Profile

First Name

Bob

Last Name

Robinson

Email

bob.robinson.vc@gmail.com

Screen Name

Bob Robinson

Name of Your Blog

Vanguard Church

Your Blog's URL

http://vanguardchurch.blogspot.com/

Your Blog's RSS feed URL

http://vanguardchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

City

Canton

State

Other

Zip

44721

Country

United States

Bio

Bio

Bob Robinson was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. He received his bachelor degree from The University of Akron in Business Administration. He immediately experienced success with NCR Corporation (then a member of the ‘Fortune 100’), but he struggled to find meaning and purpose in life. He began attending The Chapel in Akron, and became a follower of Jesus Christ. Just a few months later, he felt that God was calling him to the ministry.

 

Seminary and First Ministry

In 1996, after five years of seminary training, he received the Master of Divinity degree with honors from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. During that time he interned as the assistant to the Senior Pastor at The Chapel, Knute Larson. Bob has extensive experience in developing visionary ministries and is always rethinking innovative ways to produce Christian spiritual formation.

 

As Pastor of Adult Ministries at The Chapel in North Canton (a daughter church of The Chapel) for three years, Bob proved to be an innovative leader as he developed a multi-faceted adult ministry through teaching, preaching, casting vision, developing programs, recruiting and training leaders, and writing curriculum. He initiated evangelism efforts, began the “Institute for Christian Living,” trained Adult Bible Fellowship leaders, doubled small group participation, and initiated many adult learning experiences, including a young adult ministry.

 

Church Planter

Bob then planted a church with the Allegheny District of the Evangelical Free Church. Starting in his family room, 20 people met and then grew as they moved to a large conference room in a local doctor's office. In the next two years, they grew to nearly 70 people. Bob preached every Sunday (the messages can be found here at this website) led innovative servant-outreach projects, and initiated community-growth programs. As the church developed, Bob's vision of ministry began to shift from "ministry as we have always done it" to "ministry for those in the 21st Century," as God was moving his heart toward the generation coming after him.

 

A Voice in the Missional Church Conversation

In this effort, he humbly seeks to continue the Reformation practice of "always reforming," thinking through new ideas for doing ministry so that the gospel can connect with people in the 21st Century. He enjoys engaging in the theological implications of the way we do ministry, studying and engaging with other practitioners in how to implement new ideas. This has led him to create a blog, writing about missional ideas for ministry, and creating a space for interaction with others in the United States and around the world about how to revitalize Christian mission for the 21st Century. He has written extensively on missional ideas for ministry. "Vanguard Church" is recognized as a "catalyst" for the missional movement.

 

Bob is also concerned as to how our Christian faith impacts what we do in the world. Spiritual transformation is meant to be the source for transforming the world. Bob believes that the Bible teaches that the gospel of the Kingdom of God includes these matters as well as personal salvation. Matters of justice, the battle against poverty, care for the Creation, issues of economic globalization, seeking peace in times of war, and issues of life are high on his social action list.

 

To further his contribution to the growing missional movement in North America, Bob is pursuing the Doctor of Ministry degree in Missional Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary.

 

Published in Books and Magazines

Cardus featured Bob's article, "Who Am I?: Rooting Your Identity in the Image of God" as the cover story for Comment Magazine's third annual "Making the Most of College" issue in September, 2008. In 2009, this article was included in a compendium publication from Cardus, The Cardus Worldview CoursePack. Bob's article was included with other articles from well-known authors like Michael Goheen, Gabe Lyons, Steven Garber, Richard Mouw, Calvin Seerveld, and David Naugle.

 

Bob has contributed to books on theology and mission, including A New Kind Of Conversation edited by Myron Bradley Penner and Hunter Barnes, and has been thanked for his help by Scot McKnight in two of his books (Embracing Grace: A Gospel for All of Us and A Community Called Atonement).

 

College Outreach Minister

In 2005, Bob accepted the position of Area Director for Northern Ohio with the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach). He supervised and mentored campus ministry staff placed strategically on university and college campuses, seeking to "transform students to transform the world," and created cooperative ministries with churches and institutions to reach the students at all the schools in the northern region of Ohio.

 

Starting in 2009, Bob moved his ministry directly onto the college campus, reaching out to college students as a CCO Campus Minister. After a year on the main campus of Kent State University, in 2010 he successfully moved his focus of ministry closer to his home, reaching out to Kent State's Stark campus, Stark State College, and Malone University. Bob's CCO ministry is in a cooperative partnership with Jackson Friends Church, where he serves as the Pastor for College and Young Adults. At Jackson Friends Church, Bob is the venue pastor for the "CURRENT" worship service, co-leads a Sunday-morning college class, is developing a college weeknight gathering at the Java House and Bistro, and starting an intramural sports program for the area colleges at the church's community sports complex.

 

Church Ministries

From 2006-2010, Bob was a member of The Chapel, where he led a sub-congregation (also known as an Adult Bible Fellowship) of married couples with elementary-aged children. The group was called "E.P.I.C.," an acronym for "Experiential Participatory Incarnational Community." Bob also worked with the Children's Ministry, teaching 3rd-5th Graders in a children’s worship hour. One of Bob's passions was to help parents with the spiritual formation of their children, so he has taught a parenting seminar at the church.

 

Faith in the Workplace

His other contributions to The Chapel involved directing a conference on faith in the workplace ("Integrate: When Faith and Work Meet"). He also served as a consultant on missional ministry for the church, meeting monthly with the Senior Pastor and other key leaders and providing in-service training on topics like evangelism, worldview formation, and the application of missional principles in congregant's vocational ministries.

 

Ordination for Ministry

Bob has been Ordained for Gospel Ministry by The Chapel Consortium Churches.

 

Family and Interests

Bob has been married to Linda for 16 years; they have three wonderful children, Trey (12), Joel (10), and Kaira (10). Linda has her Master's Degree in Physical Therapy. She specializes in Sports Medicine Rehab, especially for young athletes. Among Bob's interests include sports, music, mountain climbing and hiking with his wife, reading (his favorite authors and books can be seen here), writing, playing with his kids, and talking with people over a good cup of espresso. Bob currently resides in Lake Township, near Canton, Ohio.

History

Member for

3 years 39 weeks