Pastor Scott Strobel

Family

On July 12, 1987 Pastor Scott Strobel conducted his first service as the pastor of the First Bible Baptist Church of Lockport, NY, and has continued here as Pastor since that time.


He and his wife, Renee had only been married for five weeks at the time they became Pastor and Pastor's wife.  Since then, God blessed them first with five boys, and then tied that package up with a nice bow of two girls.  They have now also entered into that enjoyable realm of being grandparents.


Psalm 128 A Song of degrees. 

{1}Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. 

{2} For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. 

{3} Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. 

{4} Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. 

{5} The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. 

{6} Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.


Education

Pastor Strobel has had five years of formal training for the ministry at three different schools.  About four months after he got saved in 1980, he went to Fellowship Baptist College in East Peoria, IL and studied there for one school year.  The following school year he attended Hyles-Anderson College.  


After completing that school year, Pastor Strobel embarked on some informal education consisting of on the job experience in the ministry.  It was the summer of 1982, and he went to work at the Anchor Home for Boys, which was part of the Roloff Evangelistic Enterprises founded by Bro. Lester Roloff.  He worked there for 8 months before joining up with a friend to go to Billings, Montana where he would assist his friend in starting a church. While in Billings, during a time of drawing close to the Lord and seeking God's face, the Lord clearly impressed him to finish his schooling at the Pensacola Bible Institute.  After a three day Greyhound bus trip, he arrived in Pensacola, Florida in time to begin the Fall Semester in 1983.  Pastor Strobel graduated from the Pensacola Bible Institute in 1986.  He then did some additional studies in the 1986-87 school year, as well as some extension teaching for the Bible Institute.


Being a Pastor since 1987 he has gained a whole other education of experience in the ministry, as well as by continuing to study on his own, and feed the Lord's sheep.  


I Peter 5:2-3 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; {3} Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.


Salvation

Pastor Strobel grew up as a Roman Catholic.  He was baptized as a baby, attended 8 years of Catholic grade school, and two years of Catholic High school before finishing in public high school.  Early in grade school he became an altar boy.  He also participated in the Catholic communion, confession, and confirmation.  


In his late teen-age years he came under great conviction of sin, was disillusioned with the world, and more than anything wanted to know that he was going to heaven when he died.  He set up a meeting with his priest and asked him, "How can I know I'm going to heaven when I die?"  The priest said, "Nobody really knows for sure."  Frustrated, he was left to try to figure it out on his own.  He thought if he were to give his whole life to God, surely God would not deny him entry into heaven.  The only way he knew how to give his life to God was to become a priest.  After thinking long and deeply about this, he decided if that's what it takes, he would do it, because no matter how good things might get in life, if he missed out on heaven he would miss it all.


He visited a high school seminary and two college seminaries, spending a night at each one.  In both cases he saw that the seminary students were just as lost as he was.  The priests there were no help either.


Prior to this a friend of his had gotten saved and tried to witness to him.  The friend told him that he should talk to his pastor.  As an entrenched Roman Catholic, and believing he was in the one true church, he blew it off.  However, after finding no help from his priest and the seminaries, he decided to talk to his friend's pastor.  After a Friday night youth meeting, he spoke with the pastor in the back of a little country church.  The pastor showed him from the Bible how he could know he was going to heaven.  The pastor answered all of his questions with Scripture.  And on April 25, 1980 he bowed his head and put his faith completely in the Lord Jesus Christ as his only hope for heaven.  For the first time in his life, he knew he was saved and on his way to heaven.


He then began to attend that church faithfully and grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  He also began to serve the Lord in whatever capacity he could, from helping the pastor with the building and grounds, to passing out tracts, and helping in Vacation Bible School.  After all these many years, Pastor Strobel still testifies and believes, "It's good to be saved!"