Now housed at 2560 E. Sunset consuming four units and nearly 6,000 square feet of the Park 2000 Business Park, ROB Ministries has begun to make its mark in the community. “Only by the Grace of God,” said Pastor Carter, a licensed and ordained minister through the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.
Charismatic in his preaching style, Pastor Carter refuses to take credit for the rapid growth of the ministry. “God absolutely gave me the vision of targeting men,” he explained. “And the motto of restoring the breach came directly out of Isaiah 58:12 – that’s self explanatory. But it is all God, believe me when I tell you.”
Born in Indianapolis and raised in Los Angeles, Pastor Carter was being groomed to preach from day one according to his mother Marchell Humphries. “My mother would say, this boy is going to be a preacher as she rubbed his head,” Humphries recalls. “I just called him my miracle baby, but she always called him a preacher up until the day she died.”
Born, weighing only two pounds and four ounces, Pastor Carter was pronounced a blind, premature baby boy who would never walk, according to doctors. But through prayers, God’s will, broken ankles and corrective shoes, his destiny would take him a different route than that of a crippled male.
From age five, Pastor Carter began to play football and became a tiny mite. The young athlete went from tiny mites, to pee wees, to the Pop Warner league, to high school football, to the University of Arizona to the Miami Dolphins and then to Germany. “And they said he would never walk,” his mom said with a smile. “But God….”
Watching him physically demonstrate the struggle between flesh and spirit in a unique and animated way during a Bible study session, some could say Pastor Carter was restored early to bring him to his current work in the ministry – a preacher who walks with authority and brings the Word of God to life through his powerfully delivered sermons. He would disagree.
“I am amazed every day that God would choose me for this work,” he says wearing a contagious smile. “Some people think because you get up there and deliver a powerful word that it is not for you. When I preach, I am preaching to you not at you. You’re trying to get to heaven and I’m trying to get there too.
“Sometimes as preachers, we create a plateau of Christianity that doesn’t really exist. Can we push the button and see the screen outside of church? We have issues too. I am in no position to judge anyone; all I try to do is preach the truth, that’s it. I am straight forward and in your lap – bam there it is. If it fits you great, if it doesn’t, you know. It is up to the Holy Ghost to police you,” Pastor said.
“The biggest challenge I have as a pastor is learning how to go in and out of God’s people without hurting them,” he explained. “As leaders we have to stop beating people up. This is a hospital and there is going to be some surgery, but don’t go in - tell me what’s wrong and then not sew me up. That’s where we make the mistake,” Pastor Carter added.
“We have to all remember this is a hospital and everybody in here is sick – from the top on down. I might be in stable condition and someone else might be in critical condition or on life support, but let’s be real – we’re all in the building,” he said with a soothing demeanor.
A dedicated husband and father, Pastor Carter prides himself on constantly working to maintain balance – balance in his home life, balance in his character, balance in his role in the community. “I can’t be too carnal that people don’t see my anointing,” he admitted. “But I can’t be too spiritual that I’m no earthly good.”
Faced with the woes of ministry – denomination, diversity, youth, bureaucracy – Pastor Carter deems much of the success of the ministry to being an effective team. Coming out of a dynamic Las Vegas ministry, Pastor served as youth pastor and then an elder before taking on the role of leadership himself. “I can only be a great leader because I was a good follower for twelve years,” he said. “One thing I’ve learned is how to build an effective team of people.”
Men lead the way at ROB Ministries from ushering to working the altar. “That’s our vision, we’re raising up strong men. Traditionally at every church, you find that women run the church. We’re just trying to put men in the roles they were designed to occupy – protectors, burden bearers, the heavy load carriers. Don’t get me wrong, we have some strong women here and they are ready to take active leadership roles with the quickness – but why should they do all the work all the time? It’s time for them to sit back and relax,” he said.
The men have embraced that philosophy. “He is the kind of guy that will make a strong man follow him anywhere,” Coggee Thornton said. “I’ve never seen him out of line even in the past before he started pastoring. When you watch a man exhibit courtesy, decency and respect while dealing with other men, you have to have respect for that. Then he trains and teaches us from the Word. I have much respect for him as my pastor,” he added.
“I believe he is anointed and appointed for such a time as this,” Sherri Bruce said. “He is stern and firm but he is real. I love watching the spirit move and seeing people get delivered. This man truly follows God so it is easy to serve him and the first lady as they bring the vision of God to pass,” she added.
Although he is polished in his approach, and animated in his delivery, Pastor Carter presses to remain transparent as the pastor of the church. His core message is always the same – everybody needs to feel valued, no condemnation; there is always hope for reconciliation with the heavenly father.
“We want to reach the lost but sometimes they are so lost, they don’t think they are fit to come back. I ask God to send me those – the drug addicts, bring them; the cheaters, bring them; the fornicators, bring them; the un-churched, bring them – God can bring you from the bottom of the barrel, restore you and use you – that’s the message. And who are we to determine who is who? I believe as a pastor I have to have one foot in the problem and one foot in the solution, you have to be willing to get your hands dirty but not be affected by the dirt,” he explained.
“I honor my husband as my pastor, my husband and a father,” first lady Carter announced to the congregation. “He makes sure that he is always accessible to each of you. He answers every call, he answers every text, he tries to be there for each of you and we respect and honor the sacrifices he makes to do that. As his family, we embrace his vision and we respect his anointing,” she said.
ROB Ministries, under the covering of Shield of Faith, stands positioned to accept all patients with open arms with leaders who believe all can be healed, restored and strengthened. So if you’re looking for a church home and nothing has stood out as a place that will accept you as you are, try door number three - Restorer of the Breach is sure to be a treat.
