Specialized Pastoral Ministry
Meeting the Needs of Others
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM) is the embodiment of the church’s commission to minister to persons with special needs.
Through the SPM program, ordained pastors — as well as commissioned men and women — receive training to serve as institutional and emergency services chaplains, pastoral counselors, and clinical pastoral educators.
SPM chaplains serve people who are ill, imprisoned, aging, troubled, conflicted, and isolated. These professional church workers offer comprehensive service that includes Word or Word and Sacrament ministry, counseling, compassionate care, and contextual education for specialized pastoral ministries.
How do chaplains serve?
Chaplaincy, pastoral counseling, and clinical pastoral education are united in the work of caring for broken souls through a listening ear, sharing of God’s eternal love in Christ, prayer, the Sacraments, and worship.
Those serving in Specialized Pastoral Ministry are intentionally missional in their ministry and at the same time are sensitive to the needs of hurting souls.
Those involved in SPM — whether in chaplaincy, pastoral counseling, or pastoral clinical education — encounter people in the midst of everyday settings as they bear witness to the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Those in SPM reach out to people in their deepest need at some of the most vulnerable moments of life. These situations could help someone suffering in a variety of ways, such as:
- Illnesses and accidents
- Quality of life during palliative care and hospice care
- Disabilities
- Caregiver fatigue
- Lifestyle changes
- Low self-worth
- Elder care
- Mental health struggles
- Justice, forgiveness, and interpreting God’s love
- Spiritual and life renewal
- Substance abuse
- First responder stress
- Disaster recovery trauma
Return to top
Where do chaplains serve?
In touching so many lives at so many points of mission, SPM takes place in diverse, specialized, and geographical locations.
Settings for these ministries include:
- Hospitals and health care facilities
- Long term care facilities
- Hospice
- Mental health facilities
- Corrections/prisons
- Pastoral counseling
- Clinical education
- Rehabilitation medicine
- Substance Abuse
- Developmental disabilities
- Law enforcement
- Fire and rescue agencies
- LCMS Disaster Response
- Workplaces
Return to top
Who can be an SPM chaplain?
SPM clinical educators train and equip ministers to serve in specialized settings. The nature and design of ministry varies with the specialty and setting of human care.
- Ordained and commissioned persons are eligible to serve in SPM.
- Individuals serving in SPM also need to possess specific preparation and competencies related to the specialization.
- All applicants must have no less than a Master's Degree in theology, followed by additional, specialized training. This specialized training consists of documented specialized education or supervised pastoral care and counseling education and training relevant to the particular ministry. The amount and kind of specialized training is determined by the particular SPM in which one wants to serve.
- Ecclesiastical SPM Endorsement is normative and expected of those pursuing SPM. Certification in a particular professional organization may also be required. Ecclesiastical SPM Endorsement is achieved by meeting with an area consultation committee, which forwards recommendations to the SPM office.
Return to top
Interested in becoming a chaplain?
Are you curious about ways you may be able to minister to people in a non-parish setting?
LCMS Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM) invites you to explore the vast opportunities to serve in this unique and important area.
Take an anonymous online survey and browse information to help you evaluate if God is leading you to this unique, important ministry.
Resources include:
The survey is one way to help identify suitable candidates for Specialized Pastoral/Spiritual Ministry. It is important to remember that no one, on paper, possesses the perfect set of personal characteristics for either parish ministry or SPM.
Return to top