Bob Petty

The call to ministry began for Bob Petty in his home as an 11-year-old boy.  He was afraid of what God might ask of him if he answered that call, so he spent the next twenty years living a divided life – one where his head pursued Godly knowledge, yet his heart traveled the path of self-protection and façade.  Bob and Mary K met at Moody Bible Institute, got married, and quickly realized they were headed in two different directions spiritually.  Mary K was a God chaser, but Bob was content to keep God in Sunday morning box. Though they were best friends, this led to frequent conflict.  God graciously walked him into a successful career in print sales, but Bob didn’t recognize God’s hand in it or allow His goodness to woo his heart.  While content to give God Sunday mornings, Bob wanted control over his own life and heart.  Through a miraculous encounter with the Lord on January 20, 1996 in his living room, Bob surrendered to the powerful love of Jesus!  God not only brought healing to their marriage and home, but He also restored the call Bob had heard at age 11.  This time, with a heart full of the knowledge of God’s love for him personally, Bob responded by submitting his life and future into the Lord’s hands.

Bob and Mary K and their three children then entered a season of wait, wanting the Lord to reveal the path to them.  As they waited, they watched the success of Bob’s secular career be stripped from their comfortable lives.  Within a week of yielding to the God of everything, he had already lost a significant account and a good chunk of his income.  By the end of the year they experienced the loss of more: the job, the house, the cars…  Biblical persons like Moses, Elijah, Job, and Noah (among many others) became even more relevant to him in this time – others who had waited for the weighty invitation of the Lord to come to fruition; others who experienced significant trial and loss in the wait.  During that time, Mary K’s mother was losing her life to cancer, and so the Petty family moved to the Chicago area to help take care of her.

 The Pettys reestablished connection with a church they had attended earlier in their marriage, which led to an invitation for Bob to be the church custodian as he continued to wait for the Lord’s direction.  Everything within him yearned to be in the pastorate, but God knew he needed to learn to clean up after and care for His people in a very tangible and often humbling way.  He was also invited into ministry at Cook County Jail, where this red headed white guy received support, love, and understanding about his wait, loss, and journey.  The inmates that he was serving and loving gave him this gift in beautiful ways that still bring tears to his eyes.  It was through another volunteer in the jail ministry that Bob became connected to the Alliance.  Because they lived in the Chicago area, the Midwest District accredited Bob so he could answer his first call to ministry in Chinook, MT.   He refers to it as a life-changing, amazing experience.

 Speaking of amazing, life-changing experiences, Bob and Mary K. are the proud grandparents of nine little ones.   His grandchildren have named him Pahka and they take great delight in spending time with him.  He uses the mower trailer to give them rides up and down the lane, and tells fanciful bedtime stories he’s woven for each one of them.  His favorite past-time, though, is to sit side-by-side with his dearest friend, Mary K.  At times it’s been reading the same book side-by-side, often it’s with a fishing pole in hand, and recently it’s been with a morning cup of coffee before the business of the day begins.  Regardless, it’s the side-by-side with Mary K. that’s precious to him.

 Bob has a tremendous sense of anticipation for the Midwest District as the churches and ministries together steward the heart of God for the 19 million men, women, and children in Illinois and Indiana. “I am convinced that God desires the Church to cooperate deeply with how He designed and purposed for her to be and do,” Bob emphasizes. “The Church does not exist for itself but rather for the lostness around it. I am giving my life and leadership to seeing every church in the district become healthy, having directional clarity and being equipped to press into its place, as well as into spaces beyond, with Gospel presence.”

 That’s why Hebrews 2:14-18 (NASB) so profoundly resonates with Bob:

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.