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The Newsletter for Endorsed Chaplains, Certified Chaplains and Advisory Board MembersServing Chaplains in Their Unique Places of Ministry
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| DIRECTOR'S CORNER NAE CHAPLAINCY
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| Faithful Where God Has Placed You
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| A hospital hallway at 2 a.m. A squad car parked outside a house nobody wants to walk into. A cell block gone quiet after lights-out. A fire station kitchen where nobody’s said a word since the call came in. Different rooms. Different uniforms. Same calling.
That’s what strikes me most about serving with NAE Chaplaincy: the sheer range of places God has planted our chaplains. Hospitals. Military units. Prisons. Police departments. Fire crews. Hospice rooms. Workplaces. Senior care communities. Campuses. The settings change. The assignment doesn't.
God put each of you exactly where he wants you. Those places are usually messy, full of uncertainty, grief, ethical knots, and decisions nobody should have to make alone. But that mess is where the light gets in. It’s where Christ shows up clearest. Here’s something worth sitting with: Almost nobody remembers a sermon word for word. Almost everybody remembers who was standing next to them when the floor gave out. That’s chaplaincy. We’re there for the sacred, unbearable moments. Sometimes we preach. More often we just listen, pray and stay. We remind people God hasn’t left the room, even when it feels like he has.
Don’t underestimate what quiet faithfulness does. Most of the real work in ministry happens off camera, in hospital rooms and squad cars, command posts and prison cells, nursing homes and counseling offices, disaster sites and living rooms nobody else will ever see. One conversation. One prayer. One small act of compassion at a time. That’s how the kingdom moves.
Stay faithful where God has you. Your ministry counts even on the days it feels invisible, maybe especially on those days. The people you sit with matter to him, which means your presence with them matters too.
NAE Chaplaincy exists to walk alongside you in that. We want to encourage you, pray for you, equip you, and connect you with other chaplains who understand both the weight and the privilege of this work. Thank you for saying yes to God’s call. Thank you for staying faithful in the place he’s put you. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9, ESV).
From My Prayer Journal: This month I’m praying for the chaplain who feels like nobody sees the work. Praying God gives you the strength to carry what you're carrying, and the reminder that none of it is wasted. Thank you for letting NAE Chaplaincy serve you while you serve everyone else.
Serving alongside you,
STEVE WEST
Director of NAE Chaplaincy
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| Meet Brandon Doss, Associate Endorser of Evangelical Chaplains Commission
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| Brandon Doss is the associate endorser for the Evangelical Chaplains Commission. He lives in Alabaster, Alabama, and has been married to his high school sweetheart, Danielle, for 21 years. Brandon and Danielle have two children: Isabella Grace, age 16, and Shepherd Liam, age 10. The Doss family also includes a Great Dane named Lucy and a Goldendoodle named Milo. In addition to serving as associate endorser for the ECC, Brandon planted and pastors Cultivate Church, which is a multi-site, life-giving church in Shelby County, Alabama.
In July 2016, Brandon started working for the NAE and believes that working with the NAE is a gift from God at just the right time in his life. He believes his endeavors with the NAE are an incredible opportunity to expand ministry outside the four walls of the local church. Brandon has a B.A. in theology from Southeastern Bible College, and a Master of Divinity from Rockbridge International Seminary. Brandon enjoys golfing, fishing, hunting and pickleball. Currently, biohacking and the gym consumes a good about of his time.
Brandon came to saving faith in 1998, and his favorite scripture is Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Brandon and his wife love church planters, and spend a good deal of time mentoring and coaching new church planters. Brandon loves preaching, and helpfully resourcing young leaders starting ministry. Brandon believes the local church mobilized, is the hope of the world; and that the harvest is plentiful, but workers are few. A large part of Brandon’s work with the NAE is helping send young chaplains into the mission field all over the world. As a pastor, Brandon seeks to raise up world changers to impact their spheres of influence with the gospel.
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| Meet Dwayne Peoples, Chaplaincy Care Coordinator for NAE Chaplaincy
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| Dwayne Peoples is the chaplaincy care coordinator for NAE Chaplaincy. Dwayne and his wife, Susan, live on a farm north of Kansas City, about a mile from their hometown. They have three adult children and two grandchildren. In addition to the ministry that he provides with the NAE, Dwayne serves as a part-time pastor in a church that is growing both spiritually and in numbers.
Dwayne testifies that the Lord called him to the ministry before he was even saved. Early in his senior year of high school, he no longer wanted to resist God’s will. He surrendered to the Lord, was saved, and accepted his call to ministry. During his senior year in college at Mid-America Nazarene University, Dwayne accepted God’s call on his life to chaplain ministry.
After seminary at Nazarene Theological Seminary and two years full time ministry, he entered the United States Air Force full-time. While in the Air Force, Dwayne completed post graduate studies in strategic theory at the University of Alabama. Several years ago, Dr. Steve West recruited Dwayne to join the NAE Chaplains team. Dwayne has known Steve and his family for over 20 years, and was delighted to join the NAE Chaplains team.
Dwayne enjoys spending time with family, camping, hunting, fishing, reading a good book, quiet time with a cup of coffee, and yard work. Dwayne values how God has used the following scripture verses in his life. “Lean not unto your own understanding, but lean on the Lord, and he will makes your path straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6). “Work on your own salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).
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| CONGRATULATIONS TO CHAPLAIN MAJOR EDWARD LARTEY
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| On August 12, 2026, in Washington, D.C., one of our endorsed chaplains received the Military Chaplains Association (MCA) Distinguished Service Award. Chaplain, Major Edward Lartey, is a U.S. Army chaplain, who serves as the Command Chaplain for Joint Task Force–District of Columbia with the Army National Guard. Learn more about his recognition and service.
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| HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NAE CHAPLAINCY TRAINING
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| It was a blessing to be together for our annual NAE Chaplaincy Training in Birmingham, Alabama on August 25–28, 2026. We were blessed with meaningful moments of learning, interacting, and engaging with one another. On Wednesday evening, we enjoyed a Birmingham Barons Baseball Game at Regions Field. If you were not able to attend the training, we certainly missed you! Please see the photos of the great time that you missed.
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| The Marco Polo App is a video messaging app that is great for staying in touch with long distance loved ones. They offer the paid version of the app for free to military families. It is a great resource. Check it out!
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| PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Brant Copen – September 3
Ethan Rohde – September 4
Jeremy Quigley – September 5
Leah Hammond – September 6
Joshua Brooks – September 7
Samuel Gallegos – September 7
Ezekiel Olaleye – September 8
Keith Taylor – September 8
Cody Standridge – September 9
Drew Batey – September 10
Rick Dunn – September 12
Emmanual Shaft Boamah – September 17
Bukola Adenuga – September 20
Dillon McTernan – September 20
Anthony Whitfield – September 22
Chon Gann – September 26
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| "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24–26).
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| It is a privilege serving the NAE Chaplaincy.
Prayerfully,
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| JULIANA LESHER
Director of the Evangelical Board of Certified Chaplains
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