Robert Strong

Robert has always been the type of person who would fully engage himself in important activities. His love for music in high school led him to participate in concert bands, jazz bands, and marching bands. He led as drum major in his senior year. His love for people led him to pledge Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity in college. He served as chapter president since his sophomore year of college. 

Robert Strong accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior under the ministry of Dr. Calvin A. Harper after twenty-one years of living with no divine purpose. He once again fully engaged himself and set out to develop an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ and serve in a manner worthy of all that the Lord had done for him. Ephesians 4:1 became a challenging verse and a lifelong goal. 

After graduating from the University of Dayton in 1982 with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering Technology, he moved from Cincinnati, Ohio to Inglewood, California to work for Hughes Aircraft Company. During that time of relocation, a few choice Christian men took Robert under their wing and personally walked with him toward spiritual growth. It was during that time that Robert met his bride, Teri, a wonderful woman of God. They married in July, 1984. 

Pastor William Thurmond of the Park Windsor Baptist Church recognized the spiritual gift of teaching in Robert and encouraged him to develop that gift. Pastor Kenneth Ulmer of the Faithful Central Missionary Baptist Church recommended that Robert gain a seminary education at Talbot School of Theology. 

In 1987, Robert moved from Long Beach to Rialto and became a member of a new church, Inland Bible Fellowship. There, he gained valuable training in church planting and church growth. Raymond Causey was a personal mentor similar to Paul mentoring Timothy.  

In 1993, the Strong Family united with Ecclesia Christian Fellowship under the pastorate of Joshua Beckley. Robert acknowledged his call to preach the gospel in 1993. He was licensed in 1994 and ordained in 1996. Pastor Beckley allowed Robert to grow through many ministry experiences and mistakes and helped him to develop as a preacher of the gospel and as a servant/leader in ministry. 

In 1999, the Lord led Pastor Beckley to hire Robert as a full-time ministerial staff member of Ecclesia. His responsibilities include oversight of over sixty edification ministries, leadership development and preaching and teaching. One of his most rewarding accomplishments is the establishment of Ecclesia’s Teleios Institute. This adult educational program offers 33 different classes. This program consists of eight foundational classes, seventeen topical classes and eight theology classes.  

Robert completed his Master’s of Divinity degree at Talbot School of Theology with a Pastoral emphasis in December, 2003. Robert has also served as a member of the faculty of Arrowhead Christian Academy in Redlands, CA since 1999. He teaches Bible classes for high school juniors and seniors. 

Through all of the learning and growth and desires and errors, there has been one consistent drive in Robert’s life, to walk worthy (Ephesians 4:1) of the vocation in which he is called! Robert’s continual prayer is that he love his wife, Teri as Christ loved the church, that his three children, Erin, Jordan and Justin learn to love the Lord with all their heart, and that God be glorified, the saints be edified, and the unsaved be justified!