Joel Coombs

I was born in John Day Oregon and grew up as a selfish unbeliever in a Christian home on a ranch east of Prairie City.  Not being interested in the ranching lifestyle I picked up skateboarding at a young age and terrorized the community by riding everywhere possible. I lived the skateboarding lifestyle from one adrenaline rush to the next and not caring about anyone but myself. 
At the age of 18, just before I was going to move to Portland Oregon to work and skate, my best friend sat me down, and the Holy Spirit used him and my growing depression/distaste with my sin to share the Gospel with me, and I became a Christian by the grace of God. 
I moved to PDX and got deeply involved with an outreach ministry to the skateboard community there called SkateChurch where I was discipled in Christ and in ministry leadership for over 20 years. 
Early on in my time at SkateChurch, I got laid off from my construction job and, at my dad’s recommendation, spent the summer helping out at Camp Elkanah where I met my wife. We were married in the year 2000, and God has blessed us with 4 children. 
In 2018, the Lord provided for my family to move back to the John Day area where we began attending PBC regularly and were able to be closer to my aging parents. 
I quickly got involved in leadership and preaching at PBC and became a lay elder in early 2023. 
I enjoy being in the Word of God, preaching and teaching at PBC, spending as much time as possible with my family, and running the thriving contracting business the Lord has given me. (I rarely terrorize the community on my skateboard anymore…).