Specialized Pastoral Ministry

Through LCMS World Relief and Human Care's Specialized Pastoral Ministry programs, nearly 400 men and women receive training to serve as chaplains and pastoral counselors. These professional church workers offer a comprehensive ministry that includes Word and Sacrament, counseling and compassionate care.

Chaplains work in institutions such as:

hospitals
prisons
hospices
retirement homes
homes for people who are physically and mentally challenged

Pastoral counselors work one-on-one or in small groups in:

clinics
private practices
counseling centers
congregations

Specialized Pastoral Ministry programs address these human care concerns in the following settings:

Self-worth in later years (long-term care facilities)
Lifestyle changes (general health care facilities)
Values and meaning in life (mental health care centers)
Justice, forgiveness and interpreting God's love (correctional institutions)
Direction for life renewal (pastoral counseling settings)
Quality of life at life's end (hospices)
Spiritual renewal (substance abuse and counseling centers)
Maximum spiritual potential for individuals (people with disabilities)
Crisis response (workplace/police headquarters)
Disaster trauma services (through congregations or other institutions following an emergency)