BY GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer
SPALDINGS, CLARENDON:

By the time Reverend Robert Israel Errol Williams was age 14, he had already committed his fair share of sinful acts. It was the age at which he was stopped in his tracks by the Holy Spirit and was told that petty stealing, among other things, should come to an end. He willingly acknowledged and started his walk with God.

Reverend Williams was born in Trinidad but grew up in St. Vincent. He is currently district overseer for the Ocho Rios District of New Testament Churches in St. Ann, and leads the Ocho Rios branch of that church. He has lived in Jamaica since 1982.

A past student of the Bethel Bible College in Mandeville, Manchester, Reverend Williams confessed that up to the age of 14, he and other youths in St. Vincent were involved in what many youths in Jamaica are known to be involved in — stealing chickens.

"I grew up in a Christian home, and going to church, I began to recognise the need for Christ in my life. At age 12, I became a very bad boy following bad company, indulged in the stealing of chicken, goat and all sorts of things to cook," confessed Rev. Williams.

conviction

He explained that one night while he was in church and the preacher was delivering his sermon, he recognised that although he was in the service he was still a sinner and how bad he was. It was there and then that the young Williams decided to surrender his life totally to God.

The pastor told THE Star that on the night when he decided he was going the way of the Lord, he and a number of his friends were to steal some chickens to carry out their usual cooking activity. However, it turned out that police caught his friends and locked them up, while he was safe and saved by the blood of Jesus.

He said that since being saved, life could not have been better. He acknowledged that him being saved and serving Christ is the best thing that has happen to him and will never trade the life he currently lives for anything.

"I usually say to young people and everybody I meet, that if I am to live my life over, I want to be a Christian; and I do not want to get saved later than age 14. I can get saved before but not later than age fourteen. It was not always easy, but I have been enjoying my Christian life," said Rev. Williams.

He noted that what Christianity and salvation have done for him when he looks back at his friends and classmates, and evaluates his life as against theirs, there is a vast difference.

The experienced pastor said for youths to stay saved for Christ, they need to live with the assurance that who they are in Jesus is what they are supposed to be. He added that as young Christians, all sorts of things will come against them to influence them into going elsewhere. He wants youths to stick to persons who mean well in the church, as their company will help them to determine their progress.

growth

Reverend Williamshad other suggestions to assist in the growth of young Christians. These include: listening to persons who have good things to say to them; love the Lord with those who love the Lord, and choose friends who believe in what they believe.

Williams confessed that he loves the work as a pastor and wants to die being one. Though the work is challenging, Rev. Williams said the Lord has called him to work in his current capacity, as he was called from his mother's womb to be a pastor.

His first pastorate was at the Mullet Hall New Testament Church in Clarendon. He served at Spaldings and Santa Hill New Testament Church also in Clarendon in the mid 1990's, before going to St. Vincent and St. Lucia to serve for three years as National Christian Education director. On his return he served at Hillside and Cross Keys New Testament in Manchester, before moving to Salem in 2000; then to the Ocho Rios New Testament Church in St. Ann, where he has been pastor since 2003. Reverend Williams is currently a member of the National Youth Board in the New Testament Church of God in Jamaica and the Cayman Island. He has two children - Orane and Ornecia and is married to Jasmin.