R.L. Tolbert

R. L. Tolbert was born in 1930 in a country home in Neshoba County, Mississippi, to Roger and Lucille Tolbert. Taking the initials from each of their names, they named their son R. L.

In 1946, at the age of 16, R. L. received the Holy Ghost. One year later, he felt the call to ministry, and by 1950 he was pastoring his first church. His ministry would span more than six decades and impact countless lives across Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

During his years of ministry, Reverend Tolbert pastored 14 churches and personally built six church buildings, while also assisting other pastors in building five more. In 1955, while pastoring Pine Grove Pentecostal Church in Foxworth, Mississippi, he hosted a Fellowship Meeting featuring a young preacher who was preaching for the very first time—future Mississippi District Superintendent Glen Ray Travis. Many would later say that Brother R. L. Tolbert helped give Brother Travis his start in ministry.

Rev. Tolbert built and pastored churches throughout Mississippi until 1969, when he moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he built and pastored White Hall United Pentecostal Church until 1986. He later moved to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where he built and pastored United Pentecostals of Broken Arrow until 1990. Returning to Mississippi, he then built and pastored The Pentecostals of Grenada until 1995, followed by First United Pentecostal Church of Eupora, where he served until his retirement in 2001.

Throughout his ministry, Brother Tolbert remained deeply involved in the work of God. He served on both the Mississippi District Board and the Arkansas District Board and held ministerial credentials with the United Pentecostal Church International for 69 years.

Those who knew Reverend R. L. Tolbert recognized him as a faithful laborer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His life exemplified the words of I Timothy 5:17: “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” Through decades of preaching, building churches, mentoring ministers, and serving the Kingdom of God, Brother Tolbert left a lasting legacy of faithfulness, sacrifice, and dedication to the Gospel.