Richard DeFord

Katy Park Baptist Church, Missouri
Healthcare Chaplaincy, Healthcare Chaplaincy
Sedalia Missouri
Katy Park Baptist Church
November 5
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About My Family

I am married to Amie. We have three children, Caleb, Nathaniel and Sarah.

About My Ministry

I am an SBC-endorsed healthcare chaplain serving as the manager of Spiritual Care and Marketing at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall, Mo., and the associate pastor of Missions and Outreach at Katy Park Baptist in Sedalia. I am also the executive director of the Association of Certified Christian Chaplains and have led the board in certifying more than 400 chaplains since 2018.

In my work as a chaplain, I can often be heard singing hymns at dying patients’ bedsides as I used to sing professionally.

SBC Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy is a vital frontline ministry and extension of the local church. Chaplains reach the lost among the thousands of men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces, healthcare settings, correctional facilities, public safety, disaster relief sites, and corporate environments. SBC Chaplains care for the broken, offer hope to the hopeless, and advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in hard-to-reach places.

The qualifications expected of a Southern Baptist applying for endorsement as a chaplain or counselor are established by their institution and the Chaplains Commission, SBC. These qualification requirements vary according to the type of chaplaincy or counseling ministry involved but all are expected to meet a high level of ministerial competence.

Pray

Pray for churches as they prepare to send out missionaries and chaplains to push back lostness in North America. Pray there will be receptive hearts among the people in communities where these missionaries and chaplains will serve. Pray churches and individuals will partner with missionaries and chaplains and to give of their time and talents. Pray the Father will send more workers into His harvest to join these missionaries.

Participate

Commit to long-term prayer support. Explore the opportunities to extend your church’s reach by becoming a chaplain. Be involved in supporting chaplains and their families. Send notes of encouragement. Talk with a chaplain about his or her ministry context. Send resources that support a chaplain’s ministry context. Pray for chaplains and their families.
NAMB does not provide compensation for SBC endorsed chaplains. However, a general fund is available to receive donations in support of the ministry and pastoral care to SBC endorsed chaplains. To donate, please visit Support Chaplaincy (missionaries.namb.net/projects/full/chaplaincy).
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