Youth minister Richard Parker and his wife Amy greeted upwards of 400 guests at a reception held in his honor March 30.

By Leah Parker

For the FCT

How do you sum up 25 years of ministry at First Baptist Church in Russellville and 35 years of ministry as a whole?

“I count it all joy,” youth minister Richard Parker said.

Parker, who retired from his longtime ministry at First Baptist Church in Russellville on March 30, spent his last day at the church greeting upwards of 400 guests who attended a reception in his honor.

It has been evident through the years that Parker did in fact “count it all joy” because he loves what he does.

What keeps someone in the ministry for 35 years?

For Parker, it has been his tireless devotion to Mark 12:30-31: “love God and love his people.”

Parker was called to ministry as a teenager and since then, he’s simply been loving God and loving people. And it’s something he has done so well because he knows what matters most is not big words, elaborate sermons, or impressive events; what really, truly matters is being there for others.

As far as his ministry with students, he has had one desire, and that is to provide avenues for students to experience Christ and build a foundation.

His youth ministry has never been about numbers or glitz and glamour, but rather it has been rooted in a passion for students to truly know and experience Christ rather than experience an emotional event.

His mantra for students is simple: “Know, Grow, Go,” which expanded translates to: Know Christ, Grow in your understanding of Him, and Go share the message with others.

In his 35 years of ministry, he has spent 100,000 miles on a bus, plane, or van; has been on 25 mission trips; took students to Student Life camp and Student Life staff for 20 years; and has aided in 226 different students serving in summer missions in some capacity.

During his 25 years of ministry at FBC, over 200 middle and high school students went on summer mission trips and of those students, 27 of them went on to be involved in mission work while in college and 14 of those students are currently serving in full-time ministry as ministers, missionaries, etc.

In the weeks leading up to his last Sunday at FBC, what most people discussed about Parker’s retirement was not a message he gave or event he organized that touched them most; it was the little things like visiting someone in the hospital for surgery or being present through the death of a loved one or cheering students along at various school events.

Truly this shows a legacy of love that will greatly be missed.

But even though Parker’s ministry as a full-time student minister may be coming to an end, God is in no way finished with him yet.

He is currently serving as chaplain for Keller Hospice, writes student Bible studies and curriculum for Youth Ministry 360, and hosts a weekly television program for the Russellville City Schools every Thursday night.  Listeners can also hear him on 91.3 The Fix every Tuesday at 7:40 a.m. doing a weekly devotion and looks forward to preaching opportunities in a part-time capacity in the future.

For Parker, his ministry work will never really cease because his biggest ministry is who he is and how he allows God to use him, and he’ll be doing that as long as God has him on this Earth.