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With a career that spans 5 decades, Chris’ experience is inclusive of both the private sector and the Church. He has taught adults in the Church for over 40 years, served on numerous committees, appointed to several terms as a deacon and elder, participated in pastor search committees, and served as an officer in parachurch organizations.
In the late 70’s, in two years, he ascended the ranks from sales rep to Regional Sales Director over multiple divisions of a large national company. His responsibilities included client acquisition, key account management, vertical marketing within accounts, revenue generation, and customer service. Desiring more time to invest in his family and more autonomy in his schedule, he left that stable position and successfully launched a consulting and sales rep business which he ran for over a decade.
In the 90’s he was hired as the Vice President of Sales for a service business in Atlanta and was quickly appointed as CEO. He subsequently bought the business and then sold it. Here, he learned how to create and implement sales strategies to compete and win against much larger competitors. While operating a business at a high level, Roberts found multiple ways to serve in the local church.
Within the Church, in the 80s, while teaching adults he created opportunities for class participants to leave the comfort of the suburbs to serve the homeless in Atlanta. After becoming familiar with the tremendous need, Chris began a speaking campaign directed at local churches to recruit their members to join the effort. Becoming aware of the deeper issues that create homelessness, Roberts collaborated with local ministry leaders to establish a men’s transition facility. The objective was to prevent men from becoming chronically homeless.
The primary theme that has guided Chris throughout the decades is that every person should be connected within an intimate community to successfully navigate all of the issues of life. This was modeled by Jesus in His relationship with His disciples, and then expanded as a result of Pentecost in the book of Acts, chapter 2. It is Chris’ contention that while this connection to community intimate relationships is modeled in the Bible, it is often a missing component in the modern local church. He asserts that it is equally challenging for the Church to foster intergenerational connections reflecting that of a family, which is integral to success in life .
Applying all his life experiences in business and serving people both within and outside the local church, Chris launched the first FreeBird Community in the mid-2000’s. The result of this new strategic community was transformational for many that participated. “Freebirds,” is a term Chris uses to refer to those in the second half of life who are unincumbered with the responsibilities that bog younger generations down. He has spent the last decade honing the Freebird message, which is meant to inspire those in this place in life with passion and purpose for their role in society and culture. Roberts passionately believes that those in the second half of life were made for “such a time as this” as they deploy all the wisdom gained throughout their lives to impact the world around them in a positive way for Christ. The answer for all the questions in this world will always be the body of Christ impacting the world by loving God and our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Armed with this Freebird message, Chris looks to impact as many people as possible to get off the sidelines of conformity and become passionate about changing the world!
STATEMENT OF FAITH (Nicene creed)
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.