PERSONALITY PROFILE: Roberto Marcelletti

Name: Roberto Marcelletti

Address: 1803 W Ennis Avenue, Apt. 2207, Ennis, Texas 75119

Email: robbyypatty@hotmail.com

Mission field I’ll be serving in: Planting a Hispanic church in North Arkansas. (See State Missions report on pg. 7 in the Jan. 26 issue.)

My church planting project came from meditating on the book of Acts chapter 14:21-23. Basically, three things were their priority, and they are the ones we are going to do —proclaiming the gospel, making many disciples and organizing the new disciples into new churches.

Vision/Missions: To be a community (family) that exists to make known and live the gospel (the person and work of Christ) and that people are transformed into disciples of Jesus who make disciples. We will accomplish this by loving God and our neighbor, growing through discipleship and serving each other and our community. Our mission, like that of the disciples, is to form groups that become churches.

Primarily, my ministry will include developing disciples who will then go on to grow and become leaders in the church. Teaching is also my passion to transmit those biblical principles to the members of the church so that they can become mature members. Marriage discipleship is a tool that my wife and I use to help them to become mature members of the church.

My wife’s maiden name is Patty Villamizar Gafaro.

My favorite worship song/hymn is “This is Amazing Grace.”

My favorite subjects in school were biology and geography.

The best advice I ever received was to expect everything from the Lord, expect nothing from people.

Guests at my “fantasy dinner” would be: Jesus, Paul, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Jan Hus, William Carey, David Livingstone and Mary (the mother of Jesus).

My favorite books (other than the Bible) are the Autobiography of George Muller and Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

My hobbies are singing, cooking, reading, watching a good movie with my wife and watching soccer.

I would love to visit Israel, New York and to take my wife to Rome (where my family was born).

My “pet peeve” is buying books — at the moment I have about 10 to read.

My most embarrassing moment was when I spoke to Patty’s parents to ask for their consent to marry her.

The Bible character I most identify with is Paul, because of his passion for making disciples.

The best thing about my ministry is that I have all the support and help of my wife — in discipling women, as my musician and with her prayers.

The worst thing about my ministry is giving up before it is time with people who do not want to follow Jesus. I should be more persistent and have more patience.

The greatest need in this ministry is much more prayer, much more time alone with God to be guided by his Holy Spirit and less by me.

Something most people don’t know about me is I like languages. My challenge this year is to improve my English and then learn another language.

I want my children to remember that I loved Jesus Christ and that I showed them the gospel in my life.

I’d give anything to have met several of the Puritans — Richard Baxter, John Owen, John Flavel and John Bunyan.

I have always wanted to preach in English and Italian.

I’d like for my epitaph to read: “…Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:23 NIV)

Other comments: The Lord brought us to this country to serve Him and to be witnesses of His glorious gospel in the midst of a people who have no hope for us. We are very excited about the opportunity to serve that we have been given.