and taught economics at Eureka College in IL. (Ronald Reagan’s alma mater). Bob’s father, Lawrence Clark Jr., was also an economist, who loved the challenge of assessing costs and values of commercial real estate all over Chicago. Not surprisingly, his older brother Ken also preferred numbers over letters, and became an actuary.
After
getting a degree in accounting at the University of Arizona in 1989, Bob worked
as a:
specializing in helping small businesses reach financial excellence.
He is currently a CPA, licensed in Texas, and a certified "QuickBooks Proadvisor".
While leading a college/career ministry, Bob was drawn to a lovely
worship leader with the voice of an angel, and a passion for missions. Her name was Rita. They built a relationship slowly – lunches
after church and rollerblading through the parks of the Chicago suburbs. However, it wasn’t until Rita was seriously
considering going back to Haiti for another extended missionary trip, that Bob
realized how much he loved her. Bob asked Rita for her hand in marriage on
April 4, 1995.
On November 11, 1995 before God, their family and friends, Bob and Rita were joined in marriage. They began their life together with a sense of adventure and purpose, a joint passion to share God’s love and truth with others, and the desire to adopt in the future.
While working at Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Inforte, Bob and Rita took seminary classes at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, Illinois. It was there that God truly impressed upon Bob the authority of His Word and the importance of digging deep in Bible study, not unlike a thorough archeological dig.
Soon the Lord blessed them with three biological children: Kristina, Aaron and Nathan. True to Rita’s missionary roots and heart, they later adopted Josiah and Ana from Haiti in 2006 – three years before the devastating earthquake.
Bob’s love of Scripture study, especially apologetics, inspired him to teach adult apologetics courses at Oakbrook Community Church, and also at the First Baptist Church in Devine, Texas. He loved challenging current cultural thought, by making a compelling case against evolution, a case for Christ’s resurrection, and affirming the historical reliability of the gospels.
Life in OakBrook, IL was good. It was comfortable. It was predictable… but Bob’s life was about to be turned upside down.
Bob had a growing sense, his priorities are as a father and husband were not quite right. Bob began to realize that God called him to serve his wife and children as his primary ministry.
The first step on this path was homeschooling. Despite the fact the both Bob
and Rita had attended public schools, and Rita was a teacher with a Master’s
Degree in Education, they knew God was leading them to homeschool. It wasn’t
long after this decision, that they were both impressed to move to a rural
area, where their young family could work with their hands, and learn to
glorify God together.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (Deut. 6:5-7)
And so, the city Clarks of Chicago, became the country Clarks of Texas…
The next step on the path was family integrated business.
Along this path, Bob was thankful for the leadership of Doug Phillips, Geoff Botkin and Kevin Swanson who strongly promote the vision of a family integrated-business.
Looking to support his family apart from “the office” environment, he ventured out on his own as an independent CPA. RWC Business Services, Inc., a home based accounting practice, was off and running.
Despite the additional time with his family at home, Bob had a deeper vision for family integrated work. Was it possible for a young family to work together, minister to together, and even evangelize together?
One year
following the adoption of Josiah and Ana, they were formally diagnosed with
Reactive Attachment Disorder. This
emotional disability would require intense supervision, time and patience. At the same time, Rita’s health suffered.
Chronic headaches and inflammation drove Rita to visit the doctor. A previously unknown esophageal cyst and mysterious spots on her lungs pushed the family unto a harrowing rollercoaster ride of CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, two diagnostic surgeries, and lab tests too numerous to count. But God was good. For the next two years, as the children quietly did their homeschooling studies in medical waiting rooms, they ministered God’s grace and peace to receptionists, nurses, patients and doctors.
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” (Is. 30:15)
It was finally determined that the chronic inflammation, pain and headaches were a combined result of heavy metal toxicity, Candida, severe Adrenal stress and vitamin/hormonal deficiencies. The road towards healing and strength lay before them.
How could a father lead a regular family in a life of dominion, let alone a young family with two special-needs children and a recuperating wife?
The answer from God came in the form of four lively Nubian goats, rich in milk. Soon, Dominion Acres was born – the Clark family business, selling natural goat milk soaps, lotions, and other healthy products.
“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1)
Their goal? To teach their five children the joy of working together, and being a testimony of God’s grace and mercy to the world. Bob’s particular goal was a lifestyle that allowed him to lead daily family devotions, and disciple his family in the spirit of Deuteronomy 6. Studying the business accounts, feeding and milking goats, bottle-feeding doelings, making soap, and selling at various events, the Clarks have been blessed to work together, admonishing one another in love, and sharing the love of God with customers.
Relying on a supernatural Savior, all things are possible – including joy at a pre-sunrise milking! They sell 100 bars of soap on average each month, keeping them solidly in the black. And that’s another good lesson that the children can literally take to the bank!
Today, Bob, Rita and their five children live in Natalia, Texas. Their passion is encouraging and equipping other entrepreneurial families, through their testimony, especially in the area of small business accounting.
The Clarks attend Boerne Christian Assembly, which meets in Waring, Texas.
It’s often said, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree."
The Clark Family: Bob, Rita, Kristina, Aaron, Nathan, Josiah and Ana