Robert E. Houston, Sr. Ministries
Smyrna, Tennessee 37167
615-642-8224

• Education: Graduate, 1978, Thomas Jefferson High School, Portland, Oregon; Attended: Multnomah School of the Bible, American Baptist Seminary of the West, United Theological Seminary and Bible College, Southern California Bible College, Golden Gate Theological Seminary; B.Th., Triune Bible Seminary and honorary D.D. from United Theological Seminary.
• Experience: Associate Minister, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Portland, Oregon, 1977-1987 (including brief stint as Co-Interim Pastor in 1984); Administrative Assistant, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, Portland, Oregon, 1987-1989; Senior Pastor, Greater St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church, Portland, Oregon, 1989-1991; Senior Pastor, Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Fresno, California, 1991-1995; Senior Pastor, New Hope Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, San Diego, California, 1995-2004. Founder, Robert E. Houston, Sr. Ministries, San Diego, California, 2004-Present.
• Sermon or series that made a difference: The sermon series that made a tremendous difference in the life of our church was a two year series of sermons on the Book of James.
• One of my favorite illustrations: On Faith being the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. When I was a child, my mother, who was from the south, would make cornbread and pour "pot liquor" over it, which was the residue or juice from Cooked Greens. The cornbread tasted like the greens - they weren’t seen, but the evidence was there.
• Family: Dr. Houston is 44 years old and a native of Portland, Oregon. He currently resides in San Diego, California. He is engaged to be married and has one son, Robert Houston, Jr., a student at the University of Southern Mississippi.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: "No one ever leaves their house to go and watch an ice house make ice. But people will go outside in their underwear to watch a fire burn. Make sure that your preaching is like that." - Dr. M.V. Wade, Sr., Los Angeles, CA
• Books that have had an impact: "Outside the Box," "The Purpose Driven Life."
• Hobbies: Music (pianist, organist, director, composer), Movies, Current Events, Computers, Television, Fine Arts.
• If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: The same thing I said the first and last time - Jesus died, He was buried, and He rose again!!
• Something funny that happened while preaching: While preaching at the Oregon State Prison for Women, my suspenders broke during the conclusion of my sermon.
• What I want on my tombstone: "I told you I wasn’t feeling well..."