Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr.

Interview By
Richard Cox

Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. talked with Gospelcity about his latest comeback CD Landmark, and his intriguing life as a pastor for 47 years at Salem Bible Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

Gospelcity: Rev. Williams, why did you decide now to release a CD after 20 years since your last recording?

Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr.:  The reason I did the CD is because of Kelvin Manson who is my Minister of Music at my church (Salem Bible Church).  Kevin is about 34 or 35 years old and I’ve been pasturing for 47 years… so Kelvin was raised under my ministry and did everything he needed to do for the position that was required to become our ministry of music.  Kelvin came to me and kept saying to me that I needed to record again.  I heard him one time but then I began to listen to him. I made a decision to do it and that’s how it came about.

Gospelcity:  Tell us about the background of your Landmark CD project?

Rev. Williams:  Kevin Manson is the producer in essence of the whole thing. He pulled it all together in terms of the songs, reached out to the songwriters for us and when I say for us I’m referencing myself and my son(Dr. Joseph L. Williams)  … because my son does several numbers on the CD along with myself … and we do a couple of  numbers as a duet.  The reason for the title Landmark for the CD came about because of the fact that I’ve been in the ministry for 60 years … and the group thought that I am a landmark … and for that reason we named the CD Landmark.

Gospelcity:  What message do you want listeners to take away from your Landmark project?

Rev. Williams:   I’ve been sustained by God … and I’m 67 years of age … and it’s not many people that can say they have done anything for 60 years … and still have a reasonable portion of health and strength. God has privileged me to have that … and so if they see nothing but me being sustained through 67 years of life … 60 years of preaching … and 47 years of pastoring the same people… that within itself to me … says all that God has done for me.