October 19, 2024
VILLA RICA – Frank Cox, pastor of North Metro Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, has announced his intention to nominate Kevin Williams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Villa Rica, as president of the Georgia Baptist Convention when the annual session is held at Ingleside Baptist Church in Macon in November.
Since Williams became pastor of First Baptist in September 2013, the church has baptized more than 1,000 new believers, including 452 in the last three years. In addition, Williams has led over 300 of his church members to serve as volunteer missionaries while taking part in national and international missions himself. He has also been instrumental in helping Georgia Baptist pastors plant a dozen churches in Central America. In 2015 First Baptist planted and built a church in San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala that it has continued to support, including the pastor’s salary.
First Baptist Villa Rica has posted a dramatic increase in membership since 2013, with the annual church profile for 2019 registering that number more than doubling to 2,722. Stark jumps have also come in baptisms – averaging 149 per year from 2014-19 – and those registered for Bible study/discipleship.
Under Williams’ tenure Villa Rica has become a leader in Cooperative Program giving in the Carrollton Baptist Association. Since 2015 FBCVR has increased its CP giving annually and last year gave 7.4% of undesignated receipts.
Currently a member of the Georgia Baptist Convention Executive Committee, Williams is also a trustee of the International Mission Board. Previously he served as a trustee of Truett McConnell University and GBC vice president.
The LaGrange native graduated from Central High School in Carrollton before earning an undergraduate and two master’s degrees from Liberty University. He would go on to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Prior to arriving at FBCVR, Williams served as youth pastor and associate pastor for ten years at First Baptist Church in Douglasville, with the US Army Military Police, and at Sysco Foods in Atlanta. He was also a high school football coach, youth pastor, and college pastor at two churches in North Carolina.
Williams married his wife, Patrice, in Tokyo, Japan on Sept. 18, 1991. They have four children: Austin (27), Zack (25), Grace (18), and Hope (15) as well as two grandchildren.
“Kevin Williams is known for his desire to tell people about the love of Jesus and His sacrificial death for all humanity,” said Cox. “His messages are prepared and proclaimed with the fervent prayer that God will use them to bring people to faith in Jesus Christ.
“He also is a leader and has provided the vision to inspire his church to build a six million dollar facility and has declared, ‘I believe a pastor must seek to preach in the power of God, but if you cannot lead well, your preaching ministry will suffer.’ I plan to nominate him with the full assurance that he will be an excellent president for Georgia Baptists.”
