Pastor Allen Cotton's journey began in Pensacola, Florida, where he was born and raised. After completing high school in 1973, he met the love of his life, Star, and they joyfully married in 1974. The following year, Pastor Cotton answered the call to serve in the Marine Corps, and they were stationed at Camp LeJeune, NC. During this time, their family was blessed with the arrival of their first child, Bo. Two years later, they were relocated to Jackson, MS, where Pastor Cotton accepted Christ as his personal Saviour, and their second bundle of joy, Natalie, was born.

After separating from the Marine Corps, Pastor Cotton returned to Pensacola and dedicated 26 years to law enforcement. He served as a deputy sheriff and homicide investigator with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office before being asked to join the State Attorney's Office as an investigator.

Alongside his professional career, Pastor Cotton's heart for ministry flourished at Victory Bible Baptist Church. He wore many hats, including teaching the teen boys' class, serving as youth director, treasurer, and song leader, overseeing the bus ministry, and driving the church bus.

In 2002, Pastor Cotton surrendered to the call to preach, and four years later, he became the co-pastor of Victory. When Pastor Emeritus Reierson retired in 2009, the church warmly welcomed Allen Cotton as their new pastor. Driven by a desire for deeper theological knowledge, Pastor Cotton studied at West Florida Baptist Institute, earning his bachelor's degree in theology in 2011.

Even while visiting his grandchildren out of state, God's plan unfolded, and the church eagerly voted for Allen Cotton to become their spiritual leader shortly before Pastor Reierson's retirement.

Max Kennedy was appointed to serve as Victory Bible Baptist Church's Assistant Pastor in 2023. Prior to that he served as (and is still acting as) Treasurer.

The attributes that best describe Assistant Pastor Kennedy are biblical preaching, teaching, leadership development and counseling. He has expressed a burning desire to lead a church like Victory Bible Baptist Church where biblical views are embraced and encouraged, with members who care about the needs of those around them and who want to connect others to the body of Christ. Assistant Pastor Kennedy takes worship and preaching very seriously, spending time focused on Bible study.

He graduated from Pensacola Christian College and Seminary with a master's degree. 

Assistant Pastor Kennedy is happily married to his wife Rachel. They have six children: Hannah, Esther, Eve, Stephen, Josiah and Ruth.