Missionary Information

Slightly smaller than Indiana, the Portuguese Republic occupies the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula. The nation’s once extensive overseas possessions are now reduced to Macao, the oldest European outpost in China; the Azores, islands about 1,000 miles off Portugal’s coast; and Madeira, an island about 535 miles southwest of Portugal in the Atlantic. Joseph Domingues founded the United Pentecostal Church of Portugal in 1972. Often without a missionary to lead and guide it, the church now has 254 constituents, eight licensed ministers, and ten churches and preaching points.

Click for larger image

Bio: Brother Joseph Collins graduated from Texas Bible College in 1974. He and his wife Jean have worked for the Lord since there conversion in 1971. They had a burden for missions since their conversion in the church of Reverend James Kilgore, Sr. They pastored 2 1/2 years in Kansas District before moving down to Laredo, Texas where they pastored for 11 years. Working and pastoring in Laredo, they studied and learned Spanish and began their first church in Nuevo, Laredo, Mexico in 1987. They were appointed aimers in 1991. They started 2 daughter works in Nuevo Laredo and a daughter work in Anahuac, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. In October 1996, they were appointed as full time missionaries to the county of Mexico and started the first church in the Capital city of Zacatecas. They built a beautiful building and won over 95 members in 2 1/2 years. They also oversaw Norteño District where they traveled and ministered to the ministers and saints in three different states; Durango, Zacatecas, and Aguascalientes. In the year 2004, Bro. William Markham, president of the work in Portugal ask Brother and Sister Collins to come and help in the work in Portugal and to be the Interim President in Brother Markham's absence. They worked there until they went on deputation in January 2007. The number of saints tripled while they were there. They deputized for 14 months and were asked to go and pastor the church of Brother and Sister Gary Sones in Madrid Spain. Brother and Sister Collins went to Spain in March 2008 and stayed 18 months until October 2009. They saw 252 filled with the Holy Ghost and 167 baptized in Jesus Name in their church during that time frame. They have now returned to Portugal where Brother and Sister Collins are preaching in the churches and Brother Collins is teaching Bible school in 3 different cities. They will resume their deputation in March 2010.