Chaplains

Drew Buckner

Chaplain & Executive Director

A native of Longview, TX, Drew graduated from Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Married since 1996, Drew and his wife Brenda have two sons and three daughters. After spending twelve years in various ministry roles, Drew and his family moved to Montana in 2001 to plant a new church. In 2005, he became one of the original four volunteer chaplains at the Kalispell Fire Department. During the next five years, the chaplain ministry expanded to include the Kalispell Police Department and A.L.E.R.T., Kalispell hospital’s emergency medical helicopter unit.

In 2010, Drew transitioned from the pastorate to full-time chaplain ministry and began Braveheart Chaplain Ministry as a means to fund the new role. The ministry now includes the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and numerous other agencies. Drew enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, and being a part of his local church.

Rachel Bodick, Assistant Chaplain

Rachel was raised in the Creston area of the Flathead Valley and is raising her family there. She became an EMT after high school and joined Creston Fire Department to serve her community. Rachel is a member of the Flathead County Crisis Support team and in addition to working in EMS, she has taught piano, was a piano worship leader, was a bookkeeper and now has her own bookkeeping business. She is married to Steve, who was born and raised in the Flathead Valley and works as a mechanical engineer. They have two children; Wade and Emma.

Joe Decree, Chaplain

Originally from Eastern Pennsylvania, Joe attended public and Catholic schools before attending the Indiana University of Pennsylvania majoring in Criminology. He intended to play baseball in college and go on to play professionally, but the Lord had other plans and called him into the Army. Joe graduated in 1987 and was commissioned as an Army Second Lieutenant (2LT) of Infantry.

Joe served in the Army from 1985 through 2006 in active, reserve, and National Guard components. He earned two campaign medals for Kosovo and Afghanistan and a bronze star for service in Afghanistan. Joe also participated in three disaster relief operations in the Army, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Joe moved to Montana in 2010 with his wife Erika and rededicated his life to the Lord in 2013. He completed his second master’s degree – in pastoral counseling – from Liberty University in 2018. He has used this education to assist others in working through questions and problems of faith. He is currently employed full time at Kalispell Regional Medical Center as a mental health specialist and has been a volunteer chaplain with Braveheart since 2018.

Joe and Erika have two daughters, Courtney and Michal, both of whom live in Texas. Joe is an avid fitness aficionado, hiker, hunter, and skier.

Stephanie Doll, Chaplain

Stephanie Doll grew up in Southern Illinois and lived in Southern Missouri before moving to Montana. She has a heart for the mountains and ministry. She loves to be outside, travel, and speak the Gospel.

Stephanie graduated from Ozark Christian College with a Bachelors in Psychology and Counseling and a Masters in Pastoral Counseling from Lincoln Christian University. She’s spent time working in a safe house for survivors of human trafficking, a Christian camp for children of incarcerated parents, and volunteering in youth/young adult ministry. Her personal mission statement is to show the love of Jesus Christ to the lost and the broken.

While interning with Braveheart, Stephanie desires to grow in her knowledge of pastoral care, how to serve people in crisis, and carry her knowledge to other people when she is finished. She is excited to put her education to the test and learn how to be a shield of support for the front line.

Michelle Van Allen, Volunteer Chaplain

Michelle is a life-long Montanan and was raised in the Flathead Valley. For decades as an educator, she taught hundreds of students in her private school of music. Michelle served her local church for years in music ministry and leadership before her ordination with Chaplain Fellowship Ministries in 2016, when she began serving as a volunteer hospital Chaplain. Michelle is married to Kenny Van Allen and together they have raised four adult children.

Robert Burns, Volunteer Chaplain

A native of Fort Lauderdale FL, Robert graduated in 1987 from the US Naval
Academy, and began a 31+ year career in the US Navy as a Naval Aviator, and later as a Navy Chaplain, serving with Marines in Iraq. He retired from the Navy in 2019 and moved to Montana to plant an Anglican Church in the Flathead Valley. Robert is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary, (2001 MDiv.), and Covenant Theological Seminary, (2014 DMin.). He is an ordained priest in the Anglican Church in North America and brings over twenty years experience of in pastoral care including working with trauma, PTSD, and suicide prevention.

Robert and his wife Melissa have one adult daughter who lives in Annapolis, Maryland. Melissa is a clinical mental health counselor in Kalispell. Robert builds 18th century-long rifles in his spare time. In their work as church planters, they are passionate about reaching the un-churched, and those who are disenfranchised from the Christian faith.