EDUCATION
Master of Science Community Counseling, 2002, Columbus State University, Columbus, GA
Master of Divinity, 1995, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL
Bachelor of Science, 1986, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
EXPERIENCE
Chaplain- Patient Support, MercyMed of Columbus, July 2020 to Present
I currently serve as a chaplain at a Christian medical clinic providing support to underserved patients in one of the poorest parts of my city. My ministry role includes 8-11 hrs a week of individual patient pastoral counseling, leading a weekly mental health support group for patients with bipolar, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia disorders, and assisting with patient advocacy needs (lack of housing, food, employment, transportation).
Medical Ministry Staff Assistant, MercyMed of Columbus, March 2020 to June 2020
At the onset of the Coronavirus crisis I volunteered full-time at our city’s Christian Medical Clinic (MercyMed of Columbus). After 2 weeks they made it a paid position. I screened patients for fever and other COVID 19 symptoms, enforced the use of protective items, and guided patients to appropriate treatment and testing areas.
Chaplain Intern: St Francis Hospital (Clinical Pastoral Education 1), April 2019 to Aug 2019
While looking for a pastor position I completed one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education. This internship included 100 hours of training and 300 hours of hospital patient and staff ministry.
Church Planter: Fountain City Church, May 2013 to June 2016
May 2013 to Jan 2015 I recruited and trained a church plant team. February 2015 to June 2016 I led the team as we worked to start Fountain City Church in Columbus, Georgia. Our vision was to build a multi-ethnic Southern Baptist church. We offered weekly worship services, a mid-week small group Bible study, men’s and women’s study groups, and pastoral counseling.
Preaching and casting a vision for the church plant which would later be called Fountain City Church (Columbus, Georgia, 2014).
Fountain City Church Small Group Bible Study, 2016.
Preaching at Fountain City Church, Columbus, GA, 2015.
Fountain City Church, June 2016. I recruited and trained the church plant team 2013-2015. I served as the pastor of the church plant 2015-2016.
Providing a PTSD and Pre-traumatic Factors briefing to Chaplains and Chaplain Assistants at Fort Benning while serving as the pastor of Fountain City Church, Fort Benning, GA, 2016.
U.S. Army Chaplain, Feb 1996 to Oct 2012
On November 1, 2012 I retired from the Army after a 22 year career. I had served 17 years as a chaplain following 5 years as an infantry officer. I retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I list my assignments below and then separately list my ministry roles and contributions. At several assignments I had concurrent ministry roles, such as working as a youth group leader while at the same time serving as an associate pastor with regular preaching opportunities. At every assignment I provided pastoral counseling.
Preaching at the Mountain Ranger Camp of the U.S. Army Ranger Course. I served as the Ranger School chaplain from 1998 to 2001, preaching and leading worship services at the Ranger Course camp at Ft Benning, the Mountain Ranger Camp at Dahlanega, GA, and at the Florida Ranger Camp at Eglin Air Force Base, FL.
While serving as the Ranger Training Brigade Chaplain I wrote the Ranger Course devotional called The Way. The devotional has over 60 readings (one for every day of the course) and reviews the characteristics of God and how man can have peace with him through Jesus his Son. It has been distributed at Ranger school for over 17 years and over 20,000 U.S. Army Ranger students have considered the good news of Jesus and his love through its pages.
Preaching in Iraq, FOB Charlie, 2006.
Praying with soldiers before a mission in Iraq, FOB Kalsu, 2006.
Providing a brief sermon at a memorial ceremony in Iraq, FOB Iskandariyah, 2006.
Chapel Next Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 2008. I was the pastor of this congregation while serving as an Arlington National Cemetery Chaplain.
Presenting the colors to the next of kin while serving as an Arlington National Cemetery Chaplain, Arlington National Cemetery, VA, 2008.
Chapel Next Fort Bliss, Texas, 2009. I planted/started this chapel congregation and was the pastor while also serving as the Fort Bliss Garrison Command Chaplain.
Providing the message at a memorial ceremony, Fort Bliss, Texas, 2009
Leading a high school youth group (Protestant Youth of the Chapel) surfing event on the north shore of Oahu, while serving as the Family Life Chaplain at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, 2004.
Assignments:
Strategy, Plans, Policy Action Officer, 2010 to 2012, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Pentagon, VA
Garrison Command Chaplain, 2009-2010, Fort Bliss, TX
Arlington National Cemetery Chaplain, 2007 to 2009, Arlington, VA
Brigade Chaplain, 2005 to 2007, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Div, Iraq and Fort Hood, TX
Family Life Chaplain, 2002 to 2005, Schofield Barracks, HI
Brigade Chaplain, 1998 to 2001, Ranger Training Brigade (U. S. Army Ranger Course Chaplain), Fort Benning, GA
Battalion Chaplain, 1996 to 1998, 101st Air Assault Infantry Division, Fort Campbell, KY
Ministry Roles:
Senior/Lead or Solo Pastor
Fort Campbell, KY (started a chapel cong.)
Fort Benning, GA (Ranger School Chaplain)
Fort Belvoir, VA (congregation grew from 225 to 250)
Fort Bliss, TX (started a chapel cong. it grew to 50),
Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq (preached and supervised 6 battalion chaplains)
Associate Pastor (with regular preaching)
Fort Campbell, KY (preached, counseled, small group leader)
Schofield Barracks, HI (preached, counseled, small group leader)
Youth Pastor
Fort Campbell, KY (high school and middle school youth group)
Fort Benning, GA (high school youth group)
Schofield Barracks, HI (high school and middle school youth group)
Significant Ministry Accomplishments
- Planted (started) two military chapel congregations
- Led 10 over-night marriage and parenting retreats and 3 spiritual training retreats
- Supervised and mentored six chaplains during a 12 month combat deployment to Iraq
- Trained 12 men for future pastoral leadership calling the ten week training, “Kalsu Evangelical Divinity School” (our base in Iraq was Forward Operating Base Kalsu)
- Wrote the Ranger Student 60 day devotional called “The Way”, distributed to Ranger students for past 17 years
- Provided worship, Bible study & counseling to 600 Soldiers during 4 month deployment to Panama
- Presided over 738 burials at Arlington National Cemetery
- Awarded Bronze Star for service in combat in Iraq as a Brigade Chaplain
Other Church Ministry
Assistant Pastor/Pastoral Intern, Jan 1995-Jan 1996, Verde Valley Evangelical Free Church, Cottonwood, AZ
- Preached 12 times, conducted several funerals, led a small group
Director of Discipleship, 1992, Homewood Church (Converge/Baptist General Conference), Homewood, IL
- Taught a new believer Sunday school class, led two small groups
U.S. Army Officer, 1986 to 1991
Infantry platoon leader, infantry company executive officer, battalion scout platoon leader and battalion and brigade staff officer, National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA
- Graduate of Airborne, Air Assault and Ranger Schools
- Earned the Expert Infantryman’s Badge
Serving as an infantry platoon leader, 3rd Platoon, D Company, 1-52d Infantry Battalion, National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA, 1988.
COUNSELING TRAINING & CERTIFICATIONS
Instructor Certification-Level 1-Facilitator: Active Military Life and Resiliency Skills
Instructor Certification: Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (Pre-marital skills training also known as “How To Avoid Marrying a Jerk”)
Instructor Certification: Family Wellness
Instructor Certification: Comprehensive Christian PREP
Instructor Certification: Battlemind Train The Trainer Course For Chaplains
Certificate of Completion: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
Certificate of Completion: Family Advocacy Staff Training Course
Certificate of Completion (16 hours): Suicide Prevention and Recovery Training
Certificate of Completion (14 hours): Basic Critical Incident Stress Management Course
Certificate of Completion (28 hours): Level 1 National Certification Training, Woman’s Missionary Union. Certified to begin/lead a Christian Men’s Job Corps ministry.
CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION
Certificate of Completion: Clinical Pastoral Education Level 1 (one unit), St. Francis Hospital, Columbus, Georgia. Training program was from April to August 2019.
FAMILY
Wife: Marie (married 27 years), Daughters: Emma (22) and Anna (19)
INTERESTS
Helping people with their Christian faith, spending time with my family, meals with good friends, meals with people who may one day be good friends, reading, bicycling, coffee, helping with home-schooling my daughters
FUTURE EDUCATION GOAL
I desire to begin work on a DMin. My GI Bill benefits would cover all expenses.
David Baum 