Chad James Selph, 62, of Allen, Texas entered heaven on December 16, 2023 following a difficult three year battle with neuroendocrine tumor (NET) cancer. He was known for his selfless love of others, his incredible sense of humor, and his well-known hatred of cats, which will live on through his family.
Chad was joyfully welcomed as the first child of Bill and Edith Selph on October 8, 1961 in Victoria, Texas. Throughout his childhood, Chad was heavily involved in activities at Northside Baptist Church, including RA’s, youth group, and choir. He graduated from Victoria High School in 1980, where he was on the varsity Stingaree basketball team.
Chad’s faith in the living God was his driving force throughout all his life. He claimed Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior at 8 years old and was baptized at Northside. After receiving a call to pastoral ministry in his early 20s, he went on to dedicate his life to sharing the hope that can be found in Jesus. He transferred from Victoria College to Hardin Simmons University (where the dew falls first from heaven, as he always said) where he met Rhonda in 1982. They married in 1985 while Chad was working toward a Master of Divinity degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He took his first full-time ministry position as Associate Pastor at Bowles Memorial Baptist Church in Grand Prairie and after graduating from seminary, became Associate Pastor at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene. Austin (’91) joined the family before Chad was called to his first senior pastor role at First Baptist Church of Stamford in 1992. Lauren joined the family in 1995.
In 1997, Chad was called to become Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Allen, Texas where he would serve until his death. During his 27 years of service, he completed dozens of mission trips around the world, led the church through three building campaigns, and faithfully served church members in all stages of life. While at FBC Allen the Lord blessed his faithful service, growing the church membership and allowing Chad to make a significant impact on thousands of lives around the world. Even in the later stages of his cancer, he continued to preach, serve, and minister faithfully to his congregation, whom he loved.
The three most important things to Chad were his faith, family, and friends. During his final days of life, he continued to say that the one thing he was most grateful for was the hope that can be found in Jesus. While he is deeply missed, we are grateful that he is experiencing wholeness with his Savior and that we who share in this hope will get to see him again one day.
He is survived by his loving wife, Rhonda, of 37 years and their children, Austin Selph, along with his wife, Kathryn, and granddaughter Jillian of Plano, and daughter, Lauren Selph, of Amarillo; father and mother, Bill and Edith Selph of Hot Springs, Arkansas; sister Gail Daigle, and her husband, Chuck, of Aiken, South Carolina and their children David, Kyle, Kameryn, and Carter; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members. He is also celebrated by hundreds of church members who considered him family.
Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church of Allen, Texas on December 19, 2023 from 6 to 8 p.m. A celebration of life will take place on January 13, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Allen, Texas at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the children’s building fund, missions fund, or for the purchase of Bibles through First Baptist Church Allen (fbcallen.org).