Richard Donald “Don” Hatcher will celebrate 50 years of ministry — most recently serving as director of missions of the Barbour Baptist Association — during a special event at July 28, 3–5 p.m. at Cross Baptist Church, Eufaula.
As a young man, Hatcher came face to face with his own mortality in a near-fatal motorcycle accident, causing him to evaluate his life choices and finally surrender to God’s call on his life. The date was July 28, 1974, and he preached his first sermon the next Sunday. He began ministry in the American Baptist denomination, serving as pastor of a couple of Florida churches and Belle Fontaine Missionary Baptist Church, Theodore. In 1991, Hatcher became Southern Baptist. He served as the family life pastor of First Baptist Church Dawes, Mobile, and pastor of Hephzibah Baptist Church, Troy.
He retired from pastoral ministry in 2010 but came out of retirement to serve as pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Louisville, and then became director of missions for Barbour Baptist Association in 2013. He has served as a chaplain for the Pike County Sheriff’s office and other groups and taught extension classes through Samford University’s Ministry Training Institute.
Hatcher earned a bachelor of arts degree in English Bible from Gulf Coast Baptist Institute and Seminary (now Gulf Coast Baptist College), Theodore; a master of arts degree in theology from International Seminary, Plymouth, Florida; and a doctor of theology degree from what was then Florida Baptist College and Seminary, Lakeland, Florida. Hatcher and his wife, Trish, have been married almost 55 years and have three children and 12 grandchildren. To attend Hatcher’s celebration, RSVP pahtroy@yahoo.com or 334-372-4420.
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