Jared Clark – Army Chaplain Candidate

While attending the Columbia University program in NYC, Jared had a formative experience during the executive counseling/coaching practicum. He was assigned a young West Point senior cadet, and over their sessions, the cadet opened up about deeply personal struggles. Jared used the Columbia Coaching Model to guide him through these challenges. This experience reignited a deep conviction in Jared’s soul to serve the lost and hurting for Christ.

Although Jared had never planned to make the military a lifelong career, he had become comfortable in its rewards and challenges, losing sight of his calling to Christ and the Gospel. Reflecting on Matthew 13:44 (“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field...”), Jared now joyfully seeks to return to ministry, hoping to leverage his military experience to minister to the lost and hurting within the armed forces. His calling includes preaching the Gospel and counseling service members and their families through the unique difficulties of military life.

During this time, Jared also led and pastored senior high and middle school ministry programs, finding joy in watching how God’s Word shaped and renewed the lives of young people. After the birth of his first son, Jared chose to leave ministry and join the military, driven by a strong desire to stand alongside his fellow countrymen in the fight against Al Qaeda and global terrorism.

Jared has served for the past 14 years as a military analyst, planning and conducting counterterrorism missions. Most of his service has been with the United States Special Operations Command at Fort Liberty, NC, and he has completed nine combat deployments abroad.