I was born in Cornwall, but spent my childhood in Ghana, Pakistan and India with my Salvation Army officer parents.
In 1984, after gaining a BA in Economics, I entered the Salvation Army officer training college. Following my commissioning and ordination in 1986 I led corps (churches) for the next 19 years in Caterham, Plumstead, Cwmbran and Cardiff. During this time I gained a BA in Theology with the Open Theological College.
In 2005 I moved to Nottingham to become Director for Evangelism (mission enabler) in the East Midlands Division, and a year later became Divisional Commander (regional leader) there. A move to International Headquarters followed in 2010, where I served as Under Secretary for Europe and completed my Mth in Applied Theology through Spurgeon’s Baptist College. In 2014 I moved to Edinburgh to be Assistant Secretary for Scotland, responsible for public affairs and ecumenical work nationally, including as a trustee of Action of Churches Together in Scotland.
Moving back south in 2016, I became the Territorial Ecumenical Officer at our UK and Ireland headquarters. A year later, however, I moved to the Publishing Department to become editor of Salvationist magazine.
Since 1986 I have been married to Jayne, who is also a Salvation Army officer. We have four adult children: Daniel, who lives in Brazil, and Sonia, Joanna and Rebecca who live in London.
Having been involved ecumenically since student days, and currently being a CTBI trustee, I embrace the aims of ecumenism wholeheartedly and see it as essential to the mission of God. I look forward to getting back to the role I had for just a year previously and hope to build on the good work of my predecessor, Major David Evans, in reinforcing The Salvation Army’s position as a faithful ecumenical partner at all levels.
What is the Salvation Army?
In the ‘From our tradition’ session at the May 2022 CTE Enabling Group, Lieut-Colonel Roberts shared the ‘Roots and fruits’ of the Salvation Army.
Download the slides which accompany the ‘Roots and fruits’ presentation.
Lieut-Colonel Roberts takes up his role as Territorial Ecumenical Officer in mid-July 2022.