An interview with
Roger Jenkins, Associate Pastor of Senior Adults & Pastoral Care

What is your most vivid memory as a child?

When I was nine years old my dad took our family to the World’s Fair in New York. While we were there, we went to a Mets/Dodgers baseball game and I got to see Sandy Koufax pitch a no-hitter against the Mets.

What is your favorite memory or story regarding your spouse or child?

When Amanda was three years old and Angela was 5 years old we took a family vacation to Disneyworld in February. The crowds were small that time of the year, so there weren’t any long lines at the rides. When we got to the “It’s a Small, Small World” ride and started through it, the girls eyes lit up with amazement. There was so much to see. The excitement on their faces and the enjoyment they were experiencing made it so much fun to go through the ride five times in a row.

What is a favorite family tradition?

At Christmas and Thanksgiving it has always been special getting together with all the family. It was the only time all the family got together to see each other. For several years, during my junior high and high school years, after lunch on Thanksgiving Day, several of us would go over to Vanderbilt University in Nashville to watch The Clinic Bowl, which was the high school championship for the state of Tennessee.

What sports or hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?

Spending time with my wife is what I enjoy most in my spare time! I also enjoy watching football, basketball, and baseball. I spend quite a bit of spare time doing remodeling projects around the house.

What is something that would surprise us about you?

I enjoy putting Thomas Kinkade puzzles together and framing them.

What do you love most about Cleta?

Cleta is the joy of my life! She is as lovely on the inside as she is on the outside. She is a supportive, encouraging, praying, and loving wife, which are perfect qualities for a minister’s wife.

How did you propose to your wife?

It was simple! I went over to her house, sat down on the couch with her, and asked her if she would marry me. When she said, “Yes,” I gave her a ring and the rest is 32 years of wedded bliss!

How did you come to know Christ?

I grew up in a Christian home. We had family devotions, especially during the younger years, and my parents made sure I was in church every time the doors opened. Because of their influence, and the influence of Sunday School teachers, I learned I was a sinner in need of a Savior, and one night during a revival service at our church in Nashville, I asked Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life.

Tell us about your education. What was your best/worst subject?

I graduated from Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee in June of 1971. My best high school subject was any math subject. My worst subject was Social Studies.

I graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in May of 1975 with a degree in Education. My best subject in college was English, and my worst subjects were Calculus and Physics. I graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in December of 1982.

How did you come to be in ministry?

I have always loved church music, and as a young child and teenager I enjoyed singing in choirs at church and occasionally singing solos. As I continued to spend my childhood and teenage years as an active part of the church music ministry, God began working in my life giving me the desire to learn more about being a Minister of Music myself. So, as God continued to work, I felt a calling to prepare for and be involved in church music. I served as a Minister of Music with responsibilities in other areas of ministry (youth, education, senior adults, pastoral care) for 32 years before coming to First Baptist Church.

Tell us about your pets…

Cleta and I have a dog named Zak. He is actually our youngest daughter’s dog. She didn’t have a place to keep him, so we get that privilege. He is part lab, reddish-brown in color, and we don’t know what else. Zak loves to chase a ball. He keeps a ball in his mouth or beside him almost every waking hour. Whenever the ball is not in his mouth he knows exactly where it is, and when he sees us he’ll run as fast as he can to get it, because he wants us to play ball with him.

What do you do at FBC?

I am the Associate Pastor of Senior Adults and Pastoral Care. I have the joy of hanging out with our senior adults, who are absolutely wonderful! We eat a bunch and take trips together, enjoy times of fellowship and inspiration, and just have so much fun! I also get to enjoy the blessings of visiting people in hospitals, nursing homes, homes of our homebound folks to show and share the love of Christ, as well as be an encouragement to others in times of grief and sorrow when a loved one goes home to be with the Lord. God has truly blessed my life by allowing me to serve at FBC!

Roger’s Favorites!

My favorite food is steak from Outback Steakhouse.

My favorite color is blue.

My favorite season is Spring.

My favorite sport is football.

My favorite style of music is any style of Christian music.

My favorite music group is The Gaither Vocal Band. David Phelps is my favorite soloist.

My favorite Book, other than the Bible, is “Be All You Can Be” by John Maxwell.

My favorite song is “He Loved Me With a Cross”.

My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6.

My favorite movie is “Facing the Giants”.