I greet you in the gracious and merciful name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
In light of all the controversy surrounding the religious freedom of military chaplains and the “rights” of chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus, I have decided to share my own experience, thoughts and opinions on the subject matter. I am currently an Air Force Reserve Chaplain, and within a month I will report as an active duty Chaplain.
There is mounting concern among evangelical Christians in the US over the issue of the freedom of Chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus and to do the ministry that they are called to do. Most of this concern has been stirred up by Jay Sekulow’s radio broadcast (19 Dec 05), which indicated that chaplains could no longer pray in the name of Jesus and the electronic petition that he circulated. The broadcast and petition indicates that chaplains are being told that they cannot pray in Jesus’ name at all.
Chaplain’s are allowed to pray in the name of Jesus and obligated to perform their priestly duties as prescribed by their denominational tenants of faith. I was required to sign a “Chaplain’s Code of Ethics” that requires me to practice my faith in a way that upholds my denominational requirements, that includes ministry in Christ’s name.
I am allowed and expected to pray as I believe in worship services, Bible studies, pastoral visits, during the administration of the sacraments, counseling sessions, religious services and other pastoral acts and duties. In regards to prayer in Jesus’ name the only sticky spot is public prayer at command functions where attendance is required of soldiers and airmen of mixed faith groups and belief systems.
This past weekend, I was “invited” to pray at such a command function. It was an assumption of command for two new commanders of two units. I highlight the word “invited”, because Chaplains are not required to be at such functions, nor are they required to be included in the order of ceremony to offer an invocation for the event. We are invited to participate in such events by the commanders themselves. Commanders have the “right” to exclude prayer from the ceremony all together, and some do.
The service men and women of the two units were required to be present and participate in the ceremony, and I was “invited” to invoke the presence of the Almighty God himself to bless the proceedings and the exchange of command. At that point I was faced with a choice. I could offer up a prayer that forced the issue and run the risk causing an offence or complaint, for indeed the Bible is true when it says that Christ is a stumbling block for many. In that case, those commanders would most likely not “invite” me back for prayer if my prayers are going to cause problems that they are going to have to deal with over and over again.
Instead I chose a more respectful and loving route out of mutual respect and love for others and their belief system. I began by inviting those who are inclined towards prayer to pray along with me for these men as they assume their command, and I prayed this prayer.
“Most gracious heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this occasion today that we celebrate the assumption of command for Lt Col ______ and Captain _____. We give you thanks for choosing such leaders from among us to accomplish the work that you have given each of these men to do. We humbly ask your blessing upon all those who pass between them the guidon of command today. As it passes, let your strengthening arm attend them. In support of their command, give us thoroughness and thoughtfulness, fresh insights and seasoned experience. Lead and guide them as they lead and guide us. Bless us now on this occasion I pray, in Your Holy and Great name. Amen.”
As I stepped down from the podium, I caught the tears in the eyes of the Captain’s wife as she appreciatively smiled at me. Afterwards, she came to me and expressed to me how much she appreciated me being there to pray for her husband, and preceded to tell me that she is an Evangelical Christian and her husband is Jewish. She gave me a big hug and thanked me again.
Moments later, I was greeting the wife of the Lt Colonel. As we were shaking hands, she pulled me in close to her and said, “I have never heard of anyone saying you may pray if you want to. I have never heard of such a thing. Is this something new! I have never in all my years heard anyone say you may pray if you want to.” I politely smiled at her as I realized that she expected me to enforce a hard-line evangelical approach to the situation by forcing others to conform the evangelical standard formula of prayer.
It was within my right to do so, but I chose not to, and I will continue to choose not to for one simple reason. Forcing the issue and taking the hard-line formula approach at command functions, ceremonies and formations will only serve one purpose. I will no longer be invited to invoke the presence and blessings of the Most-High God, Elohim at such functions. The invocation will be stricken from the program and order of ceremonies all together, and I will no longer be invited to be the visible and audible reminder of the most Holy God that I have been called to represent.
It boils down to the same issue of public led prayer in our public school. We enjoyed that tradition for a great many years in this country, but it is no longer permitted for one simple reason. It is easier to forbid it than it is to ensure that all religious beliefs are given equal airtime. The government can make no law establishing one religion over another according to the constitution, which I support and defend.
The choice is mine to make. I have the right to force the issue, make trouble for my commanders, assert my rights and not be “invited” to do the invocation, or I can choose to respect the beliefs and convictions of others as I continue to pray for them. For me the choice is simple. I choose to continue to be that present and visible reminder with loving respect for my fellow service members for the purpose that some may hear the word of truth and believe. After all, they are the ones that I am here for to begin with, and may the Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on my soul if I ever set myself up as the stumbling block that keeps his children from coming to Him. It is better to be the loving respectful public presence that the Lord has called me to than to not be present at all. The direct word that I received from Christ, my Lord is this. “Go forward in peace serving Me and touching the lives of others as you go.”
I debated long and hard within myself if serving as a military chaplain was the way that I should go. I do not like war, killing or many of the tactical means of force that our government uses in the name of peace and national safety (nor do I like Evangelical means of force for that matter because the weapons of our warfare are not carnal). However, the men and women who have dedicated their lives, for whatever reason, to serve and protect the rest of us deserve to be touched by the Almighty presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ, as much as any other. So as long as I have the peace of our Lord, I will continue to serve the men and women of the “Armed Forces” touching their lives with the presence of Christ, formula or no formula.
I pray that the presence of our loving and merciful Lord be with you all both now and forever. Amen. – Chaplain Kelvin Francis, Lt., US Air Force

P.S. If we do not learn from the history of public prayer in school, we are doomed to repeat it. It is best not to force the government to make a decision, because odds are that we will not like the decision made. This truly is a well intended dragon.
It is my extreme privilege to pray in public for God’s blessings over our service members, your sons and daughter, husbands and wives, grandchildren and friends. Please join with me in my pursuit to ensure my “privilege” as a military chaplain of praying for your loved ones and friends in the public setting. If you know anyone who signed that petition, please urge them to write or call Jay Sekulow and the American Center for Law & Justice to have their names removed. More than 160,000 misinformed and misguided people with the best intentions signed that petition that will only serve to take away my right as a priest and my privilege as a Chaplain to pray in public for our service members.
Also, Representative Walter Jones (R-NC), Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC) and Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) are pushing this effort as well. If you live in one of these states, please contact them. While they mean well, and I would love to pray in public in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, their push is bringing undue attention to the Chaplain’s Service.

American Center of Law and Justice www.aclj.org
P.O. Box 90555
Washington, DC. 20090-0555
(757) 226-2489 Hrs: 8am – 5pm M-F

Jay Sekulow Live: 770-414-0806
Radio Call in: 800-684-3110