Course Introduction
Connection is the foundation of effective chaplaincy. Without it, words fall flat, truth is resisted, and ministry remains shallow. With it, trust is built, hearts open, and God gains access to places that were previously closed.
People do not encounter God in a vacuum—they encounter Him through relationship. As a chaplain, you are not called to force conversations or rush transformation, but to build relational bridges that allow reconciliation, healing, and restoration to occur in God’s timing. Chaplaincy: How to Connect, Chaplain Mike Cowen equips you to develop those bridges with wisdom, discernment, and confidence.
What You’ll Learn
In this five-session course, you will discover:
The Power of Connection – Understand why connection is central to God’s design and the ministry of reconciliation. You will learn how chaplaincy functions as bridge-building, why relationship precedes influence, and how discerning the “soil” of a person’s heart determines whether truth brings healing or resistance.
Family and Relational Connection – Learn how communication must be adapted based on life stage, background, and receptivity. This session equips you to recognize resistance versus woundedness, respect human will, build trust over time, and use practical acts of care to open relational doors without forcing ministry.
Connecting with Men and Women – Gain insight into how men and women commonly process and communicate differently, along with how introversion, extroversion, and processing styles affect connection. You will learn to identify themes beneath conversations, ask clarifying questions, honor different communication frameworks, and “join the boat” a person presents rather than controlling the conversation.
Marriage and Family Dynamics – Discover why so many chaplaincy conversations intersect with marriage and family. You will learn how to create safe spaces for communication, avoid assumptions and team-picking, help people put the pieces on the table without escalation, and bring perspective and stability into complex family systems—while remaining anchored to truth and safety.
Deficiencies and Isolation – Learn how parental wounds, family deficiencies, and generational trauma shape behavior, beliefs, and coping patterns. This session equips you to minister with compassion and discernment, avoid becoming a replacement parent, recognize the dangers of isolation, and use connection as intervention—helping people move from hidden pain back into healing and wholeness through Christ.
Why This Course Matters
Many chaplains feel called to help but struggle when connection breaks down—when people resist, withdraw, misunderstand, or shut down. Without understanding how connection works, it is easy to speak truth too quickly, misread resistance, absorb emotional weight, or unintentionally close doors that God desires to open.
Chaplaincy: How to Connect provides a clear, biblical framework that helps you minister with wisdom rather than frustration. This course equips you to connect without controlling, adapt without compromising, and lead by the Holy Spirit rather than atmosphere—ensuring that your presence creates access for God to work.
Course Features
- 5 video sessions with Chaplain Mike Cowen
- Downloadable course overview with practical application tools
- Certificate of completion
- 1 credit hour toward a Warrior Notes School of Ministry degree
- Taught in the Spirit-filled, practical teaching style you expect from Warrior Notes
If you are called to serve people in real-world environments where trust is fragile and pain runs deep, this course will strengthen your ability to connect with clarity and compassion.
Please Note the Following...
This course contains sensitive content, including topics such as suicide and violence, and is intended for adults ages 18 and older (or with parental/guardian permission). The material is presented from a biblical, Spirit-filled perspective to equip believers with wisdom and compassion for ministering in life’s most difficult situations. This course DOES NOT provide chaplaincy certification OR REPLACE professional counseling or medical advice.
Meet Mike
Dr. Mike Cowen is passionate about equipping the Body of Christ and helping believers unlock their God-given destiny. Called into ministry at 17, he has faithfully served for over 25 years as a pastor, teacher, and mentor. Mike graduated from the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry, Life Christian University, and holds his doctorate through Warrior Notes School of Ministry, where he also serves as Dean.
In addition to pastoral ministry, Mike has spent more than a decade serving as a Police Chaplain, ministering to first responders on the frontlines of crisis and helping establish chaplaincy programs in multiple cities. His experience spans crisis intervention and long-term relationship building that bring healing and hope.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to these courses?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any devices you own.
When will the payments be collected for the payment plan?
The first payment will be collected at the time of purchase. The subsequent payments will be collected on the same day of each month. The date payment is due CANNOT be altered or delayed.
Will I lose access to my course if I can't make my payments?
Yes. If the payment does not go through on the appropriate date, then we will attempt collecting payment the 3rd, 7th, and 14th day after the initial attempt. If payment is not collected by the 14th day after, you will be automatically removed from the course. We use Teachable's payment processing system, and therefore we cannot alter these rules.