Bob Merritt is the retired senior pastor of Eagle Brook Church in suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul,

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, USA, a

megachurch A megachurch is a church with a very large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities. Most megachurches are Evangelical, although the term denotes a type of organization, not a denomination. A megachurch draws 2 ...

Early life and education

Merritt's father was Calvin Merritt, pastor of the First Baptist Church in

Neshannock Township, Pennsylvania Neshannock Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 9,609 at the 2010 census. The township derives its name from Neshannock Creek, a Native American name purported to mean "double stream". ...

. Bob Merritt attended Neshannock High School in the 1970s, then went to Bethel University in

Arden Hills, Minnesota Arden Hills ( ) is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,939 at the 2020 census. Bethel University and its seminary is located in the city. Also, the campus of University of Northwestern – St. Paul straddl ...

, where he obtained a master's degree in divinity. From 1983 to 1988, he was pastor of the Falun First Baptist Church in Falun, Wisconsin. He then went to

Penn State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

, where he earned a doctorate in speech communications in 1991.

Ministry

Merritt became pastor of the First Baptist Church ( Eagle Brook Church) of White Bear Lake in 1991. By 1997, when the church took its present name, average weekend attendance had grown to 1,400. To encourage people who may have been turned off by the formality of other churches, Merritt deliberately gave Eagle Brook an informal atmosphere with no stained glass, pews or altar. Merritt attributes the healthy level of donations from his core congregation to the sense of mission in the church, the drive to reach as many people as possible and help them grow in their faith. He also emphasizes the importance of providing more than just a place to hear music and listen to an inspiring or helpful message, but to also be active in the world community assisting the oppressed, poor and hungry. Although retired from Eagle Brook Church, according to the former pastor's website, Bob Merritt remains engaged in his ministry. He now dedicates himself to advising and coaching other pastors and ministries. Additionally, Merritt continues to contribute to the broader faith community by speaking at churches and conferences and sharing his expertise and experiences to encourage and educate others in their spiritual and leadership journeys.

Leadership training

Merritt was an instructor at Bethel Virtual Seminary of Bethel University.

Recognition

In 2006, he was named Bethel Seminary Alumnus of the Year for his work in guiding the church through explosive growth and reaching out to people who had been lost to the church.

Bibliography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merritt, Bob Living people Baptist ministers from the United States People from White Bear Lake, Minnesota Year of birth missing (living people)