is a native of Buffalo, NY where he was
installed as an Acolyte at the age of eight under the pastorate of the Rev. Later, he answered the call of God into the Christian Ministry in 1997. There he started his ministerial journey in the Western New York Annual Conference under the Right Reverend George W.C. He later transferred to the Philadelphia Baltimore Annual Conference under the Right Reveren
d Milton A. Williams in 1999. He served at the John Wesley AME Zion Church (National Church of Zion Methodism) as the youth pastor under the guidance of the senior pastor The Rev. Dr. Vernon Shannon from 1997-2005 in Washington, DC. In 2005, he was appointed by the Right Reverend Warren Matthew Brown to the CH Foggie AME Zion Church in Bridgeville, DE. Upon his arrival, the church was on a one year hiatus. He reorganized and founded Liberating Power African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The church grew from 0 to 50 disciples. Through his leadership, a new shingled roof and flashing was installed, chandeliers were installed in the sanctuary, track lighting in the pulpit, new sound equipment, new banquet tables, new front doors and the basement was renovated and named, “The Charles Herbert Foggie Fellowship Hall!” In October 2016, God led Dr. Chandler to plant the Transformation AME Zion Church in Dover, DE. In May 2017, the Right Reverend W. Darin Moore (Presiding Prelate of the Philadelphia Baltimore Annual Conference of the Mid-Atlantic Episcopal District) appointed Dr. Chandler to the historic Scott African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Wilmington, DE as well as Transformation AME Zion Church in Dover, DE. In September 2018, the Transformation congregation moved from Delaware State University to its new home on 702 Maple Parkway Dover, Delaware. On December 10, 2022, the Rt. Rev. W. Darin Moore appointed Dr. Chandler as the pastor of the Freedom Temple AME Zion Church in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Chandler is the author of numerous publications including "God, Help Us (2017), The Little Book of Prayers (2015) and many articles for the Quarterly Review and Star of Zion (www.revrjchandler.com). He earned a Bachelor of Architecture & Planning and Masters of Divinity from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and a Doctorate of Education from Argosy University in Sarasota, Florida. He is a member of the noble bond of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and an Associate of the American Institute of Architects. Upon the appointment of the Governor of the State of Delaware, the Honorable John Carney, the Reverend Dr. R.J. was appointed on January 1, 2018 to the Kent County Vocational-Technical Board of Education to serve a term of 30 months that will expire on May 29, 2020. Dr. Chandler is the former Faculty Senate President and Lead Faculty of Architecture Engineering and Construction Management Technologies at the Delaware Technical Community College in Dover, DE. He is happily married to the Reverend Shameka LaKiya Chandler and the father of Reginald Jermayne Jr., Riley Josiah, Reid Jeremiah and Raelyn Joy Chandler.
