Pastor Williams retires after 26 years in Phenix City

Pastor Wayne Williams has watched with delight for the past 26 years as children have grown up — physically and spiritually — in the pews of his church.
   
“I’ve seen babies born, grow up through Sunday School, make their decision for Christ, be baptized, graduate from high school, get married and have children of their own,” he said. “I think it’s a special privilege.”
   
But Williams’ church, Lakewood Baptist Church, Phenix City, in Russell Baptist Association, said farewell to its pastor Jan. 1 as he retired from his years of ministry to Phenix City families. “I’m glad that the Lord called us (our family) here, and we could be a part of it all,” Williams said. “I think this church would’ve moved forward with the leadership of anyone, but I’m just glad it turned out that we were the ones who were here.”
   
A native of Bridgeport, Conn., Williams was raised in a Christian family. His father served as a pastor in Massachusetts, upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Williams accepted Christ at an early age and looked up to missionary heroes like David Livingstone. He soon felt God calling him into ministry. 
   
Williams attended Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada; received a bachelor of arts in biblical education from Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada; and graduated with a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. 
   
Williams and his family arrived in Phenix City in 1979 after serving 10 years as pastor of a Florida Baptist church and two years prior as a missionary in the Dominican Republic. Upon the family’s arrival in Alabama, he said they felt a real connection; they were at home in the church and community. 
   
According to Williams, the Lakewood Baptist family is an adventurous group, willing to do things that have never been done before. He recalled the time in 1985 when the church had plans for a family life center. But to accommodate the growing congregation, plans were changed to expand the education space for Sunday School and other programs. The capacity doubled and classrooms filled over the years, Williams said. They stepped out on faith and achieved their goal, he noted.
   
During his time at Lakewood, Williams also saw the initiation of several new ministries. The Child Development Center grew from occupying half a floor to filling two floors in the children’s wing of the  education building. In addition, Veritas Academy was started in 2000 with grades K5 through first. A classical Christian school, Veritas now covers grades K5 through fourth. There are many classical Christian schools across the country but until Veritas, none in the Phenix City area, Williams said. He believes the school is meeting a special need and has a bright future.
   
Williams was also able to share his heart for the Dominican Republic with his church. Over the years, many teams of all ages from Lakewood have gone to Santo Domingo and surrounding communities. In addition, Lakewood was home to one of the earliest Continuous Witness Training programs. This set the agenda for reaching people through outreach and evangelism, he said.
   
All the aspects of ministry have brought Williams great joy. From counseling to working with committees and administration, he’s enjoyed them all, but most of all, he’s truly enjoyed preaching. Williams said he’s probably taught on every book of the Bible, chapter by chapter, and some even twice. 
   
“He’s a good pastor, always ready to be there when needed whether it’s counseling or bereavement,” said Onezima Everitt, Williams’ secretary for 16 years. “He’s also a wonderful boss. He’s easy to work with and a very caring and compassionate man.” 
   
Williams and his wife, Bonnie, have been married for 42 years. They have two sons and three grandchildren. 
   
After retiring, he plans to embark on a new adventure — traveling with his wife and tending to his azalea and camellia gardens. Williams also hopes to do volunteer missions and see where else the Lord leads after his tenure at Lakewood. “It’s been a real special joy to have been here all these years,” he said.