About Us : Church Staff

Richard Walker has served as Senior Paster of Macland Baptist Church since August of 2000. Originally from Fort Payne, Alabama, Richard is a 1986 graduate of Jacksonville State University, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Computer Information Systems. He earned the Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1989, and the Doctor of Theology from Covington Theological Seminary in 1995. Richard has also attended Auburn University, Dekalb Community College, and Luther Rice Seminary, where he pursued Doctor of Ministry studies. Richard was ordained to the gospel ministry by South Hills Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas, in 1987. In addition to serving as a pastor, he has been an instructor at Heritage Bible College in Huntsville, Alabama, and at continuing education centers in both Alabama and Georgia. He has previously served churches in Texas, Georgia, and Alabama. Richard and his wife of more than twenty years, Karen, have one adult son, Joshua.

Walker Moore serves as the Associate Pastor/Minister of Education. He came to Macland Baptist Church in August of 2001, having served numerous churches in Georgia and Florida, some having Sunday Schools that ranked among the largest in their state. Walker, originally from Fort Myers, Florida, is a graduate of Edison Jr. College in Fort Myers. He earned the Bachelor of Arts in 1968 at Carson Newman College of Jefferson City. Walker earned the Master of Religious Education in 1970 from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Natalie, have three grown children, Scott, Stephanie, and Becky. In addition to being a widely recognized authority in the field of Sunday School development and church growth, Walker has an outstanding record of denominational service. He has served on the Personnel Committee of the Atlanta Baptist Association and the Suncoast Baptist Association in Largo, Florida, as President of the Florida Baptist Religious Education Association, and as the Sunday School Director for the Atlanta Baptist Association, the Suncoast Association, and the Charleston Baptist Association. He has also been a conference speaker at the Southern Baptist Ridgecrest Conference Center, leading conferences for Ministers of Education of larger churches.

Jerry Turner serves as Music Director at Macland Baptist Church. Beginning music ministry in 1978, Jerry served three churches in Smyrna, Georgia before coming to Macland in the spring of 2002. He has conducted more than twenty Christmas Cantatas and Easter productions, originated and led numerous Thanksgiving gatherings, 4th of July celebrations, and other special services. He now leads an adult choir that numbers more than seventy, and has been instrumental in developing a two-choir system to accommodate the dual morning worship services held at Macland each Sunday. Along with other music leadership, Jerry has been involved in the development of a church orchestra, and has overseen the addition of several new musical instruments used in worship. He is an accomplished musician and vocalist, and is gifted in many styles of music. He has shown a special gift in continuing the Southern Gospel tradition at Macland. Jerry was previously ordained as a deacon. He and his wife Laquita have two grown children, Kinzie Turner Bader and B. J.

Kyle McHargue serves as the Minister to Students and College & Career. Kyle is a graduate of Bob Jones University of Greenville, South Carolina, where he earned a Bachelar of Arts from the School of Education in 2005. Kyle is currently a seminary student at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. Kyle and his wife Nicole are newly weds!

Dawn Schaffer serves as the Director of Children's Education. A native of Kennesaw, Dawn comes to us with more than fifteen years experience working with children. Having come to know the Lord as a third grader in Belle Chase LA, Dawn is keenly aware of the importance of Christian education for our children. She is a graduate of Kennesaw State College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where she earned the Master of Arts in Christian Education. Dawn is also a Certified Sunday School Equipper for the Georgia Baptist Convention. She has served the past three years on the Georgia Baptist State Vacation Bible School Team and will again be serving in this capacity in 2009. Dawn and her husband, Jim, who is a Major with the Cobb County Police Department, have three children, Megan, Kyle, and Jordan. In her spare time, Dawn enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.