I recently had the privilege of teaching a week-long Doctor of Ministry seminar in a seminary to a group of very bright and thoughtful students. Our … [Read more...] about What Does Real Leadership Look Like?
About Bill Wilson*
Dr. William “Bill” Wilson founded The Center for Healthy Churches in January of 2014. This followed his service as President of the Center for Congregational Health at Wake Forest Baptist Health since 2009. Previously he was Pastor of First Baptist Church of Dalton, Georgia, where he served since 2003. He brings over 33 years of local church ministry experience to the Center, having served as pastor in two churches in Virginia (Farmville BC and FBC Waynesboro) and on a church staff in South Carolina. Bill has led each of the churches he has served into a time of significant growth and expansion of ministry. He is a certified coach and facilitator and has experience as a consultant in numerous settings and with a wide range of organizations, faith communities, and churches.
Dr. Wilson grew up in Greensboro NC and Brentwood TN, where his father pastored local congregations. He graduated from Murray State University, and went on to receive his Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry at the Graduate Theological Foundation in South Bend, Indiana.
Bill is a popular speaker and writer, and he brings to his role as the leader of the work of the Center a deep passion for the local church, as well as a commitment to the health and success of both clergy and congregations. He and Dr. Bob Dale have written a book together: Weaving Strong Leaders: How Leaders Grow Down, Grow Up and Grow Together. (2016)
He is married to Kathy and they have three children and ten grandchildren.
The Center for Healthy Churches is a nationwide network of 27 consultants and leaders who value and believe in the local church and are committed to it’s future. Deliberately trans-denominational, team members come from a wide range of denominational, geographic, theological and vocational backgrounds. The Center has worked with churches from approximately twenty different denominational groups that span the geographic and theological spectrum.
Endorsements:
“The help that Bill Wilson and his team have given here at First Baptist Church of Decatur (GA) in our recent, challenging season of transition has been an absolute game-changer. The new Center for Healthy Churches is a fresh expression of a proven approach to congregational wellness. This is great news for churches of all kinds, and for the kingdom of God.”
Dr. Julie Pennington-Russell
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Decatur GA
“I have known Bill Wilson as a confidant, encourager, and consultant. Most recently I have seen the results of his work at First Baptist Greensboro, where he and his team served as primary consultants through the church’s 19-month Transition and Pastor Search. Bill provided outstanding consultation that prepared both congregation and pastor for what has been a magnificent start. If my church or I were seeking consultation, facing challenges, or planning for the future, Bill Wilson would be my first phone call.”
Rev. Alan Sherouse
Pastor, First Baptist Church Greensboro NC
“In 2011, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the second largest church in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, embarked on a long-range visioning process to help chart St. Paul’s future. After conducting a thorough request for proposal process for assistance from a consulting firm to help guide St. Paul’s’ process, St. Paul’s selected Bill Wilson and his team at the Center for Congregational Health. Bill and his team did an outstanding job throughout our engagement, which lasted about a year. They provided critical information about the various global dynamics and changes affecting churches, they appropriately guided us in our process without taking it over, and they were masterful in allowing us as a congregation to develop our own thoughts and ideas while effectively challenging us to consider newer, different and bigger, “provocative proposals”. Bill Wilson and his team were available, present, responsive, insightful and a pleasure to work with. I am certain that St. Paul’s Long Range Vision process and outcome would not have been as successful as it was were it not for Bill Wilson and his team. I look forward to an opportunity to work with him again in the future.”
David P. Broughton
Chair, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Long Range Vision Committee
Articles by Bill Wilson*
Worth Fighting Over
As part of our work with congregations who are engaging in the process of imagining their future, we invite them to first look back and connect with … [Read more...] about Worth Fighting Over
Do you ever change your mind?
I recently listened to a friend as he described the challenge his church had faced as they navigated a difficult congregational decision. It was no … [Read more...] about Do you ever change your mind?
Reclaiming Enthusiasm
Ready for a vocabulary lesson? Stagnant. Boring. Aimless. Tired.Tepid. What do these words describe? You? Your minister? Your church? Your Sunday … [Read more...] about Reclaiming Enthusiasm
It Goes Without Saying
Have you learned that nothing “goes without saying” anymore? That sobering truth runs counter to our tendency to think there are some universally … [Read more...] about It Goes Without Saying
The 8 Deadly Sins of the Church
All organizations, including churches, have a reason for being. Only a few actually know that reason and articulate it and live into it. Sometimes … [Read more...] about The 8 Deadly Sins of the Church
Cultivating a Culture of Call
Nearly all observers of the 21st century church in America agree that the next generation of leadership is a cause for concern. Many write, blog, … [Read more...] about Cultivating a Culture of Call
Remembering a Staff Colleague
I’m conducting a memorial service this week for a former staff colleague, and it has caused me to give thought to what makes for a healthy … [Read more...] about Remembering a Staff Colleague
When I Become Pope of the Protestant Church
Flying home from a recent teaching/mission trip to a third world country, I sank into an exhausted sleep and dreamed a vivid dream. In my dream, I was … [Read more...] about When I Become Pope of the Protestant Church
