Roger Menefee: Chief Financial Officer
What does your job involve?
I oversee the financial team ministry of the church. Our goal is to serve, “with the integrity of our hearts and the skillfulness of our hands” (Psalm 78:72).
Where were you born and raised?
Beaumont, Texas.
How large is the family you grew up in?
Besides my parents, I had two younger sisters.
When and how did you come to know Christ?
I accepted Christ when I was 9. My parents were very involved with church, so I was always there. One day, we were in our pastor’s home for lunch, and my sister was asking questions and I was listening in the background. That’s when I accepted Christ.
What was the first job you ever had?
I worked for my dad in his TV repair shop, but I wasn’t paid for it. During the summers I was in college, I worked for shipyards and the highway department — a lot of general-labor type of jobs.
Where did you go to college?
I went to North Texas State University, where I received a degree in Business Administration with a major in accounting.
Have you ever served in the military?
I served in the Army for two years during Vietnam. I was stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and had orders to go to Vietnam, but they changed our orders and I ended up staying there for the entire two years.
When and to whom did you marry?
I met Becky Thorla at the Baptist Student Union in college during our junior year and we got married right after we graduated in 1965. Becky has always been a strongly committed Christian and a wonderful wife and mother to our children. She has always been ready to move to new locations where we felt God’s leading.
How many children do you have?
A son and a daughter, both grown. My son Chet is the Safety and Security Supervisor here at First Orlando. Our daughter Kerry Anthony has been married to Bryan Anthony, a worship minister, for 16 years.
How did you get into ministry?
When I was in college and serious about the Lord, people would say to me, “You need to be a youth minister or pastor.” But I didn’t feel called to that area. I felt one could be serious about the Lord and be a Christian businessman. A book entitled “Secular Work Is Full-Time Service,” based on the life of Daniel, had a big influence in this area. I worked in the corporate financial arena for 35 years, but always had opportunities to serve in the churches where we lived, as a Bible teacher, several church committees and as an ordained deacon. The first non-secular place I served in [for pay] was New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. I served there eight years as their controller.
What kind of work did you do in the secular world?
I was in the area of corporate finance. I was with the International Paper Company for 17 years, including working in their corporate headquarters in New York City for 10 years. Then I served as CFO of The Modern Group Inc., a manufacturing company in Beaumont, Texas.
How did you like working in New York?
It was quite a change for a country boy from East Texas, but it was very exciting. I also had the opportunity to work on some overseas joint ventures in Japan and Venezuela.
Have you ever done any long- or short-term mission work?
A friend of mine who was a missionary to Brazil said I was a “home missionary paid by a paper company.” I was very involved with my church and of course the [Northeast] was a pioneer area for the Southern Baptists and evangelical work. By filling my role at my church, I taught, preached and did a little bit of everything in our church. We also were very active in our church in San Jose, California. I also served in churches in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
What was the turning point of your life?
Over the years, I was blessed with a lot of good mentors. Also, the Baptist Student Union was a big part of my development as a Christian, especially in college, where you can make a lot of [negative] choices. Overall, just associating with people who were serious about their walk really helped me mature, along with consistent Bible Study and prayer.
What do you like most about your job?
I enjoy improving things through people. I like making things better and incorporating structure where structure is needed. That’s what I get to do here. I trust that my background experience is a good fit for First Orlando at this particular time in the church’s life.
What is your most memorable moment in ministry?
When I worked in New York, we lived in New Jersey and went to church there. We were in a very heavy Jewish and Catholic area — no evangelicals, other than our little church. We had a great piece of property, but we needed a new building. A group from First Baptist Church of Columbus, Mississippi, came up with more people than we had in our church and, in about two weeks, helped us build a 7,000-square-foot church. It was very visible for the community because commuter buses used to drive by us every day while we were building. It was a great experience and the church is still going well today [more than 25 years later]. Just as an aside, two years later, we took a group from the north and went down to Columbus to help them build an education building.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.” When I was young, my family was raised on that verse, and [when I married] I tried to raise our family on that same foundation. Another special verse is Acts 13:36: “David . . . served the purpose of God in his own generation.” That is my goal as I strive to “finish well.”
What do you like to do with your free time?
I love hunting and to be in the outdoors away from telephones and TVs. I just enjoy viewing God’s handiwork in nature.
Is there something about you people would be surprised to learn?
Because I’m an accountant, most people wouldn’t think of me as a hunter.
What brought you to First Orlando?
I really sensed God’s leadership in bringing me here. I was content at the seminary and figured I would retire there, but [First Orlando] made contact with me and I started thinking about it. I really saw that my background was a good match for what we’re doing here, so I accepted their offer. It was a great decision.