CSB News & Information

Navy chaplain helps Marines ‘HEAR’ Bible

HONOLULU (BP) — As a Navy chaplain serving in combat logistics, Trevor Carpenter has traveled on guided-missile destroyers and served with teams scouting for air assault attacks.

But for the past several months, Carpenter’s focus hasn’t involved ballistics and helicopters as much as it has Bibles and highlighters.

“I currently have around 70 Marines and their spouses digging into Scripture each week through the H.E.A.R. journaling method,” said Carpenter, who’s stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

H.E.A.R. stands for Highlight, Explain, Apply and Respond, a Bible-study method developed by pastor Robby Gallaty, senior pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn., and creator of the H.E.A.R. journaling method. Carpenter discovered the method in the CSB Disciple’s Study Bible.

“Being in the military, I’m a pretty programed guy,” Carpenter said. “So when I picked up a copy of the Disciple’s Study Bible, I decided to go through its journaling plan as a self-guided Bible study. It became the meat and potatoes of spiritual growth for my wife and I while I was stationed [in Norfolk, Va.].”

Upon being transferred to Hawaii, Carpenter said he met six young Christian Marines and their spouses who were part of a group that had been formed by another chaplain to establish Christian community on base. The couples — who each hailed from different parts of the U.S. — asked if Carpenter would begin discipling them…

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