Dr. Robert G. Murray is the 19th pastor of First Baptist Church Norfolk. He has served as the church's senior pastor since 1983.  During his tenure, the church has completed the construction of an Assisted Living Facility, Shepherd's Village, which is a modern state of the art, residential program for seniors. In 2005, the church opened the doors of the Murray Center, a family and community facility that houses the READY Academy Christian School, grades PK 3 through 1st grade, which uses the nationally re-known ABeka religious and academic curriculum and has its own special emphasis called "STEMA" (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and the Arts) for young learners; a dining and conference center for banquet programs; a counseling center (Renew Counseling) and an administrative wing.

Dr. Murray is a graduate of Hampton University, and the Boston University School of Theology where he earned both his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees.  He also studied at Robert College, Istanbul, Turkey as a Foreign Exchange Student.  He served as adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Departments of African-American Studies and Religious Studies.  He has also taught at  the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology and Virginia Union University in Richmond Virginia.

Dr. Murray is a past president of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia.  During his tenure he initiated a one million dollar funding drive for the Baptist General Convention Foundation.  He served as Recording Secretary for the Lott Carey Convention for over 15 years. Dr. Murray currently serves as the 1st Vice President of the Lott Carey Convention. He also currently serves as the chair of the Baptist General Convention Foundation Fund Board and is one of the pioneering Associate Professors of the 'On Site' Religious Studies Program at Hampton University, in Hampton, Virginia.

He has received numerous awards and citations from local organizations for his community service, and has also been distinguished by his alma mater Hampton University with the outstanding Twenty-Year Alumnus Award.  Dr. Murray brings a visionary approach to ministry with an emphasis on revelation and relevance in preaching and teaching the gospel.  He is a dedicated Christian, loving husband and proud father.