Josiah Williams
Senior Pastor
A Story of Grace and Calling
I’m a minister’s child, so if the church was open, my family was there. I experienced churches
mistreating my family in various ways. I also felt they held me to an unfair standard. I had wonderful
parents, but at times I felt they cared more about church than me. I found the Christian faith to be
irrelevant as I grew up. Entering my high school years, I cared more about what others thought of me and struggled to find belonging and purpose.
During my junior football season, I found myself struggling to breathe. After the season ended, I went
to the doctor to discover I had Blastomycosis: a fungal pneumonia. They began to treat me, but I
responded poorly to the medication, and my kidneys started shutting down. I was rushed to another
hospital, and my family was informed I would likely not survive another day. I was angry at God
because I believed he could heal me, but He was not acting. I was suffering and did not understand why.
There was a church steeple outside my hospital window, and I wanted the blinds shut because I
didn’t want to even see that cross.
As evening approached, the staff and my family waited for my death. My parents had asked
every person they could think of to pray. That night, I experienced a feeling of peace like I never
had before, and I fell asleep. I believe that peace was God’s presence, and when I woke, it was still
there. Instead of death, I began to make improvements. A bigger change had happened within my
spirit. I wanted the blinds open; I wanted to see the cross. I felt that this faith was not my parents’,
but had become my own. I felt that the Creator spared me for a purpose, and I felt a calling.
Something within me seemed to be telling me I was meant to care for others.
After a long road of treatment and recovery, I joined the Army as a Chaplain Assistant and
served for 10 years, including in Iraq. I experienced moral injuries or betrayals of my own values
there, and other experiences I wish never occurred. But I also met wonderful people and was able to
care for those serving in meaningful ways that I found valuable. In all the trials of life, God is
faithful, but it doesn't make them easy seasons. Coming home from war and adjusting was hard,
but I attended Seminary. I was working in healthcare security at the beginning of the COVID-19
pandemic and experienced more moral injury. I then transitioned to become a hospital Chaplain to
care for the patients and staff being impacted by illness and suffering.
Today, my wife Allison and our children own and operate various rental properties alongside ministry. I
truly believe God has been faithful to me, equipped me to care for others, and I hope I can show a
glimpse of the Creator to every person I meet. What’s your story? I’d love to hear it.
Values That Guide My Ministry
These values guide how I lead, serve, and make decisions.
Care for family and self. Healthy ministry begins with caring well for the people closest to me and tending to my own health.
Dignify every person. Every human being bears the image of the Creator and is worthy of respect—regardless of labels, history, or qualifications.
Take responsibility. I want to own my choices, learn from mistakes, and help carry the burdens of others.
Act with integrity. Character, honesty, ethics, and consistency should guide both public actions and private decisions.
Practice empathy. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Kindness, forgiveness, and understanding matter.
Stay curious. Every person has a profound story. I want to listen before assuming and remain open to where another person’s journey has taken them.
Honor the past and make room for growth. I want to understand why something exists before changing it, while remaining willing to innovate when the mission calls for it.
Be generous and grateful. Share time, resources, and grace freely, and remember the people and moments that bring good into the world.
Make space for the sacred. God’s presence can meet us in both extraordinary and ordinary moments.
Empower others and ask for help. Good leadership develops people, offers support and clarity, and remains willing to learn from others.