Myron (Mike) Lee Williams, a pastor, died October 29.
Myron trusted Christ as his Savior while attending Emmanuel Baptist Church, Toledo, Ohio, when he was eight years old.
During his college and graduate school years, Myron was actively involved in evangelistic ministry—holding street meetings, leading jail services, conducting hospital and rescue mission outreach, preaching in churches, and ministering to chain gangs. He also traveled for two summers with the All4Christ Gospel Team, preaching nightly across many Midwestern and Northeastern states.
Myron met the love of his life, Faye, during their freshman year at Bob Jones University. They were married in Toledo in 1954 and joyfully served the Lord together for 74 years (married 71 years). They faithfully served at Emmanuel Baptist Church through preaching, teaching, music ministry, visitation, and Sunday School leadership.
In May 1957 Myron began full-time pastoral ministry when he accepted a call to serve as assistant pastor at East Side Baptist Church in Lorain, Ohio, under Pastor Vern Dunham. Myron was ordained there in November 1957.
This marked the beginning of 60 years of pastoral ministry, including one year as an assistant pastor; 40 years as senior pastor of churches in New York, Ohio, and Michigan; and 19 years as senior adult pastor at Morningside Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina.
Alongside pastoral ministry, Myron founded AFC Ministries, Inc., serving as general director for 49 years. This outreach focused on worldwide evangelism through prayer, financial support of national workers, and gospel literature distribution—from their local community (“Jerusalem”) to regions across the state (“Judaea and Samaria”) and to the ends of the earth.
Myron’s heart for missions led him to overseas ministry in more than 40 countries, conducting evangelistic campaigns and pastors’ conferences. He also helped mail Bibles and gospel literature to many parts of the world. For about 25 years, he and his family operated the Lorain Book & Bible House, a Christian bookstore dedicated to equipping believers.
Throughout the years, he also served on numerous boards and committees for schools, mission organizations, camps, church groups, and pastoral fellowships.
Myron’s heart beat for two great loves: his family and the gospel. He delighted in every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild, and he spent a lifetime sharing the Savior he loved with people across the world.
He was preceded in death by a grandson.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mary Faye; daughters, Sharon Patterson, Sandi Beckett, Shellee Phillips, Sue Gfeller, Shirley Montgomery, Sally Williams, and Shawn Smith; sons, Tim Williams and Tom Williams; 28 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.
