Cedarville Magazine, Spring 2019

particular are required to take the class before they can serve in that role. Students taking Kimble’s class are required to prepare and deliver two messages. They meet with Kimble prior to and after they speak to get feedback. There are also extra measures taken to help the chaplains develop their skill at receiving critique and evaluating and offering feedback. “When Jon Wood and I preached earlier this semester in chapel, we came to the Chaplains Council and critiqued each other’s messages as a way to model this process to the students,” Kimble said. “If you’re going to receive constructive criticism, how do you receive it, how do you learn from it, and how are you able to move forward in your preaching capacities? “As well, it was a way to show how to critique and say things lovingly. How am I building up my brother to help him become a better communicator and preacher? I thought that was a good time where the student chaplains hopefully saw us be able to receive and give feedback and have it be done in a healthy way.” HOPED-FOR OUTCOME With all this input, feedback, accountability, and encouragement, it’s hoped that each chaplain will grow as a minister of God’s Word, but even more as a servant-leader whose character and focus on Christ are true no matter what venue they find themselves ministering in. “Kimble and Cook both talk about not letting your abilities outpace your character,” Tiell said. “It’s scary to walk up on that stage, and think I could very easily walk off and completely destroy my witness by being foolish.” “Aaron said it best: It’s the little things that usually make the biggest impact,” Schlabach said. “I believe I’ve been called to ministry. Going into that church role, you get up there and preach every Sunday, but most are watching you outside of that. That’s something I’m being prepared for.” “I don’t know what ministry God has for me exactly,” noted Bortel, who is a geology major and the only non-Bible major serving in a chaplain’s role this school year. “But whether I’m a preacher, an interim pastor, serving in church leadership or worship ministry, these experiences are developing my character and a skill set for preaching that is going to benefit whatever church congregation I’m in. “This training of refining who I am and what I believe, my character and my skills for discipling and preaching, all these things are going to be valuable, whether or not I’m a pastor. Those are valuable because everyone’s got to share their faith at some point if you’re living out the commands of Scripture.” Clem Boyd is Managing Editor of Cedarville Magazine .