About Pastor Robert:
In November of 1983 I made the best decision of my life to deny myself, take
up my cross, and follow the Lord Jesus. Within two years He led me to sell
everything I owned and move from Bonaire, Georgia to Miami, Florida and
enroll in a Discipleship Training School with the worldwide organization,
Youth With A Mission. What an amazing adventure that began, one that has not
stopped! Stepping outside my comfort-zone, I thought I would be back in
Georgia six months down the road, but I ended up serving Jesus on short-term
missions trips all over Central America and elsewhere for the next several
years.
I had only been in Miami about a year when Jesus spoke clearly to me that
the area now known as South Beach (downtown Miami Beach) was to be a focus
for me in ministry. I began to visit South Beach at every opportunity,
bringing others from the YWAM base along just to walk and pray, and to look
for opportunities to share with the folks who lived here.
Miami Beach was beginning to change, and what had been a retirement-home
environment for many years (75% of residents in 1980 were over 75 years of
age) was becoming a place to party for thousands of young tourists who were
returning, and a place where hundreds of young models were being
photographed constantly for international catalogs and magazines.
In 1990, in response to the Lord’s clear direction once again, I started
leading an outreach to the many fashion industry professionals who were now
coming to South Beach for work, and in 1993 the Lord made it clear that it
was time to start a church here.
I promptly approached my Pastor, Bob Coy, informed him of God’s desire, and
that somebody needed to plant a church in South Beach! His reply was
frighteningly direct: “You’re there, Robert, start a church!” So in October
of 1993 I was sent out from Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale, and on Sunday
November 7th, Calvary Chapel Miami Beach was born.
Since that time God has graciously allowed our church to grow in fellowship
and discipleship, bless our community, and be a participant in the planting
of churches in Lima & San Vicente de Canete (Peru), Aventura (Florida),
Boston, MA, and soon in the area of Fortaleza, Brazil.
My wife Elisabet and I are still exited to be here as missionaries more than
two decades later, she from Denmark and me from small-town Georgia, but we
minister to the Lord Jesus in South Beach these days, and we look forward to
what He intends to do here in the early part of the 21st century!
