About the Pastor

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Elder Robert Lee Barton   was born in Jamaica, NY the son of Robert Barton Jr. and Willie Mae Barton. The early part of his life he grew up in Philadelphia, PA where he attended the Greater Refuge Church under the leadership of Apostle H. D. Jones.  To escape the inner-city environment his mother (Mother Steadman’s sister) sent him to Seguin, Texas in 1963 to live with Bishop and Mother Steadman for a year.  It was during this time that Elder Barton was baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost. In 1967 he returned to Seguin to stay.    

Elder Barton graduated from Seguin High School in 1971 and attended Southwest Texas State for two years, but due to the Vietnam War, Elder Barton enlisted in the US Air Force in Oct 73.  During his military career he received many awards and was allowed to see the world.  He has served overseas in Italy, Japan, and Crete, Greece, with temporary duty to Turkey, England, and Saudi Arabia.  He served for 21 years and retired from the Air Force 1 Oct 94.   

 After his Air Force career, Elder Barton worked as a system administrations instructor on a UNIX platform for AT&T Technical Services.  He was later recruited by Lockheed Martin IT in 1995 to fill a system administrator’s position on a UNIX and Linux platform at Randolph Air Force Bases.  

In 1997 Elder Barton obeyed the call of ministry.  In 2001 Minister Barton was Ordained Elder at the Churches of Our Lord Jesus Christ International Convention in Jacksonville, FL After which he was appointed Associate Pastor of the Refuge Church Seguin, TX by Apostle J. P. Steadman.  In 2007 he was appointed Assistant Pastor to Refuge Church by Apostle James Clark. In Aug 2009 Bishop William Jenkins appointed him Interim Pastor of the Macedonia Church.  He also serves as the East Texas Diocese Convention Coordinator, East Texas Trustee member. He has severed as a Professor at Guadalupe Baptist Theological Seminary, instructor for the East Texas Diocese Leadership School, and as Executive Assistant and Secretary for the Southern District of the East Texas Diocese. 

 In the pursuit of excellent, Elder Barton holds numerous certificates for UNIX and Linux Systems and System Administration as well as an Associate of Applied Science Degree in   Communication Technology from the Community College Air Force, a Bachelor of Theology Degree a Master of Theology Degree, and a Doctor of Theology Degree from the Guadalupe Baptist Theological Seminary.  Eld Barton’s desire to see and experience biblical history has led him to visit Rome, Ephesus, Cairo, and two 10-day tour of Israel and one that followed the footsteps of Paul, which were an experience of a lifetime. 

 Elder Barton is the establishmentarian for the House of Refuge.  The House of Refuge was started November 24, 2013, and dedicated January 19, 2014. 

Elder Barton is married to the former Evelyn Leatrice Ball. They have three children: Robert III, Everett, and Jeanae.  They have been blessed with 14 grandchildren.