John Collins

Where did you grow up?
I was raised in Pennington Gap, Virginia. Pennington Gap is a small town that 1,200 people call home in the extreme southwest part of Virginia. I'm the youngest of seven children. As a child of a single mom, I learned very early that a close family is a great blessing.

How did you become a Christian?
I grew up in a small independent Christian Church, a place full of genuine saints that made a great impact on me as a young boy. I didn't accept Christ until I was 16 years old. It happened because of the wonderful example of my mom and many different people God used to plant seeds in my life. During my teen years, God sent a special preacher named Jack Kelley into my life. Jack and his wife Jo were great people used by God to guide me down the correct path.

Tell us about your family
Arlene and I met in church. She was raised in Big Stone Gap, VA, 17 miles away from Pennington Gap. She was always that pretty girl from Big Stone Gap. We started dating when I was in college and married in 1982. She is a fantastic partner in life and ministry. We've been blessed with two wonderful daughters, Sarah and Kristen. They both love the Lord and make us very proud to be their parents. Now that they are grown, it's just Arlene, Wilson (our goldendoodle) and me at home.

How did you get into ministry? How did you end up at First Church?
As a teen, I visited Johnson Bible College and loved it. My home minister, Jack Kelley, loved me, tutored me, mentored me and developed in me a heart for ministry. After graduation from high school, it seemed like what God was calling me to do. I attended and graduated from JBC in 1983. How did I get to First Church? That's a great question! I served in central Ohio for six years before coming to Altoona. I learned about the church through a friend. After visiting, we moved in 1993 with two small kids and God has blessed.

What is you greatest desire for your ministry here at First Church?
To help people know they "matter to God" and to serve God in ways that show He "matters to us"!

Anything else you'd life to share?

Go VOLS!