Bobby "Bob" Gene Roberts Sr.

Dr. Bobby Gene Roberts, Sr., 90, passed away on June 13, 2025, in Tyler, Texas after long and successful service as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at Stewart Family Funeral Home at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 19, 2025, with Rev. Ken Brumley, Rev. Ian Gillett, Rev. Mark Moore and Dr. Bob Roberts, Jr., officiating. A family graveside service, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 19, 2025, at Rose Lawn Cemetery under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home will precede the memorial service. The family will receive friends at Stewart Family Funeral Home, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Bob was born on May 26, 1935, in San Augustine, Texas to Clyde Floyd Roberts and Johnnie Mae Davis and spent his early years in Camp Ruby, Texas and later Voth, Texas. Bob went to Beaumont High School and attended Lamar University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was a graduate of Baylor University and attended Luther Rice Seminary from which he earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Divinity degrees in the early 1980’s. The consuming passion of Bob’s life was spreading the Gospel and winning people to the Lord. He was saved at a young age and felt God’s call to the ministry while only a young teen. After surrendering to preach, Bob was licensed in 1953 and later ordained as a Southern Baptist minister in 1955. While earning his degree from Baylor, Bob began preaching at small churches in or near the Waco area while also holding down numerous part-time jobs to put himself through college. His first full time pastoral posting was to Woodrow Baptist Church in Silsbee. From there, Bob was successively called to First Baptist Church Winnie, Texas, Westside Baptist Church in Corsicana, Texas, Trinity Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, First Baptist Church in Port Acres, Texas and First Baptist Church in Lindale, Texas where he spearheaded the effort to build a new sanctuary and education building. Wherever he pastored, Bob left his churches with improved facilities, sound finances, and a growing and committed membership. Responding to the call to make a wider impact for the Kingdom, Bob left the pastorate in 1979 to devote himself to evangelism and mission work. He was greatly encouraged to make this transition by Reverend David Wilkerson, who had established nearby Twin Oaks Ranch while Bob was pastoring at Lindale. Rev. Wilkerson later introduced him to Leonard Ravenhill, a spiritual hero and mentor to Bob, who exerted a profound influence on his life and ministry. Bob started Christian Foundations of Faith, Inc. shortly after moving into full-time evangelism and through this organization Bob was able to carry on his mission work preaching, teaching and leading people to faith in Christ at churches and revival meetings in the United States and abroad for the last 45 plus years. Bob was famous for his “Sixty Second Sermons” books, devotionals, newsletters and television broadcasts which touched the lives of countless people in North and Central America. Bob first traveled to Belize, Central America in 1980 on a mission trip organized by Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. While there, Bob fell in love with both the country and its people. While Bob evangelized in many other countries, his primary mission field (and his heart) was always centered in Belize. For many years, Bob headed up mission teams traveling to Belize to build or refurbish churches and Christian Foundations of Faith sponsored and financially supported many local pastors and ministries, including a Care Kitchen in Belize City that provides regular meals to many needy inner-city residents. Throughout the years, Bob developed a large volume of study materials and sermon outlines that he shared with numerous Belizean pastors who did not have either the resources or the opportunity to attend a traditional theological seminary and he served as a mentor and teacher to an overwhelming number of Belizean preachers, church staff and lay persons who were seeking a greater knowledge and understanding of the Word of God. Over time, Bob became one of the most well-known and recognizable persons in Belize due to his long running “Sixty Second Sermon” devotions that aired during the evening newscast on Channel 5 in Belize. While pastoring at First Baptist Lindale, Bob had started a closed circuit television ministry that was later broadcast on Tyler’s local cable channel. This early experience with television led Bob to eventually broaden his outreach to the entire country of Belize through the medium of his Sixty Second Sermon television spots. Bob was well-loved and much respected by the Belizean people because of his faithful and longstanding commitment to them, by his honesty and integrity, and by the passion and intensity he brought to proclaiming the Gospel and leading men and women to faith in Jesus Christ. Bob was a born again believer, sold out to Jesus, and that fact was displayed in every aspect of his ministry. Bob is survived by his wife of 71 years, Gay O’Keefe Roberts; his daughter Sandra Tindel and husband Andy Tindel of Tyler, Texas; son Dr. Bob Roberts, Jr. and wife Nikki of Keller, Texas; son Mark Roberts of Houston, Texas; and daughter Sheila Germany and husband Bobby of Lindale, Texas. Also granddaughter Bethany Sanghani (Nirav) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; grandson Samuel Germany of Tyler; Texas; grandson Benjamin Roberts (Sarah) of Keller; granddaughter Jill Hunter (Chase) of Fort Worth, Texas; granddaughter Grace Roberts of San Antonio, Texas; and granddaughter Clara Thomas (Jonathan) of Dallas, Texas; great-grandchildren Moses Roberts, Esther Roberts, Luke King, Naomi Hunter, Zelda Sanghani, and Ronen Sanghani; sister Linda White (Max) of Beaumont, Texas and numerous nieces and nephews. Bob was predeceased by his parents and sister Billie Lewis. Pallbearers will be Benjamin Roberts, Samuel Germany, Jonathan Thomas, Kenneth Bibby, Gary Camp, Jason White, Matthew Connor and Robert Parks. Honorary pallbearers are Thomas Arrington, Dr. Royal Becker and Robbie Poteet. The family would also like to express their profound thanks to the physicians, nurses and staff of Hospice of East Texas for the excellent care Bob received during his final days. If desired, memorials in remembrance of Dr. Bob Roberts, Sr. may be made to Hospice of East Texas (4111 University Blvd. Tyler, Texas 75701, www.hospiceofeasttexas.org) or Bethesda Health Clinic (409 W. Ferguson St. Tyler, Texas 75702, www.bethesdaclinic.org) or the charity of your choice.

Bobby "Bob" Gene Roberts Sr.

May 26, 1935 - June 13, 2025