Bob Barker, Pastor

Pastor Barker is the founder and the only pastor Victory Baptist Church has had in the first twenty-six years of existence. Pastor Barker was born and raised in Parkersburg, WV and saved at the old Briscoe Run Baptist Church on November 10, 1974. He was called to preach July 23rd, 1975, shortly after his 22nd birthday. He graduated in 1979 with a B.A. degree in Theology from Baptist University of America in Atlanta, GA. After graduation Pastor Bob, his wife Rose and their children went back to his hometown to attempt to begin a church in Athens, Ohio (which never materialized). Pastor Bob entered a time of deep spiritual consternation and seeking. During this time period came the opportunity to principal Briscoe Run Christian Academy under the direction of Pastor Gene Burge.

After two years of ministry, blessed of God, a call came from a friend in Morgantown, WV, Barry Darnell. He put Pastor Bob in contact with a church in the Fairmont area and he eventually became the preacher at that church. As he looks back, that experience was his “seminary” training in the ministry. He learned much in that 15 months that has been helpful to him over the years.

In 1983 he left the ministry of that church and along with 32 other members and 18 new converts. Victory Baptist Church was begun as a meeting group on June 5, 1983 and as a fully constituted church on August 21, 1983 when our constitution and by-laws were adopted and he was elected pastor of Victory. We have had good times and some rocky times over the past 26 years. We have lost some good folks through death and some through misunderstanding through the years but God has always sent us the people to get the job done that he has given us to do.

Pastor Barker states that one of the most remarkable traits of our church is that our folks recognize that each member is a human being with all of humanity's inherent pitfalls; and even through we do not tolerate open sin, we generally have a wonderful forgiving spirit in our church, in that, we don’t dwell on one another’s shortcomings but we accentuate the possibilities of what God can do with a crowd of “sinners saved by grace” in His will!

cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Our church stands at the threshold of a great door of opportunity. We are in a new building that enables us to house more people for the glory of God and makes us more effective in our attempt to reach the lost and dying in Marion County and the surrounding areas. As the Apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 16:9, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Our Faith Promise giving has reach phenomenal heights to the glory of God and we now support over 140 missionaries and mission projects around the world.

Pastor and Mrs. Barker have been married nearly 37 years and have 4 children. Nathan, his oldest (35), is married (wife: Amanda) with two children, Summer and Autumn, and is assistant pastor at Mt. Pisgah Baptist church in Oliver Springs, TN. Joshua, age 32, after a stint in the USMC, lives in Oliver Springs, TN and is employed at Sharps Funeral Home in Oliver Springs. He is attends Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Oliver Springs. He is also in the Army Reserves. Anna, their daughter, is married to Aaron Fisher, and has three children: Annalise, Alex, and Abigail. They live in Farmington, WV and attend Victory Baptist Church here in Fairmont. Anna graduated from Pensacola Christian College with a degree in early child-hood development.  Jon, the youngest child at 26, is a graduate of Crown College in Knoxville, TN and is currently the youth pastor at a church in Tennessee. He is married to Chelsea and they have one son, Lucas.

Pastor Barker intends to stay at Victory until death, retirement, or the Lord leads him on. At 56 years of age he believes his last pastorate is Victory. Please pray for our pastor and his family.