During two decades of ministry, Bishop L. Daniel Williams has garnered a lifetime of memorable moments.
He learned much from Dr. Thomas Kilgore, Pastor E.V. Hill and the Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray. He’s worked closely with Bill and Hillary Clinton, strategized with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and collaborated with U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
In the midst of his many activities, he has always dedicated considerable time as pastor of the Baptist Church of the New Covenant in Norwalk.
“I have been blessed to have a very good ministry. When I grew up in the south, I had this hymn, ‘A Charge to Keep I Have’ and a line in that hymn said ‘to serve this present age.’
“Well, you can’t serve this present age unless you know the heartbeats and the hurt and the dynamics of hope from the generations of people. So, that has just kept me flowing,” noted Bishop Williams.
“My ministry is so much about learning from Jesus. He had this kind of wholistic ministry, about things that affected people. That has been a good approach for me. If He was doing it, I do it to the greatest degree I can do.”
Bishop Williams also served nine years as president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Southern California (BMC) where the organization often addressed social issues affecting disadvantaged people.
“I’ve always been community-minded. I came up working with the NAACP and expanded my activities beyond the church walls,” he said.
Regarding the recent BMC election, he shared, “I have talked with both the current and new president and I’m hoping that all of us will work together and strengthen one another. The kingdom of God is always about unity, a unified front of oneness.
“An organization is greater than its leader, but the leader must be interpersonal so he reflects the views and voices of the entire group, regardless of the ages of the members. The late Dr. Manuel Scott said to me once, ‘Young man always remember, there’s an old man being born in you.’”
Also, Bishop Williams is optimistic about the future of the faith-based community.
“At this point of our walk of faith, we all need each other. We all should continue to study our forefathers, what they did to accomplish great goals and achievements and see if we can apply those principles.
“We have a chance, especially in the African American community, to work together, share goals and aspirations, use every person’s talent, and we’ll make our destiny. “
