Bishop Lawrence Williams was born to Reverend and Mrs. Lawrence E. Williams, Sr. in Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 3, 1942. He is the eldest child of eight children.
His parents relocated to Kansas City, Missouri when he was an infant. He attended the greater Kansas City Public Schools and graduated from Manual Vocational High School. Upon completion of high school, he attended the Automation Institute where he received a diploma in Data Processing.
In 1963, he was inducted into the United States Army where he served as a Medical Corpsman and Laboratory Technician. Upon returning from oversees duty in South Korea, (where he established his first church), he received an honorable discharge from the military service. He then settled in Seattle, Washington.
Shortly after arriving in Seattle he obtained employment at the University of Washington Hospital. He worked in the Department of Orthopedics and Urology as a surgical technician for approximately two and a half years while attending community college. He was also employed by the State of Washington with the Department of Social and Health Services as a Financial Service Technician. His duties entailed investigating complaints, identifying financial errors, and when appropriate, made referrals to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He appeared in court as an expert witness for the state, when required by legal proceedings.
Bishop Williams received his degree from Seattle Pacific University in the field of Christian Education, with an emphasis in Church Administration and Biblical Studies. In his studies, he received certifications as a Vocational Resource Instructor from the Puget Sound Educational District. He is now retired from the public school system where he taught for over eighteen years.
He also served as the Director of Youth Ministries for the Pacific Northwest District Council for the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World for eight years. This district included the states of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho. In 1979, he co-founded Faith Deliverance Assembly A.O.H. Church of God, Inc. in Seattle, Washington, which he has pastored for the past thirty-six years.
During his present pastorialship, he established Faith Christian Academy and Faith A.O.H. Bible College. He also organized and founded, New Faith A.O.H. Church of God, Inc., located in Everett, Washington. He pastored New Faith A.O.H Church for three and a half years before appointing another pastor there. The name of the church was later changed to New Faith A.O.H. Church of God.
He received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity in 1983. He presently serves on the Executive Board of the International Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God, Inc., and has for the past twenty-eight years. He has also served on the National Trustee Board for over twenty-two years. Bishop Williams is the Bishop over the National/ International Education Department of the A.O.H. Churches of God, Worldwide. He was named ‘Minister of the Year’ for two consecutive years in the Western Regional Ministerial Council. In addition, Bishop Williams was appointed the Assistant National/International Presider at the 99th Annual AOH Pentecostal Convention.
Bishop Williams has been blessed to be married to his wife Thelma for forty-three years. They have four beautiful daughters, JoAnna, Jeanette, Michelle, and Kristy, who along with their husbands are all active in the ministry. They are also the proud grandparents of sixteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
