For over five decades, the Barnes family has woven their faith and resilience into the fabric of South Florida, redefining what it means to serve both church and community. At the heart of this legacy stands Dr. Bob Barnes, whose tenure as CEO of Sheridan House Family Ministries has not only uplifted single mothers and atrisk youth but also catalyzed a movement for stronger families across the region. His wife Rosemary, a powerful partner, has served alongside him, mentoring women through her weekly Bible studies. Rosemary’s family is rooted in a remarkable lineage, including five generations of pastors tracing back to renowned pastor and theologian R.A. Torrey, an American evangelist and the inaugural superintendent of Moody Bible Institute. Their daughter Torrey Roberts is his namesake. Today, their son Dr. Robey Barnes is lead pastor of City Rev Church in Pembroke Pines and a key voice in Church United, working tirelessly to foster unity among South Florida’s churches, collaborating across denominations to ignite transformation throughout the area. His wife Rebekah Barnes serves beside him, leading City Rev’s women’s ministry and shares a strong family legacy of pastors and faith-filled judges fighting for social justice as well. Together, the Barnes family has built a legacy that spans generations and forged a multigenerational mission to uplift the vulnerable through faith and compassion. However, they are quick to say they had nothing to do with it. “We only had the privilege as couples of being here while He did this,” emphasized Dr. Barnes as he pointed heavenward. Pastor Robey agreed, “All any of us want to do is to tell a story that’s not our story but a story that honors God.” Like a chess piece in the hand of God, Dr. Barnes has willingly moved from church to church, filling church pulpits as an interim pastor, sometimes for years at a time, bringing sound biblical teaching during tumultuous times of transition, all while continuing to direct Sheridan House Family Ministries. The extensive list of churches begins in 1984 with Flamingo Road Baptist Church (now Potential Church) and includes assignments at Bethany Presbyterian (now Rio Vista Church), Wayside Baptist Church in Kendall, First Baptist Weston, Boca Raton Community Church, First Baptist Perrine (now Christ Fellowship), The Worship Center, Sheridan Hills Baptist Church, First Christian Church, Christ the Rock Community Church, First Baptist West Palm Beach (now Family Church), Hollywood Christian Center, New Testament Baptist Church, Two Rivers Church and culminating with a three-year stint at First Baptist Fort Lauderdale. He has also mentored many South Florida pastors and is now affectionately referred to as “The Bishop of South Florida” by several evangelical pastors. This is one of the factors that influenced his son Robey when he felt called to the ministry. While he remained rooted as a youth with his family at Sheridan Hills Baptist Church, which he said was “absolutely key,” Robey said his father was constantly serving in other churches from the time Robey was a very young boy. “So, it gave me a view of church that was very broad… all different kinds of churches, and Mom and Dad would enter a church usually at their most vulnerable point because they had just lost their lead pastor, sometimes for bad reasons, an affair, embezzlement, whatever. A lot of times these were some of the messiest years of that church’s experience. So I was at a healthy church… had Christian friends around me both at school and at church, was given great ministry opportunities and also saw the broader South Florida church through that. It was probably going to make one of two things happen: either I’d run the other way, or I’d run to it. And God by his grace called me to run to it.” Robey met his wife Rebekah at Taylor University where he was drawn to her heart of compassion for the vulnerable. They were married shortly after graduation and moved to Louisville where she earned a Master of Social Work at University of Louisville, and Robey earned his Master of Divinity at Southern Seminary while helping at a church plant in Louisville. During the summers, Robey interned at a small church plant in South Florida. They were surprised when the founding pastor left and he was asked to be the interim and then lead pastor of West Pines Community Church in West Pembroke Pines, which is now City Rev. Robey was 24 years old and had never been on staff at a church full-time, so he was hesitant. But after much prayer and fasting, they accepted. That was 19 years ago. Rebekah worked as a children’s advocate at 4KIDS for five years then earned her LCSW while raising their three children and leading the women’s ministry at the church. City Rev has since grown from 100 congregants to a little over 1,000 on two campuses, with plans to open a third campus in Miami Springs through a partnership with the former Miami Springs Baptist Church. However, Pastor Robey said he’s not concerned about the size of their church or the number of their campuses. “We’re convinced biblically that the vision for the local church is to see their city transformed. That’s where the name City Rev comes from. Rev comes from Revealing Jesus will Revolutionize the city. Our vision is to see South Florida transformed by the gospel, but that’s not something we can do alone. That’s something that we have to do in partnership.” That’s why Robey is committed to the mission of Church United. “The most exciting thing happening is God has been unifying the Church in South Florida, which is a work of the Holy Spirit. Historically for South Florida that’s a miracle. What has been prayed over South Florida for generations is an awakening sweep through South Florida, and I believe we’re building on many generations who have prayed for that.” Spiritual leaders Eddie Copeland, executive director of Church United, said “When I think about the Barnes, I think about standing on the shoulders of spiritual giants. Bob has been a trusted voice to South Florida that I have so much love and respect for and the fact that he passed on that spiritual legacy to Robey, who now champions his own local church at City Rev and the broader Bride of Christ in the region, has been instrumental to the work of Church United.” As a member of their leadership team, Robey also represents Church United as a voting member on the executive board of the National Christian Foundation South Florida, advocating for the Church among donors and marketplace leaders. “He is our strongest advocate for why this work matters… and has taken it to the next level when it comes to his generation and peer group.” And as a graduate of Westminster Academy in 2000, he was surrounded by peers who are now in ministry in South Florida: Rob Pacienza, lead pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, and his wife Jennifer Pacienza; Phil Leticia, associate pastor at Park Road Pres; Katy Mills, Executive Director of Communications at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale; Brad Schmidt, pastor of CityChurch Fort Lauderdale; and Ryan Brasington, worship pastor at Rio Vista Church, among others. His parents were also influential. Copeland said, “When there has been brokenness at a church in South Florida, everyone turned to Bob Barnes to fill the seat until things can be fixed.” And one of the things that causes pastors to fall is their marriages not being strong, but Bob and Rosemary have modeled something very different in that regard. “There is no Bob Barnes without Rosemary and there is no Robey Barnes without Rebekah,” said Copeland, adding, “When we formed a Spiritual Advisory Council to strengthen pastor’s wives, Rosemary Barnes (along with Suzanne Sauder, of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, and Elizabeth Mitchell, of Boca Raton Community Church) lent her voice and her credibility to strengthen pastor’s wives and women in ministry in South Florida.” In December 2024, Sheridan House Family Ministries celebrated Bob and Rosemary Barnes for 50 years of ministry while dedicating the new Barnes Family Training Center in their honor. Doug Sauder, pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale spoke during the ceremony, describing them as “pillars” of the spiritual community of South Florida. “It’s the combination of their character and their commitment to serve vulnerable children and single moms in a very consistent way… When I think of Bob Barnes, I think of the word vision, and he’s got a crazy faith. He does things when there’s no money in the bank and just trusts God. It’s a beautiful, reckless faith fueled by a deep burden that God gave him. And they both serve with an incredible amount of compassion, giving the glory to God,” said Sauder. H f A w w M Rf m m R r e t f C d B 5 t Mt s 7 t B y m Bl f “ H w w p s f a f v f i w t t o s s T s r h t a Rt T A h Good News Legacy Family Adults pictured from left to right: Adam and Torrey Roberts, Dr. Bob and Rosemary Barnes, Dr. Robey and Rebekah Barnes; Children from left to right: Reuben and Judah Roberts; Scarlett, Nehemiah and Hope Barnes. 5 50 Years of Grace and Growth: How the Barnes Family Helped Transform South Florida Families and Churches
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