January 4, 2012
For Immediate Release

By Tori Banks, student news writer

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Dr. F. Bruce Williams, pastor, mentor, evangelist and visionary will be speaking at Campbellsville University's Martin Luther King Memorial Worship Serviceat 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 at Ransdell Chapel, 401 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville.

United to Praise, a Campbellsville University gospel group, will perform.

This event is free and open to the public.

“We encourage the community, as well as Campbellsville University students, faculty, staff, and coaches, to join us for this worship service and celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations and executive assistant to the president at CU, said.

“Dr. Bruce Williams will bring a very powerful and challenging message, and the CU gospel choir, United to Praise, made up of CU students, will help set the stage for a powerful worship experience,” he said.

“And, importantly, we will all be reminded of the importance of continuing the struggle to make Dr. King's dream a reality in our community, state and nation.

“It's always good to have a worship service, but we must leave the worship service dedicated anew to building a community and society where people are not judged by their color or ethnicity but rather by the content of their character - as stated by Dr. King,” Chowning said.

Williams hold a master's of divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his doctorate in ministry from the United Theological Seminary.

He is the senior pastor of Bates Memorial Baptist Church of Louisville, Ky. Since entering this role in 1986, Williams has seen the church's membership increase from 100 members to over 5,000 members.

Williams is often asked to serve as an instructor and guest speaker for various community wide events, lectures, seminars, workshops and revivals; however, his desire to reach others extends far beyond the pulpit.

He is the president of the educational ministry of the Central District Baptist Association, the chairman of the trustees at Simmons College of Kentucky, the chairman for the 2008-2010 Urban Upgrade Conference and chairman of the board for the Bates Community Development.

In 2005, Williams was inducted into the William H. Sheppard Excellence in the Community Hall of Fame. He was nominated for the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame and his sermon “The Marks of an Irresistible Church” was featured in the summer 2006 edition of The African American Pulpit where Williams formerly served on the advisory board.

Williams was also featured in the inaugural edition of Who's Who in Black Louisville and was also awarded the United Theological Seminary Alumni Effective Ministry award in 2007. Also in 2007, Williams was inducted into the Presbyterian Community Center Hall of Fame.

Dr. Williams is married to Dr. Leona Michelle Smith Williams of Greensboro, Fla. They have two daughters, Imani and Nailah Cymone.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.