The International Prisons Chaplains’ Association (IPCA) helps Christian Prison Chaplains everywhere to be in touch with each other to be more effective in their ministry. It also aims to support all chaplains regardless of race, gender and religion.
IPCA recognizes that the enclosed institutional life of prison chaplains can isolate them from their churches. IPCA therefore works towards helping prison chaplains globally make supportive contacts to enhance their care for prisoners and their affirmation of the inherent dignity of every individual held in custody.
IPCA creates links with churches and challenges them and their congregations to take the ministry to prisoners more seriously. IPCA invites the churches to offer the necessary support to chaplains in their ministry to prisoners and also to prison staff.
IPCA is committed to implementing peace and justice and affirms the obligations for all countries to adopt all the standards recommended by the United Nations.
IPCA is led by a Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is elected by the participants at the quinquennial Worldwide Conferences.
IPCA is technically a French Association, based at the HQ of the French Protestant Church in Paris. This is an administrative solution and the steering committee, SC of IPCA Worldwide are the ones managing the association.
Due to the worldwide setting in which IPCA Worldwide functions, the Steering Committee is the one registered as the association. By choosing this solution, the membership list will be possible to maintain, and the annual General Assembly are held as part of the SC meetings. The SC has representatives from all of the six regions, which are all equal. How ever organized in different ways, meeting the different regional needs. Read more about this under each region.
The President leads the work in the SC together with the Executive team consisting of the Vice President, the secretary and the treasurer. Plus a co-opted member of the webinar team.
Apart from leading IPCA, the goal of the SC is to see to that IPCA is growing and are a source of help and support for prison chaplains all over the world.
Being a prison chaplain can be a lonely job. One might ne the only chaplain in a prison, having to fight for ones existence within the prison walls. Maybe the work in the prison is getting questioned by the chaplain’s church congregation. Members wondering why they shall pay a chaplain to work with “them”. Not seeing the important part a prison chaplain and a congregation can take in an inmate’s rehabilitation.
This is where the network of chaplains that IPCA provides are so important. No prison chaplain is to stand alone, without the support of his or her colleagues.
At the 2025 conference in Bangkok, the newly elected president presented a motto for her presidency. But also, for IPCA, to grow:
“Step by Step, Mouth to Mouth, Face to Face”
This is how a chaplain work within a prison – getting to know the inmates step.by-step. Maybe the inmates talk about the prison chaplaincy, what it can provide – mouth to mouth – and when a chaplain meets and inmate, it is always Face to Face.
This is also how IPCA is to strengthen and grow around the regions.
Sign up to get regular updates on IPCA Worldwide.
