Daniel R. Schafer

Reverend Schafer, has served in ministry for the past forty-sever years.
He has been married for forth-six of those years and has two grown children and five grandchildren. at the present time he serves as Senior Pastor at Calvary Assembly of God in Hightstown, New Jersey. Along with being Senior Pastor he also is a Chaplain for the Assemblies of God and serves as Chaplain for three police departments, two fire stations, EMT drivers, and Nas Car drivers.

Although his church is small in number that hasn’t stopped them from making an impact in the Kingdom of God. Some special events they do every year are:

Racer’s Sunday - The day starts with a free breakfast for race car drivers and their families. Following by a car show in the church parking lot. Trophies are given out for different things. They close the day by praying over the drivers and their cars.

He has also served as Chaplain for the Dover Race Track. Prayed to start Daytona 500, and is not the Chaplain for the race track in New Jersey where he lives. "My goal, he said, is to mention the name of Jesus."

Blessing of the Bikes - Bikers come from all over to received prayer at the beginning of the season. "If it rains they come in their cars. Instead of praying over the bikes we pray over their keys. Of course there is food. You always feed people. He has been made an honorary member of the Blue Knights (a motor cycle biking club).

Through out his many years of being a Chaplain he has experienced many tragedies: plane crashes, car accidents, shooting, suicides, and even September 11, 2001 --- where he was called to New York City by the Port Authority to mobilize Chaplains at various locations throughout the city.

He talked about the importance of helping the police officers and others emergence workers deal with the stress of what they see. "If they don't talk about it they stuff it and eventually it will come out. And when it does it will be in the form of great anger. "I also have to do the same, and I have a couple of people I go to just to talk."

Three things that ministered to me the most:

1. The Ministry of Presence
* We can’t have an answer for everything.
* For when tragedy strikes we don’t always have to say something. Just your presence speaks volumes.
* Ministry of people is more valuable.
* People never get back to normal they only find a new normal.
* People will forget your words, but never your presence.
* You don’t know people till you touch them.
* People want to feel worth.

When asked, “What do you say at a funeral?” He replied, “This is the greatest opportunity to minister. The best thing to say is, 'He/She is in the Lord's hands.' You always want to give them hope."

2. Three Basic Truths for Ministry:

* Be A Man/Woman Of Truth - John 7:17-18 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who speaks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

* Trusting The Lord To Open Doors - Proverbs 18:16 A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

* Promotion - Psalms 75:6-7 - No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, He exalts another.

3. Just because someone says they are fine, doesn’t mean they are really fine.

Frustrated
Insecure
Neurotic
Explosive

I thoroughly enjoyed this class!