By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
ALEXANDRIA – Bill Robertson, who served 12 years as director of pastoral leadership until he retired in November 2019 to pastor Fellowship Baptist Church in Trout full time, was remembered by family and friends as a soul winner whose passion for the local church continued up to his death Feb. 24.
Faithful to proclaiming the Gospel until the end, Robertson was baptizing others his final week on earth. He baptized his last new convert Feb. 16. Moreover, Robertson baptized 20 people and added 15 new members to the church role since he became interim pastor in May 2019.
“Daddy could sit in a boardroom with trustees at meetings but yet he could minister with an oil field worker in Louisiana,” Robertson’s son, Trey, told the Baptist Message. “He could fit in with any crowd and loved all of them.
“He would share Jesus with people he met, not only knew the Bible but lived out the words inside that great book,” continued Trey Robertson, a member of First Baptist Church in West Monroe. “He was the finest man I ever knew and was the best pastor I have sat under. He wanted to see people’s lives changed and make an eternal difference for the Lord.”
CALLED TO SERVE
A native of Oak Grove, Robertson surrendered his life to Christ at the age of 9 at Temple Baptist Church in Winnsboro. Soon after, he sensed a call to ministry and at age 11 preached his first sermon, standing atop a Coke box inside Temple Baptist’s worship center. Robertson served 36 years on church staffs in Louisiana, including Turkey Bluff Baptist Church in Swampers, Cash Bayou Baptist Church in Sicily Island, Lismore Baptist Church in Monterey, Fellowship Baptist Church in Trout (three separate times), First Baptist Church in Dry Prong, Bistineau Baptist Church in Heflin, Trinity Baptist Church in Oak Grove, and Calvary Baptist Church in Monroe. Robertson was serving as pastor of Temple Baptist in 2007 when God called him to serve as pastoral leadership director for Louisiana Baptists.
When he was pastor of Calvary Baptist, his teenage daughter, Jennifer, was killed unexpectedly on Sept. 20, 1997. Trey Robertson saw his dad display a faith that could not be shaken by one of his darkest moments.
“He would always say if I could see it like Jesus and I would have done it like Jesus,” he said. “He had a faith that could be tested. Even though he missed Jennifer terribly his faith was not shaken. Another quote of his was ‘God is too good to do wrong, He is to wise to make a mistake, and he loves us too much to cause needless tears.’”
Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn admired Robertson’s faithful service to the Lord and churches throughout the state.
“Bill did love the Lord,” he said. “He recognized that Jesus had saved Him and given Him eternal life of which he was faithful. But he also recognized the Lord sustained him during life’s most difficult moments, such as the passing of his daughter.
“He was a person of joy because of his relationship with the Lord,” he continued. “I think of the verse ‘Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.’ Bill also understand that the local church was ground zero for the mission of Christ. That’s why Bill wanted to spend whatever years he had left which ended up being months instead of years as a pastor again. That is a good indicator of his love for the local church.”
FISHER OF MEN
Joseph Tarpley, chairman of deacons at Fellowship Baptist Church, said Robertson was passionate about seeing others come to Christ during their 45-year friendship. Many times, Tarpley accompanied Robertson as they shared the Gospel with others in the community and visited prospective members.
“He made friends easily had one message and that was Jesus loves you and wants to save you,” Tarpley said. “He just made you feel comfortable around him.
“His love for Fellowship came through in the way he smiled and talked to people,” he continued. “Most recently he talked to a guy we had tried to get to come to Fellowship for a while and just last Sunday he finally came. The man didn’t make a profession of faith during the service, but Bill was so happy that he was coming. Jesus was his true passion in life.”
John Hebert, Louisiana Baptists missions and ministry team director, called Robertson a trusted leader, both as a pastor and denominational servant.
“He and his wife, Linda, were great friends of ours,” Hebert said. “Bill was always positive and upbeat about ministry and about life. He cared about souls as much as any pastor friend I have ever had. He is going to be greatly missed in our work and among our churches.”
Keith Manuel, director of evangelism and church growth for Louisiana Baptists, said Robertson had a passion for sharing Christ with others and wanted others to have a relationship with the Lord.
“His face would light up and his grin would get bigger as he talked about the Holy Spirit working in someone’s life,” Manuel said. “He would absolutely beam as he described a man or a woman surrendering to Jesus as Lord and Savior. I think I’ll miss those conversations with him the most.”
Stacy Morgan, an associate with the Louisiana Baptists’ communications team, worked with Robertson for 10 years on the pastoral leadership team. He said Robertson believed serving as pastor of a local church was the highest calling.
“He love God and absolutely adored his family,” Morgan said. “He loved pastors and churches, too. Bill understood that associations and conventions existed to serve local churches.”
Former Louisiana Baptists Executive Director David Hankins, who called Robertson a friend for more than 30 years, echoed the thought.
“I have never met anyone more committed to the truth of the Bible, more passionate about preaching the Gospel or more confident of the joy of heaven,” Hankins said. “We will miss him.”
SERVANT OF BAPTISTS
As a pastor, Robertson, a graduate of Winnsboro High School, Louisiana College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, was honored as Louisiana Baptist Convention preacher of the year in 1997 and 2007. He was serving as pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Winnsboro when he was elected as president of Louisiana Baptists in 2005 and then again in 2006.
During his ministry, Robertson also served as president of the state Pastors’ Conference and on the LBC Committee on Committees, Committee on Convention Arrangements, Louisiana College board and LBC Executive Board. Additional service included as a trustee for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and as evangelism director for the Deer Creek Baptist Association.
Louisiana College already had planned to award Robertson with its Distinguished Service Award during commencement ceremonies May 9. LC President Rick Brewer said he recently spoke with Robertson, who was overcome with joy upon hearing the news.
“He was speechless, which for Bill was quite rare,” Brewer said. “I love that man dearly. The award was well-earned and well-deserved. Sadly, we will now bestow it posthumously.”
Robertson’s funeral was held Feb. 28 at Fellowship Baptist. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jennifer Robinson Memorial Scholarship Fund at Louisiana College.
