Robert Gass

- Bob Gass

Bob Gass cherished author of The word for you today,evangelist, pastor, and teacher- died peacefully in his home on June 5th. He was 75

Bob was born to James and Martha Gass on January 15th, 1944 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Following the sudden death of his father, Martha became a single parent of three young children, raising them on a widow’s pension of only $9 per week. Bob gave his life to Christ at the tender age of twelve, during a special service held by Dr. James McConnell. At thirteen, Bob preached his first sermon, entered fulltime ministry at 18.

At eighteen, Bob was given the opportunity to live in the U.S., under the tutorship of Pastor Gordon Magee. He arrived in Houston, Texas in 1962 with two sermons, a briefcase, one suit of clothes, and twenty-five cents in his pocket. Pastor Magee took Bob into his home and mentored and coached him in his communication and preaching skills.

Bob’s first church was in the Bay of Fundy, Back Bay, New Brunswick, Canada. He pastored there for two years and then moved to Bangor, Maine to take over a church from a retiring pastor. Upon his arrival, there were approximately 300 families in the church. Bob’s brother, Neil, was the associate pastor, and worked faithfully alongside him. After twelve years the church had grown to over twelve hundred families.

Bob and Debby were married in 1991, and in 1994, Bob wrote the first edition of the daily devotional, The Word For You Today, with a print run of 3,500 copies. Today the devotional is in print, on television, radio, and digital platforms all around the world, including the United Kingdom, Africa, Argentina, Australia, Cuba, China, Ecuador, India, Ireland, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, and Russia, and currently reaches over 83 million people each day.

In addition to his passion for his family and his calling to share God’s Word, Bob and Debby shared a deep passion for the orphans of Romania. They first went to Romania in 1991, and in the last 28 years they built a transition home called The Village of Hope. Through this ministry they have rescued over 5,000 children from the streets, the sex-trade, and orphanages and placed them into loving homes.

Bob’s favorite quote and life-long passion was this: The World has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man. D.L. Moody

Bob is survived by his loving wife Debby; daughter, Kathy Gass Shea, son-in-law, Michael Shea; Son, Neil Gass, daughter-in-law, Jackie Gass; grandchildren Alex Gass, Austin Gass, and Caitlin Shea; brother, Neil Gass, and sister-in-law, Ginny Gass; sister, Ruth Gass Halliday, and brother-in-law, Billy Halliday; nieces Cheryl Halliday and Shannon Wheeler, brother-in-law, Philip Shaw, sister-in-law, Andrea Shaw; Bob’s best friend, Pastor Joe McKelvey, and long-time personal assistant, Tom Lissak.

A Celebration of his life and ministry will be held on June 22, 2019, 12 noon, at World Harvest Church, 320 Hardscrabble Road, Roswell GA 30075. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the ongoing ministry of The Village of Hope online at BobGass.com, or via mail to Bob Gass Ministries P.O. Box 5130, Alpharetta, GA 30023. OO