International Association of Evangelical Chaplains (IAEC)

International Association of Evangelical Chaplains (IAEC), founded in 1997, is a volunteer, nonprofit ministry whose mission is to assist worldwide in the training and encouragement of international evangelical Christian chaplains and in the establishment and growth of chaplaincies which include evangelical Christians.

IAEC began as a result of a seed that was planted at the Military Christian Fellowship (MCF) of Brazil national conference on July 4, 1997. The Brazilian MCF invited several other countries to send delegates to the conference. Six countries, including the United States, responded by doing so. One of the attendees was a young man from Angola who was attending seminary in Brazil. His Hope Was to complete seminary, return to Angola, and become the first chaplain in the Angolan military. He reported many obstacles to overcome, including a need for chaplain training that would enable him for ministry in a military setting. He asked if there was any organization that could help people like him. After significant discussion and prayer, it was decided that such a ministry was needed.

Chaplain (Colonel) James Edgren, United States, Army (retired), who at that time was the Executive Director of the National Association of Evangelicals Commission on Chaplains was one of the delegates from the United States. He had been invited to the conference to speak to a small group of Evangelical chaplains in the Brazilian Armed Forces. Upon learning of the problem facing the young man from Angola, Chaplain Edgren expressed the need of a ministry to help people like him to his Commission and further suggested that they start such an organization. The Commission approved the idea, initially making the IAEC a ministry of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and Chaplain Edgren became the first Executive Director. IAEC has now separated from the NAE because IAEC is an international ministry while the NAE is not.

The concept of IAEC was to provide a community – a community where evangelical chaplains, those preparing to become chaplains, and those doing the work of chaplains would feel they belonged, didn't feel alone, would have a mechanism for sharing prayer requests and answers to prayer, could be trained for military ministry, and could turn to for help with problems. The IAEC has been creating this community through Chaplain Training, international conferences, offering membership to the IAEC, and developing an international venue for sharing prayer requests.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors, which meets twice a year, consists of twenty-five members. Each one is either serving on active duty or has served in the military. The Board consists of both officer and enlisted, chaplains and non-chaplains. All branches of the United States military are represented. The membership of the Board also consists of representatives from foreign nations. Chaplain (Colonel) Dave Peterson, U.S. Army, (retired) serves as the IAEC President. The Executive Director is Chaplain (Colonel) Bernie Windmiller, U.S. Army, (retired).

Training

IAEC training teams consist of three or four trainers as well as wives who are able to attend. Training teams pay their own travel expenses to the training location. The host nation then provides food, lodging, and transportation for the team.

Because the military of each nation differs, and the availability of members to attend training differs, IAEC adapts training to meet the needs of the requesting military. Phase one of the Basic Chaplaincy Course consists of anywhere from forty to sixty hours of classroom training. Phase Two is a practicum phase in which students are required to conduct ministry, under supervision, in accordance with concepts they learned in the classroom.

A partial list of subjects taught in the classroom include Call to Ministry, Personal Theology of Ministry, The Christian and War, Biblical View of Soldiering, Universal Principals and Roles of Chaplaincy, Professional Excellence, Chaplain Commander Relationships, The Chaplain As a Staff Officer, Leadership, Chaplain Assistants, Working in a Pluralistic Society, Inductive Bible Study, and Conversational Prayer.

When possible, there are also special sessions for students’ wives who are able to attend.

IAEC also provides a three-day course focusing on Hospital Chaplaincy and is currently developing a training module to help chaplains minister to marriage and family concerns.

Where IAEC Has Been

IAEC has conducted training in the following countries, some of them more than once: Argentina, Suriname, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Bulgaria, Trinidad, Peru, and Chile.

IAEC also provides at least one trainer for the annual Chaplain Interaction, sponsored by the Association for Christian Conferences, Training, and Services (ACCTS). Chaplains, or those doing chaplain ministry, travel to the United States for this two-week course. In the last three years, representatives from South Korea, Jamaica, Romania, Brazil, Namibia, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Zambia, Papua New Guinea, Cameroon, Moldova, Madagascar, and Uganda have attended. There are also special classes for wives who are able to travel and attend.

World Conferences

IAEC has conducted several world conferences. While all members of IAEC are invited, the conferences focus on a particular geographic area. Past conferences are: Mittersill, Austria (1999), White Sulphur Springs, Pennsylvania, USA (2000), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2002), Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines (2005), Romania (scheduled for 2010)

Affiliation

Affiliation with the World Evangelical Alliance.

Board of Reference

Olive Branch International

References

www.iaechap.org