ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Reverend Dr. Ronald L. Bobo, Sr. announced on Thursday he will be saying goodbye to members of his congregation, as well as local, regional and national leaders, during an event-filled weekend January 11-13, 2019.
Bobo has served as the pastor of the 1,800 member West Side Missionary Baptist Church for 32 years. The West Side congregation elected Reverend Charles Bobo, Sr. to succeed his father as Senior Pastor.
Bobo and his wife, Darlean, are confident they are leaving the leadership of West Side in capable hands, according to a news release.
The weekend’s events include a sold-out Black Tie Gala at the Marriott Airport Hotel on Pear Tree Lane which will begin at 6:30 pm on Friday, January 11th and Bobo’s last sermon as Senior Pastor which will be held during the 10:00 am Worship on Sunday, January 13th at the West Side Missionary Baptist Church’s city campus (4675 Page Blvd).
“It is my hope to expand this ministry to impact the lives of people and to see many won to Jesus Christ,” Bobo said.
Bobo not only has served as Senior Pastor of one of the oldest, largest black churches in the St. Louis region but he is also the founder and executive director of Sharing Hope International Ministries.
Through the Sharing Hope International Ministries, Bobo has ministered in 28 nations throughout Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe and North and South America. He has also mentored Christian leaders throughout America and around the globe.
Bobo has continued his global impact through serving as executive secretary of the Foreign Mission Board of the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri; past-president of the Baptist World Alliance Youth Department; leader with the Baptist World Alliance, giving leadership on global issues in the church and chairman of the Foreign Mission Board for the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
Highlights of Bobo’s three decades of faithful work, deeds and enduring hope include:
- Accepted call as the Fourth Pastor of West Side Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, May 4, 1986
- Established Great Things, Inc. Foundation, a 501c3 organization for community development
- Established the In His Image Feeding Ministry which serves plated hot meals 3 days a week
- Dubbed congregation “City Takers” in line with emphasis on evangelism and outreach
- Established/supported thriving Prison Ministry which serves as a national model for the denomination
- Served as President of the Youth Department of the Baptist World Alliance
- Licensed/Ordained over 125 preachers of the Gospel
- Served as Trustee for the Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, GA
- Opened the door for Women in Ministry with Loretta Fields in 1990
- Spearheaded purchase of a former Target Department Store with first worship there in 2000.
- The church became “One Unified Church in Two Locations”
- Served as Commissioner for the Missouri Housing Development Commission
- Sent out first Female Pastor, Ivy C. Rice in 2001 and first Church Foreign Missionary, Constance Watkins in 2002
- Led renovation of the Page Campus Sanctuary in 2013 and for a New Roof to be put on the Dunn Road Campus
- Has led Missionary Teams to every continent except Antarctica
- Partnered with West Side MBC through Sharing Hope International Ministries to take books, eyeglasses, medical supplies and shoes to Africa
- Serves as Chairman of the Foreign Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
- Serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Metropolitan Sewer District
“It has been my joy and my honor to serve the people of the St. Louis community for more than three decades,” Bobo said.
FEATURED IMAGE/Rev. Dr. Ronald L. Bobo, Sr./westsidembc.org