By Sharon Mager

RANDALLSTOWN, Md. — The Rev. Dr. Robert J. Anderson, Jr., with his wife, Jacqueline (Jacki), by his side, has served as the senior pastor of Colonial Baptist Church (CBC) for 28 years. Robert, who will retire on February 28, has been a leader locally and nationally for decades.

 

At CBC, in addition to championing a multitude of community outreach ministries, Robert has led the congregation in serving on mission near and far, and he has personally served internationally. Through his vision, CBC will celebrate its 26th annual missions conference on March 7-9, providing the congregation and community with opportunities to meet missionaries and to be involved in the Great Commission.

 

Robert served as a past president of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) and was instrumental in starting the African American Fellowship (AAF) of the BCM/D. Nationally, he served nearly eight years on the Southern Baptist Convention executive board and was a catalyst for bringing the SBC convention to Baltimore in 2014. Additionally, he made a successful motion at the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham to add George Liele Sunday to the SBC Calendar.

 

On February 23, Robert preached his final sermon as pastor of CBC. The church was packed as church and family members arrived to thank and congratulate Robert and Jacki.

At the Colonial service, Robert shared fond memories over close to three decades, including an outreach that included a magician who invited everyone to come to see the pastor turned into a rabbit. Robert laughed. “All the kids got so excited! Then the curtain closed, and the magician opened it up, and there I was in a rabbit suit, and I had a carrot.” He also shared about a mortgage-burning ceremony when the fire company brought a ladder truck and gave out fire helmets. There are many, many memories, Robert

said. Serving the Lord can be fun, but there are also trials and times when it’s not so fun. “I remember the old song that said, ’I had some good days, I had hills to climb, I’ve had some weary days…but most of my good days outweigh my bad days, I won’t complain.’ (by Rev. Paul Jones). “God has been good to me, and I won’t complain.”

 

Robert encouraged the congregation to “remember,” referencing  2 Timothy 2:8: “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel.”  Robert said that throughout the Bible, God continually tells his people to remember—remember the Sabbath, remember your creator in your youth, and remember the wonderous works He has done. Robert said, “God wants his people to remember because it’s so easy for us to forget.”

 

“This is what I want to tell Colonial. This is what God wants to say to you. Remember Jesus Christ. We will go through history, and at some point, people will not remember me. We’ll go through history, and at some point, people won’t remember you, but we have the opportunity today to live our lives in such a way that they will remember Jesus Christ.”

A reception followed the service. On January 31, the church also sponsored a gala retirement celebration at Martin’s

West. Robert, Jacki, and their family entered in style, and hundreds in the ballroom rose to applaud. The theme was “One Grateful Man.”

 

BCM/D Executive Director Tom Stolle and representatives of the BCM/D AAF were among the many who congratulated and encouraged Robert and Jacki.

Stolle said, “The Bible says, ‘Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?’ Pastor Anderson and his wife, Jacki, are faithful people,” Stolle said. I want to tell you that I love this man. I’ve served at the convention for more than 20 years, and when I first met Pastor Anderson, what struck me about him was his professionalism, but as I got to know him, I found out that he was very kind and very gentle. And I will tell you through some of the toughest periods in my life, he was a man who ‘prayed me through.’ He’s a prayer warrior. Pastor Anderson, you have left an incredible impression on me.”

 

AAF of the BCM/D President Nathaniel Thomas told Robert, “We recognize that you are a great servant leader and…a good gospel preacher. You have brought much to the Maryland/Delaware Convention in so many ways. We just thank God for your insight and for being a mentor to so many of us.”

 

The guest speaker was Fred Luter, the pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans and the first African American to serve as a Southern Baptist president (2012-2014).  Luter

shared about the joys of ministry and then focused on “the other side of ministry.” Using Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,” Luter said all believers, even the most righteous, will face numerous afflictions and trials in their lives and ministries. They are not the result of the believer’s actions but rather a consequence of living in a fallen world.

Encouraging pastors to press on, Luter used the character James Bond and all of Bond’s incredible escapes as an illustration —  being hurled out of an airplane and pushing a button on his coat for a parachute, using his special laser watch for a dramatic escape, and many hold-your-breath moments. “How does he do this?” Luter wondered, but the lightbulb went on after watching a documentary about the making of the James Bond movies. “Ladies and gentlemen, you know what I found out — how was he able to do all that? It’s going to blow you all the way — it was written in the script!” shouted Luter with a huge smile. It’s in the script!

 

“What shall separate me from the love of God?” The Lord says not to fear. He’s in control. “They arrested him on Friday, they beat him on Friday, They crucified him on Friday…. But oh, Sunday morning!” Jesus arose. You’re going to make it.” It’s in the script.