Rev. Dr. Robert Austell, Jr.
Associate Pastor for Worship and Adult Discipleship
Robert first laid hands on the family piano around age four and learned to improvise the “Boogie Woogie” next to his dad. That love for music never left him and he went on to study classical piano, play in bands, work in studios, produce his own and other’s CDs, write music, and lead worship in churches and conferences… and he’s never stopped.
Around age six he also attended his first “lay renewal” – an evangelistic and mostly lay-led weekend revival meeting put on by Jesus-loving Presbyterians. He went on to participate in a number of these, playing piano for the worship times starting around age 12, and sharing his testimony with youth and adults in high school. Somewhere in those early years he saw a concert pianist lead the worship at one of those lay renewals, then get up and preach later in the weekend. And (as his parents tell it), he said, “I want to do that.”
As Associate Pastor for Worship and Adult Discipleship at VPC, he is getting to reach deeply into those two giftings and callings of worship and teaching.
Robert’s faith was deeply shaped by the ministries of Young Life and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, as well as multiple years participating in the short-term mission projects of what would become Youth Conference Ministries. Seminary study at Gordon-Conwell, Princeton, and Reformed Seminaries confirmed his understanding of God’s Kingdom as much bigger than the PCUSA denomination he grew up in and to which he is called.
He served two churches before coming to VPC, most recently as solo pastor of a congregation in Charlotte, NC for 21 years. He loves God’s people and our mission to the world God loves. Truth and Grace are defining concepts for him, connecting two aspects of who God is that must be held together to truly represent the Gospel in the world.
Robert is a funny, funny man. You may not get that at first because he listens before he speaks. But wait until the right moment and he’ll drop a dry comment into the conversation that will bloom into something delightful. Dad joke? Maybe. Or maybe something deeper for those with ears to hear. I mean just look at how much mileage Connie has gotten out of being called ‘thorough’!
Robert has been married to Heather since 1992 and they have three grown daughters who all live in NC: Walker, Abby, and Liz. Ask Robert or Heather about any one of them and they’d love to tell you all about them!
