EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in the BR-KC Association’s Missions & Ministry Newsletter, Vol. 37 No. 8.
KANSAS CITY – Pastor B.G. Roberson of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO, celebrates 50 years of ministry this year. The Corinthian congregation honored his years of service with a banquet on May 25, the theme of which was “Honoring a Pastor with Spiritual Knowledge and Earthly Understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15).
Pastor Roberson grew up in the small Louisiana town of Ringgold. At the age of 12, he accepted Christ Jesus as his Lord and Savior after a service at St. Luke’s Missionary Baptist Church.
In the latter half of 1960, Roberson began to realize that God had called him into ministry. He pursued training at Western Bible College in Kansas City. After graduating, he moved to Joplin, MO, and pastored there for 15 years before moving back to Kansas City in answer to the call to pastor Corinthian, where he has faithfully served now for 36 years.
As for what motivates him in ministry, Roberson says, “I’m passionate about people. I love people. I’m passionate about the Word of God and loving people and leading people in that direction.” Because of that love for people, “I’ve been a happy pastor,” he says.
This passion for people and for the Word has been the crux of 50 years of ministry. His advice to younger pastors follows that same vein: “Be a loving shepherd, a shepherd for the people. Love them, care for them. Preach the gospel. Be very passionate with people.”
Ministry hasn’t always been easy, though for Roberson, it is undeniably a joy. He doesn’t see obstacles; only challenges. The greatest challenge, he says, is getting people to know Jesus Christ, especially in recent years as more and more people have fallen away from the church. Trying to find new ministries to meet changing needs has been a new mountain to climb in the last 3-5 years.
Regardless, the “joy of seeing people saved, of someone giving their life to Christ,” keeps him going, even at the age of 76. God-willing, he plans to continue his ministry another 2-3 years before retiring.
Roberson’s wife, Mary, is also actively involved in ministry. She is “very passionate about the Word of God,” he says. She leads Christian education at their church and is “a great speaker”. She holds and has held leadership positions in local and national ministry organizations over the years, as has he. In fact, he says one of the greatest joys of his years in ministry was serving as the moderator for BR-KC in 2007.
With 3 kids, one of whom is in ministry, 12 grandkids, and 6 great-grandkids, Roberson is not short on experience shepherding a family, either. To younger pastors who are raising families, he says, “You spend so much time with your church, sometimes you miss things at home. I advise them to take time and be with their kids and support them in what they are doing. I missed that mark with my older kids. I’ve seen their reaction that they feel they were not first but second to the church. Spend time with your kids, precious time.”
Roberson touts joining BR-KC in 1984 as one of their church’s greatest ministry accomplishments. The relationship with Dr. Hammer, he says, “has been a great help to us. We appreciate them very much.”