Divine appointments — Two days following a safeTALK training in the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy’s Introduction to Crisis Ministry course, a student was at a park with a friend, whose behavior led him to ask her if she was thinking about suicide. She replied that she was. The student took the steps learned in the safeTALK exercise to help his friend to safety.
Within a short time, two additional Dewey Center-trained people had similar experiences. One was a Charleston Southern University staff member helping a student, and the other was a lay person from a local church engaging a desperate man from his church. God intersected the lives of people in need with people who were equipped.
These three experiences were made possible by a different divine appointment — one where the Lord called on Rob and Kathy Dewey to partner with Charleston Southern University to establish a chaplaincy center. On July 13, 2020, their dream of a center was fulfilled, and the foundational director was hired.
Ron Harvell
Ron Harvell — Brigadier General, USAF (ret.), who served for 35 years as a NAMB-commissioned chaplain to the military — became the center’s first director. He and his wife, Marsha, have served the Lord throughout the world. They wrote “The Watchman on the Wall” prayer books and the “50 Steps with Jesus” journey guides for new believers.
Since Harvell’s arrival at CSU, the College of Christian Studies created the Bachelor of Arts in Chaplaincy Ministry degree. Chaplaincy courses include Introduction to Crisis Ministry, Christian Counseling, Foundations of Chaplaincy Ministry, and an internship. CSU is one of two universities in the United States with a bachelor’s program in chaplaincy ministry.
Each year, the Dewey Center hosts a training conference to equip students and nonstudents with the tools for eternal impact. This year’s training conference will be held at CSU on May 12-14. The theme is Faith and Mental Health.
Speakers include Terry and Phil Lee from Cedar Creek Church in Aiken; Harvell; Harold Koenig from Duke University; Steve West from National Association of Evangelicals; and representatives from The Overflow Foundation and Summit Church. Rob Dewey will also present at the event.
Breakout sessions will provide attendees with opportunities to learn about topics such as addiction, child and adolescent mental health, boundaries, suicide grief, moral injury, PTSD and more.
Learn more about the conference and how to register at churchandgospel.com.
— Submitted by Charleston Southern University Office of Marketing and Communications.