Joseph W. Watkins

Joseph Watkins was born on December 11th, 1933 in Mobile, Alabama. The son of Roscoe and Stella Watkins, he was raised in a Christian home. When he was 18 he was saved, and was called into the ministry. He married Pauline Roberson on July 29th, 1955. Shortly after the wedding, Joe and Pauline left Alabama to attend Milwaukee Bible College in Wisconsin. It was there that he met Vernon Anderson and they became interested in foreign missions. In 1957 Vernon and his wife Darlene went to the Philippines as missionaries. After graduating, Joe and Pauline joined him there in 1958. During these early years they founded and built the International Grace Bible Institute. In July 1959 their first child, Stephen, was born in Lupagan, Clarin. Joe enjoyed teaching and working with students. He served as the Director of IGBI through 1962 when he returned to the United States on furlough. Because of sickness, he was not able to return to the Philippines in 1963. He became the pastor of the Grace Bible Church in Phoenix, Arizona. During this time, their daughter Cheryl was born. Joe and family returned to the Philippines in 1966. Joe resumed teaching at IGBI. In 1971 the family moved to Cebu City and Joe became the supervising minister of central Philippines and then the Mission Director until 1986. Their third child, Cindy was born in Cebu in 1972. During their time in Cebu, Joe was active in the starting of the Grace Gospel Church of Christ in Cebu. He was also involved in starting a printing ministry. In 1988 Joe and Pauline returned to the United States to take over as the Treasurer and then the Director of Things to Come Mission. By 2005, Joe was 72 years old and felt that it was time to hand the responsibility of leadership off to a younger generation. Ben Anderson became the director and Joe began serving as the Associate Director. He served in this role and continued to work until June 18, 2014 when, after a short fight with illness, he went home to be with the Lord. Joe is survived by his wife Pauline, children; Stephen Watkins, Cheryl Sabol, and Cindy Lavier; grandchildren Celestee Wilson, Brendan Wilson, Stephanie Watkins, Sarah Watkins, Morgan Watkins, Hannah Lavier and Grace Lavier.