Every military command has one.
The smoke pit.
On Navy ships, it may be called the smoke deck. It’s the designated place where service members go to smoke cigars and cigarettes.
But here’s the thing: the smoke pit is rarely just about smoking.
Because the same people tend to gather there day after day, the smoke pit becomes a place where relationships are built, stories are told, and complaints are aired. People laugh, vent, argue, and talk about life. And sometimes, the chaplain goes everywhere in the command except the smoke pit.
To be fair, many chaplains don’t smoke. I don’t think chaplains need to pick up cigars or cigarettes just to fit in. You still have to be true to your convictions and the kind of life you want to live. But if chaplains refuse to spend time where smokers are smoking, they may miss a huge opportunity to build relationships with their people. Ministry of presence means being willing to go where your people are, even when it isn’t necessarily where you would choose to be.
One of my chaplain mentors didn’t drink. It was a personal conviction, and he held to it. But he would tell his troops, “I’ll go with you. You can have a beer, and I’ll have a soda.” He understood something important: you don’t have to compromise your convictions to enter someone else’s world. You can hold firmly to your own boundaries while still spending time in the places where your people feel comfortable.
I was reminded of this recently when the Staff Noncommissioned Officers and Officers (SNCOs) at my command gathered to say farewell to a beloved teammate. The gathering was held in a lounge with a pool table, a bar, and cigars. I went to say goodbye and spend time with the group.
One of the Gunnery Sergeants looked at me and said: “We’re surprised to see you here, Chaps!” My answer was simple: “I care about you guys, so I’ll be where you are.” That, to me, is the heart of ministry of presence. It means sometimes putting your own preferences on the back burner so you can care for your people. It means showing up, not only when they come to your chapel, your office, or your program, but when you have the opportunity to step into their world.
I think we see something similar in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus repeatedly went to places and spent time with people the “respectable” religious crowd preferred to avoid. In fact, His willingness to sit at the table with people others rejected became one of the criticisms leveled against Him:
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:2) They meant it as an accusation, but Jesus lived it as ministry.
Every chaplain needs to know their boundaries. We need to know what we will and will not do. Ministry of presence does not mean abandoning our convictions or pretending to be someone we aren’t. But within those boundaries?
Go where your people are. Walk the spaces they walk. Sit at their tables and visit their workspaces. Step into the smoke pit and show up at the farewell. Sometimes the most important ministry happens when someone looks up, sees the chaplain standing there, and realizes: Chaps came because Chaps cares.
What are your experiences with ministry of presence? We’d love to hear from you! Comment below or send us a message.
For more stories, lessons, and insights from those serving in military ministry, check out our newest book, Military Ministry: Chaplains in the Twenty-First Century.
Military Chaplain Guide 