1952-1995
The Southern Baptist Chaplains Bulletins and Newsletters were publications for and about Southern Baptist chaplains, published by the Division of Chaplaincy of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. The bulletins and newsletters contained news and information about hospital, industrial, military, and prison chaplains and chaplaincy ministries. The publication was issued in varying titles and lengths. In the 1950s, the publication was called the Southern Baptist Chaplains Bulletin and was issued monthly. Most issues were 4-6 pages long. In 1969, the title changed to the Southern Baptist Chaplain, and the newsletter was published quarterly. The newly formatted quarterly publication was mailed to over 2,000 chaplains, pastors, missionaries, and Convention leaders. From 1976-1988, the newsletter was published on a sporadic monthly basis, and issues ranged in length from 10 to 22 pages. From 1985-1990, the newsletter was known as Chaplaincy Ministries Newsletter and usually included around 4-9 pages of news and information. From 1991 to 1993, the title was called Chaplains Report and most issues were printed as Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter publications. The title changed again in the mid-1990s to In Touch Newsletter and published sporadic monthly issues around 6-8 pages in length.
The Chaplains Commission, SBC, is the designated body for providing affirmation of Southern Baptists needing endorsement to serve as Southern Baptist chaplains or counselors. It has been the practice that agencies and institutions desiring chaplaincy or counseling ministries services want to correspond with one designated body from a faith group or denomination that provides endorsement documents. In 1941, the SBC designated what became known as the Chaplains Commission, SBC, as that one body.
