Minister Chandra Stevens Atkins is a native of Caroline County, Virginia. She is the ninth of ten children born to Alice Fells Stevens and Clarence Stevens. She is a graduate of Bowling Green Senior High school. From an early age, it was apparent that God had a special plan for Minister Atkins. She organized the children’s choir, served as the director of Vacation Bible, as well as worked with the youth as a Church School teacher at Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Dawn Virginia, under the leadership of the Late Dr. David James Ragland.
Minister Atkins has served in the community as an original member of the Heaven Bound Mass Choir. She attended J Sargeant Reynolds Community College where she graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She founded and operated Little Sheep’s Pasture Daycare Center in the Dawn community for over twenty years providing care for many infant, toddler, preschool and school aged children. She also studied Real Estate and worked as a real estate agent for Century21 Classic Real Estate for several years while continuing to operate her childcare ministry. Minister Atkins enrolled in the University of Lynchburg where she studied Christian Education. She is employed as a pre-kindergarten teacher for Kiddie Kingdom in Ashland, Virginia.
She was licensed to preach the Gospel in March 2001 and ordained in May 2009 by First Baptist Church, of Elmont. She founded “Chosen Christian Ministries” in 2007. For over Seven years this ministry was dedicated to mentoring young girls and young women to increase their knowledge of God’s calling on their lives and to help prepare them to be the leaders and women God had purposed them to be.
Minister Atkins is married to Philip Atkins, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Elmont where she is the First Lady. They have been married for over 40 years and are blessed with three children, Felicia Lewis, her husband Mark, Derrick, his wife Cheyla Atkins and their youngest daughter Erica. They are blessed with seven grandchildren, Christian and Camryn Lewis, Elise Atkins-Davis, Leah and Logan King, Gabrielle and Bella Atkins.
Minister Atkins serves as the Minister of Christian Education, director of Children’s church and a member of the Sanctuary Choir.
Minister Atkins has an undeniable desire to preach the Goods News of Christ Jesus. Together, Pastor and Minister Atkins serve God by serving His people, they are dedicated to the calling of expanding God’s kingdom one soul at a time. Realizing that people don’t care how much you know, they want to know how much you care. One of her favorite scriptures is “God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him!” John 3:17.