Robert Welch has joined Rock Hill Baptist Church as pastor. He is shown here with his wife, Kyla, and their two sons, Hayden, 18 months, and Hudson, 4. Courtesy Photo Robert Welch, a thirdgeneration minister, has joined the Rock Hill Baptist Church family, accepting the pastoral position vacant since last December.

Welch previously worked at First Baptist Church in Milton, La., whose membership was about 330. Before that, he was at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, where he was the associate minister of young married couples, which included over 2,000 adults, and church membership was approximately 28,000.

Welch, 28, grew up in various cities across Texas, as his father moved from church to church in his ministry, hailing from such places as Mexia, Houston, Longview, and San Antonio. Welch said he is excited to return to his grassroots and be closer to his family.

He said he initially resisted God’s call to the ministry.

“My resistance to surrendering to God’s call probably had more to do with the hardship I saw my father and grandfather face as they led the church to fight Satan and penetrate ‘lostness.’ When you preach the Word, sometimes you find yourself standing alone. That can take a toll on a family.

“I realize, now, that they really never stood alone, but always had God at their side. God had been shaping me my entire life.”

Welch has a master of divinity, having graduated from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

He expressed an appreciation for Rock Hill, saying he felt immediately welcomed by the church.

“Rock Hill seems like a very close-knit family: very caring, open, and honest. But I will definitely rely on the key leadership of the church, since they have served for a long time.”

It seemed as though a mutual fondness existed.

“I have been impressed with Bro. Robert since our first meeting,” said Tom