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By Brian Blackwell. Message Staff Writer
ROBELINE – Brian Ray’s full-time job at Red River Oil and Gas takes him to the pipelines and roadways of Louisiana and East Texas most days of the week.
Throughout the day Ray may field a call from a church member where he pastors, stop in at a Shreveport hospital visitation or preside over a funeral in Robeline.
While juggling both jobs may seem like a lot to handle to some, the pastor of First Baptist Robeline contends he wouldn’t want his life any different.
“I don’t view it from the standpoint that they are two separate things,” Ray said. “Whether I am ministering through the pulpit at First Baptist Robeline or in East Texas or Shreveport, I am called to do everything for God. It is something that God has blessed where the two have never conflicted.”
A native of Shreveport, Ray remembers as a young boy worshiping with his grandparents and 30 other people on Sunday mornings at First Baptist Robeline. Though he accepted Christ as his personal Savior and Lord at the age of 15 while at Elerbee Road Baptist Church in Shreveport, Ray said for a time in his life he was turned away from God.
Ray said he finally began following the Lord again and began working at Marco Plywood in Chopin, advancing all the way up to superintendent.
In 2001, Ray sensed a call to ministry. Six months later, he assumed the role of pastor at First Baptist Robeline.
He never dreamed that in the church where he attended services in the pew, that one day he would become pastor of the church that has experienced an attendance growth of 50 percent since he assumed the role in 2002.
“God has blessed and is continuing to bless Robeline,” Ray said. “I went into this with very little to no formal training but God has been so, so very good and been very, very patient with me and teaching me.
“The main thing that God is doing is adding to us in number but He is adding to us spiritually,” he continued. “Over this last year or two there have been a lot of people who have had major impacts on that church and moving and doing with local stuff and ministry.”
According to the latest figures from the Annual Church Profile, which is a compilation of statistics from Louisiana Baptist churches, resident membership when Ray became pastor of First Baptist Robeline was 99. In 2013, resident membership had increased to 189.
Baptisms also have reached 10 or more on an annual basis seven times, including the past four years in a row. The most in a single year was 40 in 2011 and the church has baptized eight this year.
Ray said he is thankful to have a church that believes in reaching out to its community.
Through its Adopt a Block ministry, the congregation gives away backpacks to those in the inner city of Natchitoches.
Inside each backpack for the homeless are Bibles, bottled water, snacks and a listing of employment opportunities. The children also receive backpacks with items such as snacks and school supplies.
Additionally, some in the church’s college and career class help with pick up a vanload of youngsters from a girls’ home in Natchitoches on select Saturdays. The volunteers spend time with the girls through fellowship, a meal and activities such as scavenger hunt.
Every Sunday the van picks the girls up again and takes them to serves at First Baptist Robeline, which is about 15 miles west of Natchitoches.
“That’s some of the ways you know what you are doing is not just hearing the word but fulfilling the word,” Ray said. “When you see other people do that, from a pastor’s standpoint it’s a tremendous blessing for sure.
“It’s been a very, very neat journey and God continues to bless,” he said. “For a church our size, God has blessed us to reach out and impact way outside of Robeline.”
Ray said that balancing his secular and pastoral job and role as a husband to his wife, Christi, and father to his children, Baylee, Garet, Raygan and Landon, can be a challenge. But having a supportive church and family help him succeed.
“I have four children that are very active in a lot of things in church and outside of church, so I definitely appreciate and know what being busy is,” he said. “I know this – that when I keep it aligned the way God wants it to, that God can make it possible. And He does everyday. It’s not just a matter of getting by – it’s thriving. And that’s where we are as a church and as a family. God can make any of it work but we have to do it that way.”
“One day there could be a need for a full-time pastor at that church but until that time comes, I want people to know that bi-vocational does not mean part-time pastor; it is a full-time job,” he continued. “The bi-vocational pastorate calling is a very unique calling that God puts on people’s lives. For a long time I thought that was a starting place and you grow in a full-time deal. It’s not about the money thing now. It’s about the calling. God has called me to Robeline but he has also called me to the ministry where I work at. I get to go out and meet a lot of people and talk to them about their land and oil and gas. I also have the opportunity to minister to those people in otherwise I wouldn’t have a chance.