Dr. Robby Bell

Home

Hi, I’m Dr. Robert Bell, otherwise known around here as Robby Bell. Glad to have you browsing through our web site. To let you know something about who I am, I’ll share the following information about myself, then say a few words about what I do here at the seminary.

I was born a PK and a PGK—that’s a Preacher’s Kid and a Preacher’s GrandKid. My father is an Associate Reformed Presbyterian minister as was my paternal grandfather. I was born in Spartanburg, SC, and, in my childhood, lived at Sandy Plains, NC; Tirzah, SC; and Spottswood, VA with my two brothers and three sisters. After graduating from Riverheads High School near Staunton, VA, I attended Erskine College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Medical Technology in 1976. I worked as a certified Medical Technologist (ASCP) at King's Daughters Hospital in Staunton, VA until 1979 when I entered Erskine Theological Seminary. My high school sweetheart, Karen Graves Bell of Mint Spring, Virginia, and I were married at the Old Providence ARP Church in 1976. Karen has worked as a secretary, court reporter, and home school teacher. She currently serves as Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director of Erskine College.

After completing the Master of Divinity program in 1982, and being ordained to the Gospel ministry by Virginia Presbytery, my wife, Karen, and I moved to Statesville, NC (First Presbytery) where I became mission developer/pastor of the Pressly Memorial Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. While at Statesville, my wife and I adopted our two children, Ricky and Cyndi. There also, I served as a volunteer fireman and secretary to the board of directors of the Trinity Volunteer Fire Department in Iredell County.

Answering the call to come teach at Erskine Seminary in the area of pastoral care and counseling, I entered graduate school at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY in 1989. "Guilt and Its Resolution in Pastoral Care" was the focus of my Th.M. thesis that was completed in 1990. My Ph.D. dissertation, completed in 1994, focused upon "A Pastoral Care Approach to Anger in Crisis: Contending with God." Outside of Psychology of Religion, my minor area of study was in theology. University work was completed at Spalding University, Louisville, KY.

My initiation into CPE or Clinical Pastoral Education began in the summer of 1989 at Charlotte Memorial Hospital (now, Carolinas Memorial Hospital) in Charlotte, NC followed by a unit at Central State (Mental) Hospital in Anchorage, KY (Fall 1989) and a unit at Frazier Rehabilitation Hospital in Louisville, KY (Spring 1990). From August 1991 to August 1993 I was an intern in the D. Swan Haworth Pastoral Counseling Training Program (AAPC certified training center) at Personal Counseling Service, Inc. in Jeffersonville, IN. At the Life Care Counseling Center of the Walnut Street Baptist Church, Louisville, KY, I served as a part-time pastoral counselor from August 1993 until May 1994.

In June of 1994, we moved to the Due West area. We live about five miles from the seminary on fifteen acres of farmland where we formerly pastured (and spoiled!) a one-ton plus Belgian draft horse named Dixie.  But, she had to be put down due to cancer in July of 2003.  We've really missed her!  Our dog, a golden retriever, keeps an eye on the place along with Puff, John, Buster, Babs, and Ellie, our cats. We compete with the deer for vegetables from our garden and enjoy seeing wild turkey cross the field near our house from time to time.

Our son is now married and lives in Virginia with his wife and children.  Our daughter lives in a nearby town and works in a chemistry lab.

(The Holy Bible, New International Version, Zondervan Corp., 1978)