Former U.S. Marine, Antione Robinson, has joined the SBC Chaplaincy Team as their new training specialist to assist chaplains with resources. Antione will assist with scheduling and facilitating quarterly webinars, the regional chaplaincy professional training (CPDT), fellowships at the SBC annual meeting and other chaplaincy events.
“I love being able to serve others and support their training needs. Continuing education is so important to our spiritual and personal growth, and so I’m excited to find ways to meet the training needs that our chaplains have and desire,” said Antione.
Currently, the SBC Chaplaincy Team serves over 3,700 chaplains who serve to bring the hope of the gospel to the most intense and spiritually fraught environments. The SBC Chaplaincy Team exists to equip and encourage chaplains and provide them with relevant resources and training opportunities worldwide. They support military communities through church planting efforts and their regionally based chaplains work hard to provide encouragement and support in life and ministry.
“This year, our training theme is ‘SBC Chaplaincy and the Gospel Mandate.’ We hope to emphasize our responsibility as chaplains and believers in Christ to proclaim the gospel to everyone,” General Doug Carver, executive director of Chaplaincy for the SBC’s North American Board, said. “As chaplains, we encounter people at critical points in their lives, where they are open and receptive to the gospel. We desire to equip chaplains in evangelism and encourage them to seize these opportunities.”
Antione started his new role in April. Previously, he worked as a civil service government employee for 15 years. In addition, Antione spent the past 12 years serving in youth ministry. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri, and a Master of Divinity from Luther Rice College and Seminary in Lithonia, Georgia.
Serving in ministry and caring for others is Antione’s passion. “My grandfather has been my biggest influence throughout my life,” he said. “He was my first pastor and the one through whom I understood the gospel. I know he wasn’t perfect, but I have always looked up to him and tried to emulate his demeanor and how he carried himself. My grandfather was a very visually intimidating person, but he sought to love and care for people no matter who they were, and I have tried to do the same — to be the person he has always modeled for me.”
Loving and caring will play a significant role as Antione steps into his role with the SBC Chaplaincy Team.
“I have always had a heart for chaplaincy,” Antione said. “While in the military, chaplains played a huge role in my early life and ministry. Also, my father has been a longtime state prison chaplain.”
Antione said the Lord prepared him for the role.
“I am a leap-before-I-look type of person. But the Lord has shown me the importance of counting the cost so that I might be able to finish well. This understanding has helped me slow down and remain intentional in what God has called me to do.”
Antione describes himself as “a quiet individual” who likes to work hard. He’s also an avid gardener who enjoys growing various vegetables and flowers.
“I am a husband to my awesome wife, Rachel. We have been married for 21 years, and it has been a wild ride. Rachel and I have eight children (three boys and five girls). We are a very active family, so we spend a lot of time outdoors, and we also love to read, so we make it a point to read several books throughout the year.”
Antione hopes to be a resource for the Chaplaincy Team and the SBC chaplains.
“I am here to support chaplains in any way that I can. I learned to be flexible in the Marine Corps and do more with less. So, I want to leverage the group’s creativity to develop new and innovative ways to train our chaplains better.”
For more information about chaplaincy training, visit the SBC Chaplaincy website at namb.net/chaplaincy.
Published May 12, 2022
