Joel and Tina Dunbar

Joel and Tina Dunbar both graduated from Fairhaven Baptist College in the spring of 2003. Joel was born and raised in a Christian family. At the age of six, he accepted the Lord as his Savior after watching a Christian film at church. His father, Pastor David Dunbar, led Joel to the Lord that evening. Joel first heard of Fairhaven through the Larry Ingalls family, whose daughter Heather had come to Fairhaven and spoken highly of the college. Joel knew he needed a place where he could mature, learn responsibility, and develop the character to finish what he started.

At the age of fifteen, Tina Williams was attending church with her sister. She didn't like it when so many people kept asking her about her salvation. Tina decided that she would tell everyone she was already saved so that they would leave her alone. One day at church she realized that she couldn't continue to run from God and there in her seat, in the middle of the church service, she accepted Christ as her Savior. Tina also had a friend who attended Fairhaven Baptist College and who encouraged her to look into attending college here. After attending Preaching Conference at Fairhaven at the end of her senior year in high school, Tina knew that this was the college God had prepared for her.

Looking back on their time at Fairhaven, both Joel and Tina are thankful for the opportunity of working in the ministry of the church. The bus ministry in particular helped them learn how to deal with people from various backgrounds and with varying needs.

Among their favorite classes were Pauline Epistles, Pastoral Epistles, the Life of Christ, and Old and New Testament Survey, and especially the Christian Education class as it helped to prepare them for future service to the Lord.

Joel and Tina were married in the summer of 2003 after graduating from college and went to work at First Bible Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Harley Keck. Joel was first invited to work at First Bible Baptist Church after high school graduation in a "six by six ministry." In this ministry, Joel worked six months at the church and six months on the mission field in Brazil with the Rick Matthews family. During that time, God made it clear that He would eventually lead Joel back to Brazil as a missionary. Presently Joel and Tina are working as staff missionaries, training for the mission field. There at the church Joel preaches, leads singing, teaches Sunday School, leads their soulwinning program, and works with teens. Tina is busy running the nursery, teaching Sunday School, and also working with teens. God has blessed them with a son, Silas, who will turn three years old in September.

It is their desire to be on the mission field by 2009 and to work with the Rick Matthew's family in Bauru, Brazil.