Richard L. Shepherd has been involved in some form of ministry for over twenty years, focusing on preaching, teaching, and prayer. He has served in churches in Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, and currently serves as the prayer and spiritual awakening strategist for the Florida Baptist Convention. For nearly seventeen years (1983–2000), Rick served as associate pastor at Woodland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His service to the Lord has taken him to countries such as Haiti, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Italy, Israel, England, and Greece, where he has been involved in training pastors, church leaders, and congregations. Rick has also lectured at colleges and seminaries. He graduated with honors from the University of Mobile and holds a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He and his wife, Linda Gail, have four children and reside in Jacksonville, Florida.