French world missions veteran J. Lee Roberts dies

J. Lee Roberts, former missionary to Belgium, France & French Africa "went home" this past Friday, his son Steve said. J. Lee was a great encourager, an excellent teacher, Bible scholar, artist and Art Professor. As a young man, he was part of the American-French liberation force in the 'Pocket of Colmar' in the Alsace region of France. From that time on, he worked to share the Good News and get more workers to the region. It was J. Lee who encouraged us to start the church in Strasbourg, France in the 1990's, and it was J. Lee, and several other veteran missionaries, who asked me to start OPERATION FRENCH WORLD.

I personally knew J. Lee from campaigns and meetings in Belgium, Germany and France back in the 60's & 70's. My family & I worked with he and Doyle Kee, Ken Wilson & Bob Grigg, Sr. on a campaign in Brussels in 1992. (I had lived and attended grade school in Brussels in 1965-66, so I had special memories of the city. Later, as a teen, I lived in Paris and attended the Moulin Vert church where Don & Colette Daugherty were. J. Lee studied art in Paris as a young man after the war.) 

J. Lee was not only a war hero, he was a spiritual warrior and a victor in life and death because of his faithfulness to Jesus. He put the Kingdom first and encouraged many to do the same. I thank God for J. Lee's life of prayer, spiritual fervor, love and faithfulness. Please pray for Steve & Joyce & Jim & the whole family.