Robert Paterson was a secondary school teacher in South Australia before training and commissioning as an officer of The Salvation Army in 1971. Initial ministry experience was in pastoral settings in Victoria and South Australia, before being appointed to the staff of the Melbourne officer training college in 1978.

 Robert obtained the BD of the Melbourne College of Divinity and a MA in theology from Ridley College. He was appointed to editorial work before moving to Hong Kong as principal of the Army's training college. This was followed by further training college appointments in Melbourne before returning to Hong Kong as second in charge of Salvation Army work in that country. Back in Australia for a year, Robert was then appointed assistant principal at the International College for Officers in Sydenham Hill, London.

Robert was formed as a spiritual director through the Siloam program at Heart of Life and as a giver of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises through the Arrupe program at Campion Centre for Ignatian Spirituality . He currently is a team member at Campion and believes every person has a sacred story to be honoured and a giftedness to be celebrated.

 Robert is married to Glenda and they have two adult children and five grandchildren.