I was saved in the spring of 1970 when on a Sunday morning, being under conviction I went forward at the invitation and told our pastor I wanted to join the church. He wisely told me to return to my seat and he would come by that afternoon and talk to me about the matter. That afternoon on the front porch of our home he explained to me about sin, repentance and the saving work of Jesus Christ. There on that porch I bowed my head and as best as an eleven year old boy could do, I confessed my sinfulness and asked Jesus to be the Lord and Saviour of my life.
I tried to serve God through the next few years, but through the constant turnover of pastors at our church, I soon became disheartened and let others lead me astray. This path I followed for several years, until in 1979 while stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, NC some fellows from Emanuel Baptist Church came by our home and once again explained to me about salvation. I told the gentleman with whom I was talking that if what he said was true then I was saved because I believed every word of it and had asked Christ in as Saviour when I was eleven. He simply said, “Mr. Williams, if you are saved then you need to be in church”. That was all he had to say; my wife and I went the following Sunday and have been faithful since. This episode in my life taught me the importance of having a church home with a stable ministry and proper teaching.
Shortly after joining Emanuel Baptist Church of Dudley, NC, God began dealing with me about preaching. This was especially difficult since by nature I am introverted and do not like speaking in public. After moving to Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, LA, I was privileged to sit under the teaching of Dr. Earl White who did much to help me in preparing for the ministry. He was an excellent teacher of the Scripture and taught a Timothy class on Monday nights as he felt he was responsible for training the young preachers in his church.
After my enlistment in the Air Force, I spent six years under the ministry of Pastor Ray Stuart at Gateway Baptist Church in Boiling Springs, SC. Here I witnessed preaching under the power of the Holy Ghost and an evangelistic spirit as never before. While there I also began taking correspondent courses from Louisiana Baptist University. After pastoring Bethel Baptist Church in Laurens, SC for a short period I served as Associate Pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church in Landrum, SC, I then busied myself for several years trying to help pastors of smaller churches. During this time God burdened my heart for the western states which eventually lead me to Landmark Baptist here in Logan.
My journey has been marked with many disappointments as I had hoped to begin pastoring full time much earlier in life, but each disappointment was met with grace and important lessons that I would need later. These lessons I hope have made me more patient with both the people who have not had the exposure to the teachings that I have and the slow process of building a church in a small town.
My wife and I have five children and nine grandchildren. We know the joys and pains of watching them grow and become adults and deal with the trials of life. We know the pain of wishing we had done some things different and the joy of experiencing the mercy of God toward imperfect people. If we can help in anyway, we desire to do so. Most of all we desire that every person should be saved and know for sure that when they die their eternity will be spent in heaven.