Prior to coming to Friedens, Dr. Chilton was Spiritual Formation Director for the Hinton Center, Hayesville, North Carolina, and part-time pastor of Holy Family Lutheran Church in Highlands, North Carolina.

He has been a seminar leader and featured speaker for congregational renewal. Dr. Chilton previously served Lutheran congregations in China Grove; Lithonia, Georgia; and Nashville, Tennessee after receiving a Certificate in Lutheranism from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, South Carolina, in 1983.

His undergraduate work was done at UNC-CH where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. He earned a Master’s Degree from Duke University Divinity School, and a Doctoral Degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation, South Bend, Indiana. He was certified for Intentional Interim Ministry by the Center for Congregational Health. He has also been engaged in worship renewal, book writing, and grant writing. His first congregational leadership was as pastor of the United Methodist Church circuits in Snow Camp and in Mebane.

Dr. Chilton and his wife Deborah, are the parents of two grown sons. He has been a Little League Coach, and president of both the local and district Ruritan Clubs - among other civic involvement. While at the Hinton Center, he assisted St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Andrews, and wrote the history of that congregation.

Dr. Chilton says that ministry “is a rhythm of action and contemplation. One should always be studying and learning; one must also always be actively doing mission and ministry. These two (study/action) complement one another, the study leading to better action, and the action leading to an awareness to know more to do more.”