Meet Greg & Lucy Robbins
The Robbins graduated from East Texas Bible College. Pastor Paul and Dixie met them there and sensed immediately that they were "kindred spirits." Brother Greg and Pastor Paul sensed that one day they might labor together for the Lord. In August of 1982, one year after the Phillips had moved to Floyd, Greg, Lucy and their firstborn, Brandon Gregory, joined the Gospel Lighthouse ministry team. The Robbins have five grown children and five grandkidzzz: Tanner, Max, Ali, Tayler, and Rose.
PASTOR GREG'S TESTIMONY
I was born and raised in Indiana. My first exposure to the gospel was during elementary school years. Mom had given her life to the Lord at a local Nazarene church and, of course, her four children were obliged to come along whether they liked it or not. It was during a conversation with my mom, when I was just eight that I first understood I needed to be “saved.” There were two or three times during my childhood that I prayed and sensed the presence of God in my life, but having no understanding of living by faith, I believed when the feelings of God’s presence faded, He was no longer present in my life. And so I resigned myself to living as though God was not in my life. One incident did happen when I was ten that left a lasting impact. One evening I said to my mother, “Mom, sometimes I feel like God wants me to be a preacher when I grow up.” Mom replied, “I’d be more proud of you than if you were President of the United States.” That was more than forty years ago and Mom is now in Heaven. I have never forgotten that conversation. My parents divorced when I was 14. The next year turned out to be a rollercoaster ride with my stepfather. Mom thought his love of outdoor sports would be good for her three sons. However, he was torn between us and his previous family. He deserted us twice before that marriage ended three years later. It was during this three year period that the Lord began to deal with me again about the condition of my soul. His love never fails and He never forgets those He is drawing to Himself. It was during this time I began to see that God’s people had a joy in their lives that I was missing. On a Sunday evening in a small Assembly of God church I was persuaded to kneel at a pew, repent of my sins and yield my life to the Lord. My younger brother was also repenting of his sins kneeling beside me. The next two days was a life and death struggle in my soul. You see, I still had not learned about living by faith without feelings. By the midweek service on Tuesday evening, I was hanging onto faith by a thread. One of our church members was a retired missionary to the American Indians. During the service this elderly man stood up to speak. He said that what he had to say was especially for me and my younger brother. How gracious God is. Brother Dillingham explained in easy to understand language exactly what I didn’t understand. The struggle was laid to rest that day. During my senior year in high school the Lord again put it in my heart a leading to prepare for ministry. At age eighteen I began preaching in my home church and even to the Haitian people during a week long mission’s trip after graduation. Three years later, while seeking God’s will for my life, the Lord very definitely led me to go to a new college – East Texas Bible College. It was just opening in the fall of 1976. This was a step that would change the course of my life. Not only because of the outstanding instruction in the Bible and Christian living, but there I met the young people that I would partner with in the Lord’s work for many years – Paul Phillips and Dixie Holtz. God led us together after they were married and I was hitched to Lucy, my partner for life and the mother of our five children. For Lucy and me to support Paul and Dixie in serving the Gospel Lighthouse Church congregation has been our privilege since coming to Floyd in 1982. To God be the glory and may He have the preeminence in all things.
PASTOR GREG'S TESTIMONY
I was born and raised in Indiana. My first exposure to the gospel was during elementary school years. Mom had given her life to the Lord at a local Nazarene church and, of course, her four children were obliged to come along whether they liked it or not. It was during a conversation with my mom, when I was just eight that I first understood I needed to be “saved.” There were two or three times during my childhood that I prayed and sensed the presence of God in my life, but having no understanding of living by faith, I believed when the feelings of God’s presence faded, He was no longer present in my life. And so I resigned myself to living as though God was not in my life. One incident did happen when I was ten that left a lasting impact. One evening I said to my mother, “Mom, sometimes I feel like God wants me to be a preacher when I grow up.” Mom replied, “I’d be more proud of you than if you were President of the United States.” That was more than forty years ago and Mom is now in Heaven. I have never forgotten that conversation. My parents divorced when I was 14. The next year turned out to be a rollercoaster ride with my stepfather. Mom thought his love of outdoor sports would be good for her three sons. However, he was torn between us and his previous family. He deserted us twice before that marriage ended three years later. It was during this three year period that the Lord began to deal with me again about the condition of my soul. His love never fails and He never forgets those He is drawing to Himself. It was during this time I began to see that God’s people had a joy in their lives that I was missing. On a Sunday evening in a small Assembly of God church I was persuaded to kneel at a pew, repent of my sins and yield my life to the Lord. My younger brother was also repenting of his sins kneeling beside me. The next two days was a life and death struggle in my soul. You see, I still had not learned about living by faith without feelings. By the midweek service on Tuesday evening, I was hanging onto faith by a thread. One of our church members was a retired missionary to the American Indians. During the service this elderly man stood up to speak. He said that what he had to say was especially for me and my younger brother. How gracious God is. Brother Dillingham explained in easy to understand language exactly what I didn’t understand. The struggle was laid to rest that day. During my senior year in high school the Lord again put it in my heart a leading to prepare for ministry. At age eighteen I began preaching in my home church and even to the Haitian people during a week long mission’s trip after graduation. Three years later, while seeking God’s will for my life, the Lord very definitely led me to go to a new college – East Texas Bible College. It was just opening in the fall of 1976. This was a step that would change the course of my life. Not only because of the outstanding instruction in the Bible and Christian living, but there I met the young people that I would partner with in the Lord’s work for many years – Paul Phillips and Dixie Holtz. God led us together after they were married and I was hitched to Lucy, my partner for life and the mother of our five children. For Lucy and me to support Paul and Dixie in serving the Gospel Lighthouse Church congregation has been our privilege since coming to Floyd in 1982. To God be the glory and may He have the preeminence in all things.
