tim collins

Christian history

I have been a Christian for over 30 years after attending Discovering Christianity classes at St Helens Bishopsgate in London back in 1987. I needed to see for myself that Christianity stacked up intellectually and those classes, together with reading Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. was a game changer for me.

My wife Bronwyn and I were then mentored in our early years of marriage by a couple from The Navigators who showed us day by day what it looked like to live a victorious Christian life. We started attending Auckland Bible Church (ABC) and I was on Eldership for twenty years. In 2008 I became the Senior Pastor at ABC until 2019 when we moved to Tauranga to take up a new role.

Bethlehem Baptist Involvement

We have been at BBC for coming up 3 years since our move south. We attend a home group and I have preached a few times; plus mentor some young people. I believe we are called to serve as Christians; and it would seem to me that serving on Eldership plus preaching and mentoring is a good avenue to work out that call.

Family

Bronwyn and I have been married 28 years and have 3 adult children. Beth and Hannah live in Tauranga and Matthew is studying commerce at Victoria University in Wellington.

Employment

I am employed at the Christian Education Trust (Bethlehem College; Bethlehem Tertiary Institute; Bethlehem Early Learning Centres) as the General Manager. I have been very fortunate to have been able to study over the years and am a qualified Chartered Accountant also with an MBA. When I became the Pastor at ABC, I also completed a Masters in Theology at Laidlaw/Carey Baptist in Auckland; and a Doctorate at Fuller Seminary in California. Without belittling study which is such a privilege and is very valuable, I would add the most profound thing I have ever read is “Jesus loves me this I know – for the Bible tells me so!”