Pastor Bob and Jesus Stephen H. Dobson Trinity College of Florida Abstract Throughout history people have come on the scene of life proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel. Some do it for a time, and others for a lifetime. One who holds true to his calling in this life is a Legend among Heavy Metal music fans known as Pastor Bob Beeman. Pastor Bob is known as a Heavy Metal Pastor, as well as a homeless advocate, a Speaker, an Author, a Podcaster, a Musician, and a self proclaimed Mac Geek to finish it off. One can attest to the fact that Pastor Bob is a true friend to the less fortunate and to all who seek genuine Biblical advice. Pastor Bob’s closing in on nearly three decades in the Ministry. Pastor Bob never married and his busy schedule shows why. He felt called to the Ministry around the age of six. He started out a traveling evangelist and promoting concerts to help spread the Gospel. In the mid-eighties he started Sanctuary: A Rock-n-Roll Refuge. Today, the ministry known as Sanctuary International consists of various areas of outreach to the world. Through Bob’s webpage, over thirty links are listed to help with daily life as a Christian. One simply doesn’t find many people as humble as Pastor Bob Beeman. Although labeled a Heavy Metal Pastor, his teachings of Scripture can be heard by the common man or genius, and are always laid out in laymans’ terms. Pastor Bob Pastor Bob Beeman was born in Billings, Montana on November 3rd 1952. He grew up on a farm about 30 miles away. He felt called to the Ministry around the age of six. He never married. He has chosen to completely give his life to spreading the Gospel. For nearly three decades Pastor Bob Beeman has been teaching and preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world through music, ministry, and various forms of media. When one asks who Pastor Bob Beeman is, the response according to the legend himself is Heavy Metal Pastor. Homeless advocate. Speaker. Author. Podcaster. Musician. Mac Geek. From the mid eighties to the present, Pastor Bob gives freely his life to the Cause of Christ. If only the world knew but a few more people like Pastor Bob; the world of doubters would get smaller, and the Church swollen at the seams new with Believers. The witnessing tools used by Pastor Bob seem hard to keep up with much less compete with. The channels include but definitely not limited to; Sanctuary International, facebook, Instagram, internet blogs, homeless ministries, and radio broadcasts and podcasts. In addition, music festivals are a large part of Pastor Bob’s make-up along with daily devotionals, emails, interviews, Starbucks confessionals, Heaven’s Metal Fanzine (formerly Heaven’s Metal Magazine), narrating the King James Version of the Bible for audio purposes. Pastor Bob Beeman Ministries Sanctuary International: A Rock n Roll Refuge According to (ChristianGoth), Sanctuary International Church found it’s beginnings “back in the mid-1980s, Pastor Bob Beeman was approached by some friends of STRYPER. Knowing his interest in rock and roll, they asked if he would help them with a bible study they had started for friends and fans of that band. As more and more long-haired heavy metal fans started showing up at Beeman’s church, the congregation became nervous and asked him to choose between his church and his heavy metal ministry. Pastor Bob decided to leave that church and start the ministry that came to be known as Sanctuary: The Rock and Roll Refuge.” Virtually a million(show statistics)people happen to hear the Gospel across the globe because of Pastor Bob Beeman and his love for Heavy Metal and Rock music. Including a deep burning passion for the Cause of Christ. So many bands including STRYPER made their way through the doors of Sanctuary International. A few other bands to darken the doorway according to (ChristianGoth) include “Barren Cross to Deliverance and Vengeance Rising, right up through Precious Death. By the ‘90s, the rock music scene had changed quite a bit, and they decided it was time to move on and start up again as Sanctuary, International in Nashville, where they are today.” The impact of these bands as result of what Pastor Bob started in almost immeasurable. Pastor Bob along with Jim Laverde(bassist Barren Cross) take the Word of God across the world with the Sanctuary International (SI) Worship team. In addition, Pastor Dave Hart leads the Sanctuary Church in San Diego, California. The two entities met after realizing they both carried the name “A Rock n Roll Refuge”. SI carries almost three dozen links on their homepage that range from daily podcasts to music including Pandora, and many other music outlets. Also available through SI’s website is podcasts, links to forums, a link to their homeless ministry titled “A Bridge Bunch” where they regularly feed the homeless, and so much more. Pastor Bob also narrated the entire New Testament of the King James Bible available through the SI website too. One will find ample list of music festivals going on around the world on the website as well. Daily Broadcasts via PastorBobBeeman Pastor Bob stays quite busy with his Daily Devotionals along with his Pastor Bob Daily broadcasts which can be located through his webpage. There are over five thousand subscribers alone on Pastor Bob’s Youtube channel with well over eight-hundred thousand views to his channel. As each day of our lives differs from the next, so goes each Daily Devotional. All the devotionals are archived accordingly. This allows someone to go back and feel refreshed from the older podcasts too. Also include in the mix; Pastor Bob’s International Broadcast. Pastor Bob Daily includes over 800 videos over the years dealing with daily life as a Christian, and answers for non-believers too. To show an example, one person asked Pastor Bob on a Pastor Bob Daily podcast “ if God would be angry with her daughter for dropping a religious symbol.” They had been told by a Catholic friend that God would be angry with the daughter for dropping the object. Pastor Bob simply reminded Kenneth that it wasn’t anything formed by the hands of man that gives us any power, but through Jesus Christ alone that gives us our strength and hope as well as our protection. No inanimate object will protect us. In Exodus 20:4, God warns the people by saying “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.”(NLT) Pastor Bob also reminded Kenneth that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about their religious symbols. Jesus rebuked them for such. Jesus wants a relationship with each of us, not a religion. One response from a viewer of the Youtube broadcast stated this,“Pastor Bob, what a loving and redemptive message of why it was wrong. Thanks so much for sharing it!”. Another Youtube viewer had this to say about a Pastor Bob Daily video on “How Big Is Your Ripple?”, What wonderful topic Pastor Bob!. Youre an inspiration to everyone in this world. God bless you always” (youfilha). Furthermore, another subscriber says of Pastor Bob’s Prayer 101 video “the lord has given me an eye for discernment and true faith in christ is in you brother. I thank and give glory to god for pastor Bob Beeman” (rock addict). So many people across the globe find inspiration through tough times with Bob’s videos through Biblical perspectives. Here’s another comment from yet another subscriber on Bob’s Prayer 101 video, “God bless you Pastor Bob! Youre a good man! Learning much from you, thank you!!” The amount of information you can receive to help with daily life is almost endless because it comes from years of making and of course the years of life experiences. Some of the other videos associated with Pastor Bob’s web page include That’s Not My God with Pastor Bob Adams, 10 Minutes with Pastor Bob, Voices from the Street with Sandy Griffin, and Mating,Dating,and Relating insights as well. In addition you will find daily videos through Jim’s Minute with Jim La Verde. Furthermore, one will discover other links to guide us through life. A funny title of one podcast, “Getting Naked” deals with stripping away religion to be closer to God. Yet the list just keeps going with Starbucks Confessionals which digs deep in to the more difficult aspects of life. Next one will come across “Nights At The Round Table” which truthfully nothing more than four friends sitting around a round table at Starbucks at night. Some of these topics include but not limited to marriage, chronic pain, how to forgive yourself, and depression and suicide just to name a few. Pastor Bob has uploaded well over one thousand videos on youtube alone. The topics seem virtually endless on Pastor Bob’s International Report. One can find interviews with various bands and members such as Jayson Sherlock of the world renown Mortification as well as eight other bands he’s played for hails from Australia. Jayson is one of the best drummers the death/grind metal scene has ever known. Among other interviews one will find one with Johannes Jonsson who put together The Metal Bible in which Pastor Bob has an article in it. The Metal Bible is the New Testament as well as a collage of interviews with various band members who look to Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Some of these names would amaze the majority of fans across the globe. The Metal Bible, something to acquire by Christian Metalheads. Intense Broadcast with Pastor Bob is a broadcast keeping everyone up to date on the latest news with bands across the world and handling questions of everyday issues from a Biblical perspective. One will also find band interviews and festival information too. Music Festivals The vast variety of music festivals across the globe Pastor Bob helps to promote in conjunction for the Cause of Christ range from countries including Switzerland with Elements of Rock, Meltdown Conference in England, NordicFest in Norway, Freakstock in Germany, Exodo Festival in Mexico, and Destruction Fest in London. The attendance of these festivals is enormous each year. It gives Pastor Bob a chance to witness across the four corners of the globe. The Bridge Bunch/ Helping the Homeless The Bridge Bunch according to Pastor Bob’s page states “ We are a very loosely organized group of people committed to our houseless friends under the Jefferson Street Bridge near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Our goal is to provide food, clothing, and assistance on a daily basis under the bridge.” They go on to state “We are not an “organization” or a church. We are just a group of people working together for a common goal. We don’t have a “board of directors.” We have no desire to be that organized. We simply want to help those who could use some encouragement ... and some food. Come and join us!” They serve those in need on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm. These are the main days and times posted. They offer other days, but one should ask about the other days and times. When a question popped up about his involvement with the homeless, Pastor Bob replied with, “I started the homeless ministry here about three years ago. I knew NOTHING about homeless people at the beginning, and was basically shamed into it. But it has been such a wonderful part of my life and my ministry since. We feed the homeless 4 days each week – totally about 2,000 people every month. We meet under a bridge – and set up our tables. We have “church” there on Sundays”. (Let there be Rock, 2011) Life gets all the better knowing people in this world like Pastor Bob encourage others to get out and be an inspiration to those less fortunate. Volunteering is so much more rewarding than doing something for pay. People like Wendell who help with the little needs often overlooked in life such as a simple haircut. Others such as Miss Bonnie help with food preparation or sorting a load of donated socks to help with those in need. So many others show up to master the grill, strum a tune with a guitar, and offer a hot cup of coffee on a freezing day. Most of the people in need truly seek a sense of compassion in their life rather than a handout of cash. The human spirit is designed to serve and to love. If one finds eagerness in their heart to do God’s will, than they need to look to people like Pastor Bob who is humble at heart and genuine in spirit. His actions speak so much louder than his words by actually going out to the people on the streets and meeting their needs on their own turf. Not too many people or Christians can make that claim. Jesus told us in the Gospels to help those in need as reminded by the Apostle Paul, “And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: It is more blessed to give than to receive.”(Acts 20:35) One will locate more in Luke 14:12-14 “12 Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” Ray Legrand has this to say on a facebook post about a fundraiser from the band Oblivion Myth to aid in The Bridge Bunch, “And now for the big news - The Grand Total raised in support of Pastor Bob Beemans Bridge Bunch Homeless / Food Outreach is (drum-roll please)....$2,768.00!! This will go a long way to help those who depend on The Bridge Bunch. Again, thank you to all who had a hand in making this happen!” ~ Ray LeGrand/ Oblivion Myth Doug Hoppins Interview on Pastor Bob A question asked on facebook about the impact on Pastor Bob on the world netted these results from Doug Hoppins, “Well....this was a long time ago. I was a punk DJ working for a one horse Christian radio station in Cheyenne WY. My show was on Saturday night from 7-9 pm. It was called Lost Dogs. It was a two hrs set aside for those who didn’t know Christ. The genre was Christian heavy metal, punk and thrash. Bob graciously agreed to be interviewed. After all, Sanctuary was a heavy metal church of sorts. I was very young in the Lord at that time and what Bob had to say was nothing short of amazing. He really had a heart for Christ. I wish I had saved a copy for myself. I thought I would include one final comment that may or may not be of help. For me in summary Pastor Bob is better understood not by what he has done, but for who he is. Bobs heart is the defining characteristic.” Conclusion In conclusion, one cannot refute the impact Pastor Bob Beeman makes in this world for the sake of Christianity. Almost thirty years in the making Pastor Bob virtually storms the gates the hell each day with his ministry through Sanctuary International and it’s affiliates. Whether through social media, interviews, blogs, daily podcasts, music festivals, or helping the homeless, Pastor Bob helps the world in everyday life. He inspires both Believers and nonbelievers to become better people. His ministry influences countless numbers of people across the globe. One can draw much hope and strength through Pastor Bob’s humble teachings of Jesus Christ and the Bible in general. Resources How Big Is Your Ripple? Pastor Bob DAILY! (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2014. Catholic Religious Symbols? Pastor Bob DAILY! (2012, May 24). Retrieved October 2, 2014. Hoppins, Doug. Pastor Bobs Impact. Interview by Stephen H. Dobson. Facebook. Facebook, 25 Sept. 2014. Web. Let There Be ROCK... Pastor Bob Beeman Speaks to the Misfits. Devotions4misfits. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. News / Blog. News / Blog. Oblivion Myth, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. Pastor Bob Beeman. 2009. 27 Sep. 2014 Pastor Bob Beeman. Pastor Bob Beeman | Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. PastorBobBeeman. YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. SanctuaryInternational † IntenseRadio † SyberSanctuary † Sanctuary.ws. SanctuaryInternational † IntenseRadio † SyberSanctuary † Sanctuary.ws. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 22:46:41 +0000
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