Yesterday: 1953

The best overview of Yesterday comes from Robert Morgan's suggestion that the book is like jumping into Bobby Jackson's car and tagging along during a sixty-year road trip encompassing 2,000 revivals, 15,000 services, and a disproportionate number of misadventures. Along this trip with the Jacksons the reader will go to places they slept, or didn't sleep, sit in services that were disruptive in various ways, listen to denominational controversy in convention business, laugh at humorous stories told in an effort to keep a congregation awake, join Sackbut in adventures with a southern gospel quartet, and along the way learn how it began, how it will end, and what happened during the 60 years in between. It will be an exciting journey.

Bobby Jackson was born in a shotgun rowhouse in the Five Points section of Wilson, NC, December 14, 1931, grew up in Wayne County, NC, the son of a sharecropper, converted in 1949, began preaching in 1950, graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from Free Will Baptist Bible College, Nashville, TN., in 1954, received the Masters Degree with a 4.0 grade point average from Bob Jones University, Greenville, SC., in 1955, entered the ministry of evangelism full time June 2, 1955, has conducted over 2,000 meetings, preached in over 15,000 services, authored four books, Messages that Matter, Beyond the Stars, Awakening in the Wilderness, Six Steps to Successful Christian Living, produced six solo record albums, served the National Association of Free Will Baptists as assistant moderator for six years, and presided as moderator for ten years. He and his wife, Jane, have two sons, Stephen and Philip, three grandchildren, and two great grands. All of them live in Greenville, NC. The schedule is not as full as it was years ago, but at 80 years old he continues in evangelistic meetings as doors of opportunity open.