Chaplaincy Endorsement

Providing endorsement for candidates seeking professional chaplaincy certification through the Association of Professional Chaplains.

We are recognized by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and its affiliate the Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc. (BCCI) as an endorser of candidates seeking professional chaplaincy certification through APC. As the need arises, we are open to seeking recognition as an endorser of candidates pursuing certification through other chaplaincy certifying bodies.

Qualifications for Endorsement

Screenshot of Standards and Procedures PDF

Download our Standards and Procedures (PDF)

To be successful in your application for endorsement, you will need to demonstrate the following:

  • The education and professional training required for the level of certification you seek

  • A meaningful connection to the Churches of Christ or Stone-Campbell movement (COC/SC) and the ability to articulate how that tradition informs your spiritual or religious identity

  • An active relationship of nurture and accountability with a specific faith community

  • The spiritual maturity and ministry gifts needed to provide spiritual care to all persons with compassion and respect, and to fulfill the role of professional chaplain in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Code of Ethics of your certifying body

View our Standards and Procedures (PDF) for additional details about what you will need to do to receive endorsement.

Endorsement Process

Ready to apply? Below are the details for the application plus an overview of what to expect after you submit all of your application materials. For additional details, particularly on those later steps, please see our Standards and Procedures (above).

APPLICATION

Please complete the following, submitting everything to chaplaincy@acu.edu (Attn: Renee Paul).

  1. Submit an Application for Endorsement for Professional Chaplaincy Certification.

  2. Complete a background check from a designated vendor. You will receive an email from chaplaincy@acu.edu (via Shield Screening) with a secure link to complete the background check.

  3. Request that official transcripts be sent to us for each of your undergraduate and graduate degrees. Transcripts must be sent directly from the institution. Paper transcripts should be sent to Siburt Institute Chaplaincy Endorsement, Attn: Renee Paul, ACU Box 29425, Abilene, TX 79699-9425. E-Scripts should be sent to chaplaincy@acu.edu (Attn: Renee Paul).

  4. Submit appropriate documentation of all CPE units you’ve completed. See details on the application form.

  5. Submit a personal statement articulating your connection to the Churches of Christ or Stone-Campbell movement (COC/SC) and how that connection informs your spiritual or religious identity. See details on the application form.

  6. Submit a letter documenting your relationship of nurture and accountability with a faith community. See details on the application form.

INTERVIEW

After we have received all of your application materials, you will participate in an interview with an endorsing committee comprised of three or four professional chaplains, certified chaplaincy educators, or ministry professionals, who assess spiritual gifts and endorsement without discrimination regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, or church. Interviews may be via teleconference or in person. You should be prepared to engage in conversation with the committee about your calling, pastoral skills and gifts, temperament, areas of growth, spirituality, and emotional and physical health. See additional details, including interview format, in our Standards and Procedures (above).

RECOMMENDATION

After your interview, the committee will make a recommendation to our executive director, who serves as the Siburt Institute’s endorser. If endorsement is recommended, then we’ll send a letter of endorsement to your certifying body. If the endorser chooses not to endorse you, we’ll provide rationale and an opportunity for you to appeal the decision. Again, see additional details in our Standards and Procedures (above).

Contact

If you have questions about our endorsement process or the status of your application, please contact Renee Paul at chaplaincy@acu.edu.