A Beginning Again

A Case - and a Place - for the Ministry of Endorsement

An essay to prompt a consideration of the role of the ministry of ecclesiastical endorsement and its place within the structures of The United Methodist Church.

Consummate Professionals

The traits of the military's senior leaders - and the patience of command.

DISCIPLINE!

Short rant about Trump asking for applause as he entered an auditorium filled with general officers.

Ministry of Ecclesiastical Endorsement: Compilation

Book of Discipline Excerpts

This compilation gathers the relevant disciplinary paragraphs related to chaplaincy, ecclesiastical endorsement, extension ministry, and related organizational structures from successive editions of The Book of Discipline from 1964 through 2024. Presented in chronological order and rendered verbatim from the cited editions, these excerpts allow readers to trace the evolving language, structure, location, and institutional treatment of endorsement ministry across six decades of Methodist and United Methodist history. Originally assembled as a companion reference for the “Location and Language” essays, the compilation also stands as an independent documentary resource for readers interested in polity, institutional development, chaplaincy, and ecclesiastical endorsement.

The General, the President, and Me

A Reflection on Endorsement

A reflection on the broader aspects of Ecclesiastical Endorsement as a ministry of the whole Church, not simply an administrative function of an office in the Church.

The Hinge

About Chaplains – And Those Who Send Them

A reflection on the role of endorsement and the Church's attention to its place within its structures.

The Military Chaplain and the Insignia of Rank

An Institutional Analysis of the 2026 DoD Chaplain Uniform Reform Policy

Considering the Department of Defense Policy removing insignia of rank from the operational uniform of military chaplains, this paper examines the institutional question of whether the policy carries implications extending beyond uniform appearance by altering the visible expression of commissioned status for one category of commissioned officer. It approaches that question through four related perspectives: the historical development of military chaplains within the commissioned officer corps, the statutory framework established by Congress in Title 10, the institutional implications of the policy as publicly implemented by the military departments, and several questions that may warrant further institutional consideration.

“A Mighty Valuable Asset”

On National Good Faith and the Cost of Its Erosion

This essay was inspired by a chance encounter with a framed 1907 letter from Theodore Roosevelt containing a warning that feels unexpectedly contemporary: “The good faith of the United States is a mighty valuable asset and must not be impaired.” It explores the strategic and moral cost of eroding national credibility through unstable alliances, coercive rhetoric, institutional disruption, and the weakening of long-standing international commitments.

“Excuse Me—Could You Point Me to the Office of Endorsement?”

A Relational Ministry Hidden in Administrative Form

Recognizing the crucial aspect of the ministry of endorsement as both a ministry of relationship and a ministry of function and the value of having it visibly located within the structures of the Church.