Celebrating CBF Chaplaincy

CBF field personnel and longtime friend of Providence, Tina Bailey has been commissioned as a CBF-endorsed chaplain at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s 2019 General Assembly in Birmingham, AL.

Men from the Kerobokan Prison, where Tina Bailey teaches and mentors, were allowed to join her for an art exhibition at a local art festival. Two of the three men are now free, and the third will be released in July.

Bailey serves alongside her husband, Jonathan, in Bali, Indonesia, through an arts community (Narwatsu) that welcomes people from around the world. “People are not always aware of how integrated the arts are in our everyday lives,” Bailey said. “They help govern just about everything we do.”

The Narwastu Community is made up of Balinese people, international students and others who have found their way to Bali to work and learn. It is a community focused on interfaith work which welcomes people of all backgrounds. “No matter what someone’s background, whether Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist or non-religious—we are there to help, regardless of whether their belief system is the same as ours or not,” Bailey affirmed.

“While the hub is our traditional music groups, we also have a dance and exploration group that focuses on self-discovery and imagination,” Bailey said. “We often have students in our home to whom we offer mentoring, care and hospitality.”

In May, the music group “Narwastu” performed at an annual celebration at a major temple that was a center for conflict resolution 900 years ago. The space is well-known in Bali. The group included at least four religious backgrounds and 10 nationalities, and the performance was both music and dance of traditional Balinese pieces.

In addition to her work with the arts community, Bailey personally volunteers in two prisons, one for women, the other for men. “I mentor by teaching an art program,” Bailey said. “I make it very clear that, while I am there as an artist, I am also an ordained minister. If spiritual care is needed, this is who I am. Anything I can offer is available for other people.”

By gaining endorsement as a chaplain, Bailey will be able to further her work in the prisons and beyond. “It is another solid credential that, while it is non-threatening, is very real and much needed in the prison system,” she said.

She maintains that her role as a chaplain allows her to care for people, no matter their position in life. For Bailey, chaplaincy and field work are a combination that makes sense.

Providence serves as an Encourager Church to the Bailey’s.

To learn more, see the full article here.