Terry Wilkinson

Crestwood Baptist Church,
Public Safety/Community Chaplaincy, Public Safety/Community Chaplaincy
Crestwood Baptist Church
November 12
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About My Family

I moved with my family to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1986 to restart a small church. I would serve the members of this church for 32 years until my retirement in 2017. We are blessed with three grown children and one grandchild. Joni and I are blessed with long ties to Southern Baptist churches, and we both graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1982 with MDiv degrees before our move to Iowa. I have served in many roles in the Metro Association and Joni volunteers as Iowa's state WMU executive director. We love to travel and have worked with international students at Drake University for many years through the Sunday night supper ministry. Joni has retired from the Clive Fire Department after 24 years. Terry enjoys his role as a chaplain in various forms.

About My Ministry

I have enjoyed 32 years as a pastor and have been blessed to grow in my skills as a chaplain for the Clive Fire and Police Departments. I have served as a part-time chaplain at the Des Moines VA hospital, a disaster relief chaplain for eight years and now three years as a full-time Tyson Corporate chaplain in Perry, Iowa. It seems God has given energy and opportunities for growth through chaplaincy.

I work at a pork processing plant with 1,400 team members, 900 of them come from around the world as refugees. Joni's love of missions and advocacy for missions supports me as I go to work each day to support internationals with life problems and spiritual needs at the plant. We continue to serve in a local church by joining the worship praise team and helping with a homeless feeding ministry each Wednesday night.

SBC Chaplaincy

I have been fortunate to have been endorsed as an SBC chaplain for ministry in Fire/ Police, health care and now with a corporate position with Tyson. Training has come from various avenues. In addition to Disaster Relief training, ICPC training, NAMB training I have also completed three units of CPE through Unity Point Hospital in Des Moines.

*Chaplaincy is a "frontline" ministry that is vital to the extension of the local church. Chaplains reach the lost among the thousands of men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces, correctional facilities, healthcare settings, 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 the using agency 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. A basic qualification from the Chaplains Commission, SBC, is that an applicant is a Southern Baptist who is a member in good standing with an SBC church. Additional qualification requirements may involve certain age limits, educational background, ministry experience, physical condition, financial and credit history, citizenship eligibility for a security clearance, certification by certain national organizations, and other qualifications specific to the Using Agency or Chaplains Commission, SBC. If you are interested in pursuing next steps as an SBC endorsed chaplain from your church, explore the possibilities at Send me. For more information about SBC Chaplaincy, visit www.namb.net/chaplaincy.

Pray

Pray for Joni and me to navigate the next 10 years as we seek to be on mission for Christ in our approaching senior years. Pray for boldness to share the gospel and open hearts among the people to whom I minister. Pray for people to come to saving faith in Jesus. Pray for more to become missionaries and chaplains.

Participate

Commit to long-term prayer support. Chaplains serve as an extension of the local church in places that other church members and staff sometimes cannot go. Explore the opportunities to extend the reach of your church by becoming a chaplain. Support and 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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