It was April of 1995 when I first met brother
Bob Kessinger. I had just arrived in West Virginia to help start
a congregation of the Lord's church in Ripley. A gospel meeting
was held at Cedar Lakes to help kick off the work in Ripley, and
brother Charles Pugh III was speaking. It was at that gospel meeting
that I met Bob for the first time.
Those of us who knew Bob know that he loved to
joke around and have fun. He had an infectious laugh, and his
face would turn so red when he laughed. In 1995, he invited me
to the preacher's meeting in St. Albans. There, Bob began a long
running joke with me. We met for breakfast at Shoney's before
the preacher's meeting and then went to the Washington Street
building for the meeting. If you know me, you know I love to eat,
and breakfast is my favorite meal. At that first breakfast, when
I went back to the breakfast bar the second time, brother Bob
asked if I needed help carrying my plate and offered to be my
plate bearer. This was the running joke for the almost ten years
that I was privileged to know Bob. Also, last year, during the
summer, my son Kadry and I picked up Bob to go to the preacher's
meeting. Bob was his normal, jovial self and was kidding and joking
around with Kadry. On the way home after we had dropped Bob off,
Kadry said, "I really like him; he's funny." Bob truly
enjoyed life.
The one thing that impressed me, as a young preacher,
about brother Bob was his love of the truth, love for the church,
and love for the souls of people. He tirelessly worked to teach
and preach God's Word. He never missed an opportunity to talk
to someone about the Gospel. Bob truly lived Paul's admonition
of 2 Timothy 4:2; "Preach the word! Be ready in season and
out of season." He was not afraid to defend the truth at
any time. He met false teachers with the "sword of the Spirit"
(Ephesians 6:17), and he was a very capable soldier of the cross.
I also observed in brother Bob, his deep concern for the church
(2 Corinthians 11:28). Bob and I spent several hours studying
and talking together about happenings in the brotherhood. It was
evident that the departures from the Scriptures pained him deeply.
Paul wrote, in Titus 2:6; "Likewise exhort
the young men ..." This is what brother Bob did for me. He
was very encouraging to me as I preached the Gospel. He gave me
my first opportunity to do radio work by asking me to fill in
for him on his weekly radio program. I was privileged to do so
some thirty times in ten years. He came to gospel meetings that
I held and always had an encouraging word. I know this encouragement
was not just for me but also brothers Michael Mayo, Jeremy Young,
and countless others.
Brother Bob will be greatly missed. The Lord's
church needs more men like him who will live what they preach.
The Ohio Valley has suffered a great loss, but Bob has gained
that for which he so diligently sought. -Rt. 1 Box 137-H, Ripley,
WV 25271. (304) 372-4526 wrcofc@citynet.net