Armed Services Ministry presents: An interview with Rev. Dr. David Reese and Helping Chaplains Address Public Tragedy

More than ever, we are living in a world of turmoil and disruption. In one place or another, there is always war. There is societal unrest. Mass shootings are being reported almost as frequently as weather forecasts. These events affect our personal and work lives. They affect our schools. And, they affect our churches and communities.

Chaplains, pastors, priests, ministers, etc. carry the heavy responsibility of supporting the spiritual, mental, and emotional needs of their congregations on a normal basis. But, how do they respond on a Sunday morning to public tragedy?

What does a pastor say at the pulpit days after another local church lost lives to a mass shooting? Or a global pandemic has been declared…?

Believe it or not, many spiritual leaders do not receive formal training in these specific areas before they head to the pulpit. Typically, they are thrown into the deep end—catastrophe strikes, Sunday morning is upon them and they’re thinking, “Okay, now what am I supposed to say!?”

Enter Rev. Dr. David Reese.

Rev. Reese served in the U.S. Army as a Chaplain. After 30 years in the Service, he retired from the Army—but not from God’s calling. He did his doctoral research on preaching after public tragedy and is currently a lecturer in practical theology at Evangelical Seminary as well as a contributor to the Warfighter’s Study Bible.

Our very own Rev. Dr. Paul McCullough had the pleasure of interviewing Rev. Reese, learning of the exciting work he has been doing for the past several years and how serving and equipping spiritual leaders is his passion.

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Armed Services MinistryBy Armed Services MinistryAug 10, 2022