Joel Coppinger

Elder/ Shepherd

I was born in West Texas in 1938, and my family moved to Tulare in 1945 just before the end of WW2.  My brother, sister and I were raised in the Tulare congregation, and my dad, Jake Coppinger, was the preacher in Tulare from 1945 to 1966.  I was baptized at the Tulare church of Christ in 1953, just prior to my 15th birthday.

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In 1958, I went to Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho, where I met Pat Banks.  We married on August 19, 1960 in Alturas, CA where her dad, Bill Banks, was the preacher.  We have two daughters, who grew up in the Tulare congregation, and we now have four grandchildren and five great-grandsons.

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I preached full-time from 1961 to 1970 in California and Southern Idaho.  From 1970 to 2002, I was a sales representative in Visalia.  I retired in 2002 to work with World Bible School.  Pat was a professional photographer until retiring in 2014.

We first went to Ghana, West Africa in 1983 on a missionary campaign lead by my father.  After I retired, I led World Bible School campaigns to Ghana for two weeks each year, from 2006 until 2013.  We also went on WBS campaigns to India in 2010 and 2017.

I was a deacon at the Tulare church of Christ from 1975 until I was appointed Elder in 1983.  Jimmy Milner and Odell Oliver were the elders when Russell Musselman, Wendell Lippincott and I were appointed.

My hope is to shepherd by example, and to serve the church family as we, together, walk with Jesus, I Peter 5:2 "to feed the flock of God..."

Contact me if I can help you, call or text