Whether at his dental office in Birmingham or on the missions field in Peru, 2015 Outstanding Alabama Baptist State Missions Volunteer William “Bill” Powell seeks to spread the gospel and improve the lives of others one smile at a time.
‘A way of life’
“For Bill missions is not just a trip you take once or twice a year. It is a way of life,” said Phil Boyles, pastor of the Midtown Campus of 3Circle Church, Mobile.
Boyles first met Powell as a college student in the early 1980s. Boyles was a student in Powell’s Sunday School class at Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills, when Powell took his first missions trip in 1981. The trip was into the mountains of Mexico during a year of increased rebel activity in the area.
“Bill had to deal with armed men from both the rebels and Federal Police coming into the compound where he was operating a dental clinic and sharing Christ,” Boyles said. “I remember him saying upon his return, ‘I don’t think I will ever go back on a missions trip out of the country.’”
That frightening experience did not keep Powell from taking another missions trip, however. Since that first trip he has been involved in several medical missions projects, including leading teams to Honduras, Brazil, Dominican Republic and most recently Peru.
In July, Powell organized a missions team to conduct a medical, dental and optical clinic in a community outside Lima. Prior to the trip Powell raised funds to put a new roof on a church in the area.
“It (the roof) was a tool that was used to share Jesus with those who would wonder why these Americans would come down and work so hard in Lima,” Boyles said.
During the four-day trip more than 1,000 patients came through the clinic, and the medical and construction teams shared Jesus with hundreds more.
Around 300 people professed Christ publicly as a result of their outreach.
‘Highlight of their year’
“While the team was instrumental in this effort, the great miracle was the fact that the majority of this team had gone on multiple missions trips with Dr. Powell and considered this the highlight of their year,” Boyles said.
Danny Wood, Powell’s pastor at Shades Mountain Baptist, said Powell has led at least one missions team, and often several, each year during Wood’s 18 years as pastor.
“We have an Acts 1:8 strategy in our church which Bill has passionately embraced,” Wood said.
“In Birmingham, our Jerusalem, it is amazing that when I am talking to leaders of downtown ministries, somewhere in the conversation Dr. Powell’s name comes up and they are telling me about free dental work he provided for some of their patrons.”
Both Birmingham Baptist Association and Shelby Baptist Association have benefitted from Powell’s dental expertise in establishing clinics in the area. Other ministries, including the Lovelady Center and M-POWER Ministries in Birmingham and a community dental clinic sponsored by 3Circle Church, also have benefitted from his willingness to serve.
Powell knows how important a person’s smile is to their self-esteem and their ability to get a job, both common struggles among those who experience poverty. His service goes beyond medical care and personal hygiene, however. The gospel is always part of the mission.
‘Heart for the indigent’
“Dr. Powell has a desire to see the lost saved and he has a heart for the indigent. He has told me numerous times that all people need Jesus to get a life and good teeth to get ahead in life. He sees that he can help the whole person,” Wood said.
Wood accepted the award on Powell’s behalf during the Nov. 17 session of the Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting.
Wood called Powell’s missions involvement a “legacy” that inspires those who see his commitment to helping others and sharing the gospel.
“It’s a great challenge to our church to see a man take his talents and use them to invest in the world.”
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