Bob was raised in a Christian family but strayed in his teen years, getting involved with rock bands, drugs and the occult. But after graduating from high school he and his girlfriend, Jeanne, surrendered their lives to Christ. They soon married and became involved with a youth group that had recently relocated from Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California, to Oregon. Bob and Jeanne served the Lord in that ministry for over 8 years.
In 1978 they moved to Arizona, and Bob worked as an insurance agent. In 1981, he planted Calvary Chapel North Phoenix, where he served for the next 29 years as lead pastor. In 2010, leadership of the church was handed off to their second son, Jesse. Bob and Jeanne then joined the Poimen Ministries, a small group of long-time pastors, whose mission is to strengthen pastors to strengthen churches. They served with Poimen Ministries in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe for over 6 years, based out of Exeter, England, where Bob also pastored Calvary Exeter.
In the autumn of 2019, Bob and Jeanne moved their ministry base to Calvary Church in Aurora, Colorado, where they are still assisting pastors and wives through Poimen Ministries in the United States and abroad.