Pastor Rob Olsen of Becker Baptist Church gave his final sermon Sunday before officially riding off into the sunset of retirement.

A luncheon was served following the service under a huge, white canopied tent on the lawn outside the church. Pastor Rob, his wife Caroline and their two daughters,  Christine and Sarah, sat at a table outside the tent to receive well-deserved regards from friends, family and congregants of the church Rob shepherded since 1992.

Pastor Rob’s final message Sunday was entitled, Last Words: Moses. But before he spoke for the final time, a video was presented at the church service entitled, “Journey of his life”. It featured rarely-seen photos of Rob in his early years. One of the slides showed Pastor Rob at a very young age, with a hand-written note of his pledge to follow Jesus, asking the Lord to forgive him of his sins and come into his heart.

Rob was an avid Boy Scout and even achieved Eagle Scout status by the age of 14. He loved camping. While attending college at Bethel, Rob was setting his sights on becoming a camp director or a forest ranger. Then, the door to Bethel Seminary opened and Olsen gently walked through — not completely sure he could handle the rigors of becoming a pastor nor have the guts to stand in front of a congregation to speak.

He surrendered those fears to his God and took the path lit for him.

During Sunday’s service, several parishioners took to the podium to spill their heart’s words and express their gratitude to the only pastor many had ever known in their life in Becker.

Happy Trails was sang by the congregants at the end of the program, signaling the time had come to say goodbye.

Pastor Rob stood proud, as did the rest of his family on the very stage he felt a little inadequate back in 1992 when he took the reins. However, all were sure the learned pastor felt at ease as he was reminded of the advice his father Olaf and father-in-law Richard once told him to settle his nerves, “Love the people. Listen more than you speak. Walk alongside them. Trust God to guide your words and steps.”

Pastor Rob has done more than he has been asked. He has done more than was expected. And he has done more than challenged.

And his congregation is eternally blessed.