Since 1996, Rick has fulfilled the role of senior pastor at Violet Baptist Church. For 43 years, he's been happily married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have raised three daughters and are blessed with five grandchildren. Rick holds a Master of Divinity degree from Rockbridge Seminary. As a firm believer in leading from a healthy soul, Rick's passion lies in encouraging and coaching other leaders to do the same. When he's not fulfilling his pastoral duties, Rick can be found enjoying his favorite pastimes such as reading, hiking, exercising, and vacationing with his loved ones. He also enjoys rooting for both the Buckeyes and the Steelers.
RICK WILLIAMS SENIOR PASTOR
A LETTER FROM THE PASTOR
How blessed we are to begin 2024 with a foundation of prayer! In January, our church joined 650 other churches from 38 countries for a global event called "21 Days of Prayer". With over 11,000 participants in the US and thousands more worldwide, this event was a powerful reminder of the impact of prayer. Together, we studied Dr. Dave Earley's book, "The 21 Most Effective Prayers in the Bible", and it has been a source of inspiration and growth for many of our members.
During the sermon series, I shared a message on the prayer of Solomon. At the young age of 20, the Lord appeared to him and offered to grant any request. Rather than asking for wealth, power, or fame, Solomon humbly asked for wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10a). Like Solomon, we too need wisdom as we enter this new year and face various decisions. Let us join together in prayer, asking the Lord to give us wisdom.
As we continue to move forward, our mission at Violet remains the same: to Love God, Love Others, and Make Disciples. We are committed to making, mentoring, and mobilizing disciples of Jesus in our community and beyond.
In a recent interview, CJ Stroud, the quarterback for the Houston Texans, shared his thoughts on the challenges and successes of his rookie season. He stated, “Jesus laid his life on the cross for us--I really believe that. This is bigger than just football. Football is my platform. Spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ is my purpose.”
As we approach 2024, let us follow in Stroud's footsteps and embark on our own journey with wisdom and purpose, multiplying God's mission to share the message of Jesus with the world!
Blessings, Pastor Rick
PAGE TWO| LETTER FROM PASTOR
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