Right place, right time: Dr. Bob Tibbs’ journey to the pulpit at First Christian Church of Corbin

The Lord works in mysterious ways. We’ve all probably heard that said at least a handful of times in our lives, but sometimes a situation plays out that makes even the most unwavering of skeptics stop and think, “Could this be true?” Case in point, Dr. Bob Tibbs.

Tibbs is currently serving as the full-time pastor at First Christian Church of Corbin. That in itself is not so amazing, but his path to this particular pulpit most certainly is.

“I am a direct result of the old Jesus movement, the campus crusade for Christ, back in the sixties,” Tibbs explained. “That changed my life. A lot of folks, like myself, ended up becoming pastors as a result of that movement.”

Tibbs was born in Detroit, MI, but was raised in Memphis, TN. It was during his time as a student at the University of Memphis that his life was forever changed by the aforementioned movement. He would later attend seminary in Ft. Worth, TX, and it was in the Lone Star State that he first became the lead pastor of a church.

From there, Tibbs was called to lead churches in Illinois, Indiana and Florida, before finally landing in Kentucky.

“By this time, I was retired,” Tibbs said. “But I am a type A personality, so I tried working in insurance, and I was actually one of the leading agents. We got a new boss, though, and he insisted that my work there be the number one priority in my life. I told him that it wasn’t going to be. Number one for me is the Lord Jesus Christ, and number two is my family.”

Tibbs’ boss said he would give him a couple of weeks to re-think his position, but he replied that he didn’t need two weeks, insisting that his priorities were set, and that they would not change.

“I lost that job,” Tibbs said. “So, I asked the Lord what he wanted me to do.”

What happens next in the story might surprise you. You see, Tibbs was shopping in the local Kroger store, picking up some items for his wife, Deb. It was then that he learned of a job opportunity at the store as a part-time clerk.

“The Lord spoke to me about that job and said that he’d like for me to put my name in for consideration,” said Tibbs, who ended up getting hired for the position.

Despite being somewhat skeptical at first, Tibbs said that he ended up enjoying the job. “It gave me a venue to meet the people in Corbin,” he said. “Person after person, I got to meet different people in the community, and as they found out that I was a preacher, I started getting invitations to come and preach at different churches.

Tibbs ended up at First Christian Church, where the previous pastor had recently resigned. When he was asked to step in an interim capacity, he agreed to give it six months. That was several years ago, as he has since agreed to lead the church in the role of head pastor.

“It ended up being one of the best churches that I have ever preached at,” Tibbs said of First Christian. “I have really enjoyed my time there. The church is growing, which is exciting.”

Tibbs describes himself as a “teaching pastor,” being well-versed in the original Greek and Hebrews texts of the Bible. He also is a firm believer in the moving and inspirational messages to be found in old hymns, which many modern churches have moved away from in recent years in favor of a more modern and contemporary style.

Tibbs said that, as a general rule, he advises folks to focus on what he calls the “three big M’s,” or life’s Mission, Master and Mate. “Don’t mess those up,” he advised.

Lifelong love for model trains

When Tibbs isn’t preaching, or preparing for his next sermon, you are likely to find him working on his lifelong passion project – an enormous railroad model featuring not just tracks and trains, but an entire town.

“Being a senior, I am able to do things at this point in my life that have only been bits and pieces previously,” Tibbs said. “I have enjoyed horticulture, studying marine biology, and of course, railroading.”

Tibbs has worked on his model railroad project for five decades. It has been a true labor of love, with roots going all the way back to his childhood.

“When I was a child, I have memories of looking at the old Lionel model trains through store windows,” Tibbs reminisced. “Then my mom and dad got me one that went around the Christmas tree. Every year, when Christmas was over, they would pack that train up and wait until the next year, but finally they let me have it forever. It is because of that train that I ended up with my lifelong railroading hobby.”

Over the years, Tibbs has added onto his model project, a replica of the suburbs of Altoona, PA in the 1990’s, piece by piece. He has had to transport it many times as he has moved around the country, but it has been firmly in place for the past ten years at his current location. In fact, it has grown so large that he has had to build a special room onto his house just to display the model.

When asked why he chose Altoona, PA to recreate, Tibbs said that he has just always had a fascination with that particular area, located in the Allegheny Mountains, which is a prime example of the “richness” of the Pennsylvania railroad system.

Same as with his approach to preaching, Tibbs has remained passionate about and dedicated to his model railroad project over these many years. With an astonishing attention to detail, the model features everything from historic buildings, to natural landmarks, to dozens of tiny townspeople out-and-about in the streets. There is even a little bike rider who pedals around a designated path, and a small farm complete with animated chickens out in the yard, among many other interesting and impressive features.

As time has progressed, Tibbs has learned how to incorporate new technology into the model, which now runs via a computerized system that keeps the trains on time and the miniature town alive with activity.