Air Force Chief of Chaplains visits Baylor, meets with BU & Truett students

Chaplains have served the spiritual needs of American military members since the Continental Congress established them in 1775. For 250 years, these ministers have attended to the spiritual, moral, counseling, and guidance to servicepersons worldwide.

Chaplain (Major General) Robert Preston Taylor (BA ’33) served as the Air Force Chief of Chaplains from 1962-66. A survivor of the infamous Bataan Death March during World War II, his ministry involved service to more than 10,000 patients in the prison camp. Chaplain Taylor’s service is enshrined on the Ring of Honor outside of Pat Neff Hall on Founders Mall.

Chaplain (Major General) Gerald Marsh (BBA ’51) served in the Air Force through both the Korean War and Vietnam conflict. He rose in responsibilities to become the mobilization assistant to the Chief of Chaplains in the Air Force Reserve. Baylor currently provides scholarships in his honor via the Chaplain (Major General) Gerald Marsh Endowed Scholarship.

Recognizing Baylor’s legacy of Chaplain ministry service, the 21st U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain (Major General) Trent Davis, visited Baylor earlier this week to speak during Truett Seminary’s Chapel Service. Drawing upon the sacrificial example of Chaplain Taylor, Chaplain Davis’ message, “Take a Knee” was drawn from Exodus 17:8-13: “When you think of your ministry service, is your focus on ‘We first, me first, or He first?’”

In today’s society, he reflected, it is not uncommon for an individual’s focus to shift; however, as ministers of the Gospel, he encouraged chapelgoers that their service should be driven by the reminder of Jesus’ great love for us. Such service requires self-sacrifice, and is a never-ending duty. In conclusion, he challenged the audience with this question, “Do you have the heart of a servant?”

Following Chapel, Chaplain Davis participated in a luncheon for chapel attendees that included an informal Q&A session. Before returning to D.C., he took time to share firsthand advice and encouragement to Army and Air Force ROTC cadets, Baylor veterans, Military Connected Faculty and Staff Association members, and Truett military chaplains.

As the Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Air Force, Davis is the senior pastor for more than 700,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the U.S. and overseas. An ordained Southern Baptist minister, Davis and his wife, Lisa (Baylor Class of 1993), currently live in Washington. D.C.

Sic ’em, Chaplain Davis!