Thank you for the opportunity to share about the person who served as God’s instrument in giving my life a completely new direction — missionary Bobby Poole.
In December 1980, a school friend invited me to visit his church, an evangelical church. Although I am from a Catholic family influenced by spiritualism (common in Brazil), I accepted the invitation. The next morning, I found myself in a Sunday School class learning about the Bible with missionary Geneva Poole. I was impressed and impacted by her teaching and returned on subsequent Sundays.
A few weeks later, I learned about the worship service on Sunday evenings and began attending. I had the privilege of listening to a big American man preach with passion about the Scriptures and about Christ. He ended every message with an invitation for salvation.
Soon, a flurry of activity began around a camp session to take place in January 1981. Great excitement filled the air, and I felt quite anxious to participate. When I look back, I see the hand of God directing all these details. At camp, I made a resolute decision for Christ after the message by Lelis Fachini, a missionary from Asas de Socorro (Missionary Aviation Fellowship).
Many important things happened in my life in 1981 that determined much of who I am today, 42 years later. I answered the call to preach. I began a relationship with the one who later became my wife. And it was a year of much spiritual growth. At all times, I had the privilege of receiving guidance and pastoral care from Pastor Bobby Poole and his wife Geneva. His passion for Christ and mercy for people were remarkable.
At the seminary, students commented Bobby was from the “school of Gamaliel,” always more focused on the spirit of the Law rather than the letter of the Law. His careful testimony gave us a safe example of how we should live the Christian life. My wife Flávia attended the Pooles’ church from childhood. She was adopted as a “daughter” by Pastor Bobby. Consequently, after we married, he adopted me as his “son,” too.
With great satisfaction, I shared the fruits of my ministry with him, always making a point to tell him he played a large part in everything we achieved over 36 years of ministry. Perhaps the peak of his “holy pride” came when my family and I worked as cross-cultural missionaries in the Republic of Ireland for twenty months. It was a successful journey. A few years after we returned to the church in Jaboticabal, Pastor Bobby and Mrs. Geneva accompanied me on a return visit to Ireland. What a special memory.
It is difficult to express in a short article the powerful influence of the life of this humble and dedicated servant of God. Without doubt, he impacted the lives of hundreds, even thousands, of people. I’m sure when people think of Pastor Bobby, they immediately think of their spiritual lives. This, perhaps, should be our great ideal in life, for people around us to see Jesus through us in a remarkable way.
Pastor, friend, spiritual father, teacher, theologian, evangelist — how is it possible to fit all these skills into a man of such simple origins? But God did.
Thank you, Pastor Bobby. Thank you, Free Will Baptist International Missions (IM). Thank you, God, for the life and ministry of a man who did not live for himself but lived “by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
See you later, Pastor Bobby!
About the Writer: Jeancarlo Achê pastors Jaboticabal FWB Church. He has served as president of the International Fellowship of Free Will Baptists since 2015.
