DODSON, ROB & LYNNELL

Rob was born into a Roman Catholic family.  In his teens, he began to question the “traditions” and rules of the Catholic church.  In June of 1997, Rob entered the United States Air Force, where he met and married Lynnell.  Many times, she shared the gospel with Rob and how he could have a personal relationship with God.  Rob kept rejecting God.  Yet God kept speaking to his heart through preaching and the witness of others.  On June 14, 1998, Rob accepted Christ as his Savior while visiting a church in Macon, GA. 

Lynnell was born & reared in a military & Christian home.  She cannot remember a time when her family wasn’t in church.  While they were stationed at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) in Ft. Walton Beach (FWB), FL.  Lynnell came to the realization she was a sinner and was lost without Christ.  Lynnell received Christ as her Savior at the age of 6 at Calvary Baptist Church in FWB.  While Lynnell attended the church school, she had a teacher who loved serving God and had a heart for others.  This teacher shared this love with her students.  Lynnell surrendered her life to missions at the age of 8. 

When Rob & Lynnell were stationed at MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL, they attended West Gate Baptist Church.  It was while they were there that the Lord called them to missions although they did not know to where.  Then, stationed at Little Rock AFB in Jacksonville, AR, Rob & Lynnell attended New Horizon Baptist Church.  Through the preaching and opportunities at NHBC, much prayer, Godly counsel, and temporary duties to Germany, God solidified their calling to minister to and encourage the US military families stationed in Germany. 

Rob & Lynnell has partnered with Dr. Gib & Kathy Wood at Rheinland Baptist Church (RBC) in Landstuhl, Germany.  Due to the unavailability of base housing, they are living and shopping in the local German towns while ministering to the US military families in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC).  The Dodson family is learning the German language and customs in to be able to communicate to the German government and those in the town they are living.  The KMC houses the second largest military population in a foreign country.  Although they are working at RBC, there may arise opportunities for them to minister at another military church, until a pastor is called.  Due to these churches being military churches, and the rate of rotation, the church loses most of the military families, and the churches are “replanted” every 2-3 years.  The number of missionaries to the military coming to Germany does not exceed the rate of missionaries who are getting older or having to return to the US for other reasons.  Their hearts are for the US military members, families, and civilians working at the bases, but not for a specific area.  The need is great in all the bases.