Robert “Bob” Kanary served 39 years as a pastor in the United Methodist Church (UMC), retiring in 2019. In November 2022, he was approved as an Emeritus Minister in a new denomination, the Global Methodist Church (GMC).
Dr. Kanary holds degrees from Asbury College (1974, BA History), Oral Robert University (1980, M.Div.), and Fuller Theological Seminary (1988, Doctor of Ministry). His dissertation was The Sunday Service: Catalyst for a Process of Spiritual Formation, Lay Ministry, and Kingdom Growth. In 2000 he proposed a pilot study for the UPPER ROOM, using the daily devotional guide as a basis for small-group discipleship. This proposal was modified and is now included in each issue.
In 2016, Bob published Spontaneous Revivals, the long history of Asbury University Revivals, including eyewitness accounts, from 1905 to 2006. Given the massive interest in the recent move of God’s Spirit in February of 2023, an updated edition is in the works, titled Spontaneous Outpourings: 1906-2023.
In September 2019, he became Oklahoma City Co-Director of Navigator Church Ministries (NCM). The Navigators are a parachurch ministry which—along with other efforts—developed the follow-up ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 1950. Bob is laboring on a related book, John Wesley Meets the Navigators: Biblical Principles of Discipleship for Every Generation. His passion is to raise up spiritual generations of disciplemakers.
Bob promotes childhood literacy, having published How Tortoise Helped Jack Rabbit Win Too, a book designed to motivate adults to read aloud with children. He served as an officer in the C.S. Lewis and Inklings Society. His books are available at online booksellers or robertkanarybooks.com.
He enjoys reading, guitar, the Master-Gardener program, and NBA basketball. Bob has been married to his indispensable wife, Lynne, for over 40 years. They have two children, Jonathan, an Anglican priest (ACNA) and adjunct professor at Baylor University, and Sara, who is a professional counselor (LPC).