My name is Bob Marlin and I am the shepherd of my family. My wife and I met at a dance in Memorial Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy and married on June 7, 1972 in the Main Academy Chapel. We have three children in heaven (Robert, John and Mary) and two on earth (Laura and Dan). We have been blessed with five grandchildren (Abby, Marcy, Sam, Rees and Claire).
I am the first in my branch of the family tree to graduate from college, have a passport or own a stock. That said, I come from a long line of truth tellers and promise keepers. I served in the Navy for one decade and worked for an international energy company for three decades. Karen and I have lived in Japan, Norway and Australia. I have also worked in several different countries and cultures.
I accepted Christ as my Lord, Savior and primary mentor at the age of 12. I spent two years in the spiritual dessert following the death of our first child in Yokosuka, Japan, which set me on a path of rediscovering who God really is. At 31, God opened my eyes to His priorities in my life and set me on a path of discovery of His purpose for my life. The path was challenging and required “dying to self” and seeking His will over my own. In faithfully seeking His will, He has transformed me and blessed the work of my hands.
I have worked in Grief Care Ministry and teaching roles for four decades and leadership positions for three decades. I’ve been active in building programs much of my adult life and enjoy taking dreams to fruition. I’m also passionate about building teams that function in a “high trust” environment that only unity can bring.
The Lord and grandchildren brought us to Waco and Fellowship. I am humbled by and thankful for the invitation to serve as a shepherd at Fellowship. I love working with the servants God has assembled and continues to provide. I also treasure the other service opportunities that are available to me to build, teach, work in GriefShare, mentor others and focus on pastoral care.
I am excited about the vision and ministry God has laid before us in this place!
