FBC Chattahoochee

Contact Bob at 404.794.4922 or bobs {at} fbcchat(.)com

First Baptist Church Chattahoochee has been blessed by the ministry of Bob Shaw for over 50 years. Bob has been the Minister of Music at the First Baptist Church of Chattahoochee since 1957 and shows no signs of losing his zeal. Another phenomenon to this record of longevity is that his pianist, Melanie Hales Christianson, and organist, Joy Overstreet Gilbert, are young women who grew up in the church and have been playing as a team with Bob for the past forty years.

Robert Jennings Shaw was born in Bronwood, Georgia (South Georgia) but grew up in Marietta, Georgia. After graduating from Marietta High School, he joined the Air National Guards and enrolled at Georgia Tech. When he was in his Junior Year at Tech, he was asked to join a southern gospel quartet to sing professionally and completed his college degree work at what was then, The University of Georgia in Atlanta.

He was singing with The Homeland Harmony Quartet when the Korean conflict broke out and was called into the Air Force where he three years. When he returned he, along with Dan Huskey and Big Jim Waits, organized a group known as The Revelaires Quartet. After a few years, Bob and his wife, Elaine, had two infant daughters who were growing and changing so fast from week to week that it became more difficult for him to be on the road constantly.

Therefore he decided to leave the professional quartet ministry, and work at a job which would allow him to spend more time with his family. Being home also gave him more time to become more involved in the music and choir ministry at First Baptist Church of Chattahoochee. When the church’s Music Director, Lamar Haynie, retired Bob was asked to replace him on a part time basis. This began a journey that continues even to this day.

When Bob began his ministry with us he set about organizing a graded choir system for the church which was experiencing tremendous church growth. Sunday Bible Study was exceeding over 600 people in attendance on a regular basis, and all of the graded choirs were brimming with children, youth, and adults. Bob began presenting Spring and Christmas musicals which included sacred and secular songs sung by choirs, soloist, trios, quartet, accompanied not only by the organ and piano but also harps, oboes, trumpets, guitars, drums and other musical instruments played by the young people within the church. Our church has always been blessed with a remarkable number of musically talented members. As the church decided to stay committed to our Upper West Side community the music ministry reflected what was happening in the church as we went through the same transition that the community found itself.

But even though the attendance of our church and music ministry has declined over the past 25 years our worship experience has remained strong in spirit and enthusiasm with the single purpose of honoring God. Now, as our community is revitalizing, Bob is so very excited to see how God wants to use the gifts and abilities of our dedicated worship leaders in the renewal of our congregation. One of his great joys is to involve new people into this ministry so you are welcome to attend a Choir Rehearsal any Wednesday evening at 7:30pm to see if this is something God might be inviting you to involve yourself.

Commitment describes this man who can multi-task more jobs than most people would think possible. He has been a successful businessman, leader in the local, state and national political process and a very effective leader of worship and music development at FBCC…all at the same time. Once when he was General Agent for the Pan American Life Insurance Company and was attending a required meeting at the home office in New Orleans, it fell on the week-end of the annual homecoming at the church. Not to be hindered from his duties, Bob took a plane out of New Orleans on Saturday afternoon, flew to Atlanta to be at church homecoming services on Sunday, and flew back to New Orleans after services on Sunday evening.

On another occasion, Bob had undergone an operation at the hospital and a friend’s father passed away. Bob checked himself out of the hospital, sang at his friends’ father’s funeral, and then checked himself back into the hospital. He seems to be blessed with boundless energy and compassion and never refuses to try to help someone who needs a favor or encouragement.

As a member of The Harmoneers Quartet, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2002. He was inducted a second time with The Sunshine Boys in 2005, and as a gospel singer he was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also honored as Chairman Emeritus of his Fulton County political party. At FBCC Bob has served as Minister of Music, Bible Study Teacher, Deacon, Trustee and his enthusiasm has never diminished.

These days he works as a lobbyist, serves as Chairman of the Development Authority of Fulton County, and still very effectively leads his beloved church to Worship God. In addition to all of that, he and Elaine are very much involved with their family of four daughters and fourteen grandchildren. He is the quintessential “southern gentleman” – polite, soft -spoken, and gentle who loves the Lord and has a passion to help people worship our Father in Heaven.