While we believe in, and deeply love, the role of the Church as a place of worship and teaching for believers in the house of worship, we also passionately believe that believers have a role “outside the walls”.  George MacLeod said it well,

“I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the centre of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek... at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died. And that is what He died about. And that is where churchmen ought to be, and what churchmen should be about.”

The “Marketplace” could be defined as anywhere “outside the walls” were people meet, live and work. It might indeed be the workplace, a hospital, a social services center, a jail or prison, with people in crisis, with police or fire personnel, etc. It is in the “nitty-gritty” of life where people need God and may not expect to find Him. It is in the places where people find themselves “trapped”, “engaged” or unwittingly thrust.  It is the place from which people may not feel they can “go to God” (i.e. a Church), but where they desperately need Him to come to them. He is already there. Someone just needs to be there to help Him be seen.

After 18 years as a Law Enforcement Chaplain and Trauma responder, Fr. David has a passion for this kind of ministry. It is our desire to “stand by the door” so that individuals and churches can be trained and equipped for this type of ministry. We will provide training in the areas of traumatology, chaplaincy, the theology of marketplace ministry and practical aspects of market place ministry for churches and individuals.

Chaplain Barrett in uniform representing the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office. He also provides chaplaincy services for Arlington Police Department (TX) and is a member of the Critical Response Team for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Chaplain Barrett is a member of the International Conference of Police Chaplains, the National Center for Crisis Management, the Green Cross Foundation, the Academy of Traumatology, the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (Diplomate), the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialist, the Police Suicide Foundation and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. He holds certifications as a Senior Chaplain, Trauma Responder, Field Traumatologist and Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress.  He teaches stress management and other related subjects to both law enforcement personnel and chaplains. He is further an officer for the International Conference of Police Chaplains.