Baptist pastor leaving his mark

Bob Alderman simply wasn't happy living in Point Comfort, despite his strong marriage and well-paying government job.

He volunteered at his church, helping the pastor and teaching bible school.

But Alderman felt God wanted more from him.

He resisted until he realized he'd become frustrated and miserable because he hadn't fulfilled his true purpose in life.

"You don't decide to become a pastor, God calls you," said Alderman, who now preaches to a small congregation that knows him as Pastor Bob.

Eight years after Pastor Bob, 47, arrived at First Baptist Church of Rio Grande City, much has changed at the small, quiet building less than one mile from the Mexican border.

The aging congregation he inherited now skews younger.

The once depressing hospital-green walls are now white.

And an intimidating formal lectern is gone in favor of a smaller, simpler version.

"I've been in complicated churches before and that gets confusing," Alderman said.

None of the changes, he said, could have happened without the congregation.

Alderman's simple style extends to his view of religion. As a child growing up in West Virginia, Alderman attended Methodist and Baptist churches with his family.

He focuses on faith instead of religion, he says.

Belief in God, he said, should supersede allegiance to a particular building.

He plans to lead this local church for as long as he can.

"The last pastor was here 20 years; I've been here eight years," Alderman said. "I'll be here until they get tired of me or God tells me to move on."

Dave Hendricks covers general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4454.