About Me

Gary Combs is the lead pastor at Wilson Community Church in Wilson, North Carolina. Gary was born on the Tennessee side of Bristol, but grew up on the Virginia side of the city where the Main Street is called “State Street” because it sits on the state line. Perhaps that’s why he feels called to connect to people on both sides of the street today.

He was the first of four children. His father died when he was eight years old. He, his two brothers and sister were raised by their mother. Gary received a B.A. in music with an emphasis in classical guitar at Radford University. He was the student president of RU's Campus Crusade for Christ for three years.

Gary married his college sweetheart, Robin Conner, in 1979. He began working for the Jack Eckerd Corporation after college. He was the District Manager over Eckerd's eastern North Carolina district when he resigned in 1991 to answer God's call to full time ministry. He received a M. Div. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with an emphasis in Biblical Languages in 1994. Gary formed a core group in 1991 that became the founding members of WCC. Gary is the founding pastor of WCC.

Gary is one of the founding members of the Innovative Church Community and serves as one of its directors. The ICC works throughout North Carolina to help church leaders and church planters stay on the mission field with Jesus by providing coaching, consulting, conferences, and developing learning communities.

Gary also serves on the board of directors for the Youth of Wilson, Inc. and serves on the advisory board for Church Business magazine. He is the former president of the Wilson County Minister’s Association.

Gary and his wife Robin have three married children and two grandchildren. Gary enjoys travel, reading, playing guitar, all kinds of sports, and being with friends and family. He still keeps a mental checklist of things he wants to do in life. He recently checked off riding a camel and floating in the Dead Sea. Skydiving, writing a book, and recording a CD of songs he has written are still on the list.