Robert Jeffress is the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. He hosts a show Pathway to Victory that is broadcast on more than 500 radio stations.

He grew up under pastor W. A. Criswell

W. A. Criswell

Wallie Amos Criswell, Ph.D. , was an American pastor, author, and a two-term elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1968 to 1970...

 who he cites as an influence.

In 2006 he was awarded the Daniel Award by Vision America

Vision America

Vision America is a conservative American Christian organization founded in 1994 by Baptist pastor Rick Scarborough, which describes itself as formed to "inform, encourage and mobilize pastors and their congregations to be proactive in restoring Judeo-Christian values to the moral and civic...

.

Jeffress was elected pastor of First Baptist on August 12, 2007, succeeding Mac Brunson. Previously he had been pastor of First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas

He opposes Homosexuality

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...

. While pastor in Wichita Falls he sought to have two children's books removed from the public library because they contained gay themes.

He supported Rick Perry

Rick Perry

James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...

 in the republican presidential primaries for the 2012 presidential nomination

Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2012

The 2012 Republican presidential primaries are the selection processes in which voters of the Republican Party will choose their nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 presidential election. The primary contest began with a fairly wide field, and is the first presidential primary...

. On October 7, 2011 he caused national controversy while introducing Perry at the Values Voter Summit

Values Voter Summit

The Values Voter Summit is an annual political conference for American social conservative activists and elected officials from across the United States....

 by saying that he believed Mormonism

Mormonism

Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...

 to be a cult and that Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney

Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...

, an opponent of Perry, was not a Christian

Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

. He had previously made statement to this effect in the 2008 presidential primaries.

He is married to Amy Jeffress and they have two children.