WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Former Virginia Baptist pastor Bill Wilson has assumed the presidency of the Center for Congregational Health, one of four ministries of the School of Pastoral Care at North Carolina Baptist Hospitals.
Before moving to the CCH at the end of September, Wilson was pastor of First Baptist Church of Dalton, Ga. Under his leadership the church affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
Despite his love for both the pastorate and the church, Wilson says, “Several times in my life I have felt a very clear sense of God’s call, and this was one of those.”
When first approached, he told the search committee that he was happy where he was and did not wish to even discuss a possible move. But the committee was persistent and finally prevailed upon him to at least consider the position. “[W]hen I read the job description it was like someone was reading my mail,” he remembers.
Although Wilson continues to love the church, he now expresses that concern on a more grandiose scale. “The center has or is currently working with churches from 19 or 20 denominations in 44 states and several foreign countries,” he affirms.
“Part of my call is to introduce the idea that church can be a healthy place. Or when they are not, help is available,” he says.
What help can the center offer? Counting on his fingers, Wilson lists them.
• Intervention. “Sometimes a church needs an objective voice in the wilderness of conflict,” he reflects.
• Preventative methods through strategic thinking and planning.
• Preparing intentional interim ministers to help churches do significant reflection and planning between pastors.
• Coaching. “Our coaching model is the best I’ve seen,” he beams.
• Young Leaders. “When Bob Dale retired from the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, he gave that up and it went to the center for congregational health,” Wilson adds.
• Emotional intelligence led by Roy Oswald.
Wilson emphasizes that any church can become dysfunctional on occasion and a wise congregation will watch for signs of stress in decision-making and for fissures in the fellowship that may indicate help is needed. “I would love for churches to treat their disease early.”
He finds a model for what he hopes the center can accomplish in what local fire fighters do. “They are called ‘fire fighters,’ but most of their time is not spent fighting fires. Instead, they are providing training in fire prevention and inspecting facilities to discover safety violations.” Because of his affinity for Virginia Baptists, Wilson hopes Virginia Baptist churches having trouble will get the help the center offers.
The center is funded through substantial gifts provided by the North Carolina Baptist Hospitals and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and by fees contracted with churches for services provided.
Information is available at www.healthychurch. org; at (336) 716-9722; or at [email protected].
Jim White is editor of the Religious Herald.