, October 2001.
Page 546-556.
[6]
Whitehead, James D. and Whitehead, Evelyn E. Method in Ministry, Theological
Reflection and Christian Ministry. New
York: New York. Page 9.
[7] Taylor,
Charles W. (1991). The Skilled Pastor, Counseling as the Practice of
Theology. Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Fortress Press. Page 15.
[8]
Schoonenberg, Piet. Page 43.
[9] Stokes,
Janet. Page 197-199.
[10] Duffy,
Regis A. (1982) Real Presence, Worship, Sacraments, and Commitment. San
Francisco, California: Harper and Row, Publishers. Page 84-85.
[12] Duffy,
Regis A. Page 197.
[13] Mark
26:32.
[14] 2
Corinthians 5:7.
[15] John
3:3-8.
[16] It is
not the intention of this paper to prove this point, but will just state it
emphatically as a belief of the Apostolic Oneness movement.
[17] Italics
mine.
[18] Ciampa,
Ralph C. (1994). God-Talk in Pastoral Care: Three Dimensions of the Pastoral
Encounter. Downloaded from Atlas in June 2009. A paper presented at the
Cumberland, Maryland Memorial Hospital. Page 33.
[19] Wayne
Oates quoted by Stokes, Janet. Page 192.
[20] Stokes,
Janet. Page 191.
[22]
Whitehead, James D. and Whitehead, Evelyn E. Page 161.
[23] Stokes,
Janet. Page 191.
[25] Isaiah
43:13.
[26]
Whitehead, James D. and Whitehead, Evelyn E. Page 9.
