The Beginnings
The Reverend Dr. William M. Campbell, Jr. was born in Milton, Pennsylvania to the late Reverend W. Melvin and Edith J. Campbell. His father was noted for his work as Dean of the Board of Examiners in the New England and New Jersey Annual Conferences. His most cherished legacy was his work on the Bi-Centennial Hymnal Commission and the presentation of the hymnal in 1984. His mother was a Life Member of the Women’s Missionary Society and served as Conference Branch President in the New England and New Jersey Annual Conferences. Both of them were often seen on the organ and piano accompanying meetings throughout the Connectional Church. Reverend Campbell is a fourth generation member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He has lived in the country of Bermuda and the states of New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Texas and Maryland.
“I’m so thankful to have parents who loved the Lord and each other. Their lives were models of excellence in service.”
The Call to Preach
On Friday, March 31, 1978, at age 17, young William “Billy” walked into St. Justin’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, where an African-American Pentecostal preacher - Brian Mosley - was conducting a revival! A Caucasian Roman Catholic Archbishop, whose name he couldn’t recall, anointed him with oil at the altar. That night he received the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. That night, nearly 1,000 persons were worshiping in the lower auditorium of that cathedral which still stands today in Hartford, Connecticut. That night changed his life trajectory forever.
The next morning, he heard his mother speaking to his father on the phone. His mother announced that William had some good news to share. When he got on the phone with his father who was in Atlanta in a meeting, he shared that Jesus had saved him and called him to the ministry. His father with joy encouraged him to read this passage from the prophet Isaiah...Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 NIV
“I celebrate this day every year! I promised the Lord I would always be found involved in his work and worship on this day no matter what day it falls on.”
On June 12, 1978, one day after his 18th birthday, he preached his trial sermon at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Hartford, where his father was pastor.
The late Reverend Peter Bernard Walker was the Presiding Elder of the Boston-Hartford District of the New England Annual Conference who signed his License to Preach. His topic - What Time is It? - still resonates with him till this day. Just five days earlier, one of his good high school friends - Ken Noel - hung himself because he found out he would not graduate with their class because of a poor grade in mathematics. “Billy,” as he was known in school, was devastated. He knew he had shared his experience in Christ but did not know how to lead his friend to Jesus. It left a pain in his soul that God would use to help him lead thousands to Christ in the years to come. His graduating class of 340 students unanimously asked him to give a tribute to Ken at their graduation ceremony. On June 23, 1978, the ceremony was held at the famous Bushnell Auditorium in Hartford. It was a life-changing experience for Campbell.
After a brief enrollment at Morehouse College, he left school to follow his passion for evangelism.
He worked with non-denominational ministries and groups who were involved in evangelism both in the United States and overseas. Campbell was fully immersed in soul-winning in prisons, hospitals, jails, half-way homes and blighted communities. In 1981, he joined a large mission group to travel on a mission trip to Jamaica. He fell in love with the mission field! Over the next several years, he worked odd jobs and took preaching engagements where they were offered. This afforded him the privilege of continuing to live his passion for evangelism and missions. Later in 1986, he went back to Jamaica to live in a mission immersion. He along with 3 other mission teammates lived in Chester Castle in Hanover Parish outside of Montego Bay where they conducted daily bible studies and Sunday worship services.
In 1988 he went on his first mission trip
to the African continent.
This initial trip to Kenya, East Africa, would again be a landmark in his evangelistic and missional journey. While there he was blessed to preach in the renowned Kenyatta Conference Center to over 7,000 persons in a Sunday morning worship event. The world was connecting and becoming more reachable. At the same time, his vision for global ministry was being forged. The Holy Spirit was at work!
After finishing an Associates of Arts degree from Manatee Community College in Bradenton, Florida, he embarked on a journey in banking and finance that would prepare him for the rigors of pastoral ministry in the 21st century. In April of 1995, while conducting a revival at the St Matthew A.M.E. Church for then Pastor, now Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, the Lord spoke to him and told him to officially organize the global ministry God was leading him in to. In 1995, he founded Flaming Fire Ministries a parachurch global missional organization whose mission is “to EVANGELIZE the lost, EQUIP the believers, EMPOWER kingdom leaders, establish local churches and EDIFY assemblies of Christ-followers.” Through this ministry he has conducted and led numerous mission trips regionally and globally to places such as New Orleans, Louisiana, and countries such as Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Zambia, Swaziland, India, Rwanda and his beloved Kenya.
On Sunday, July 18, 1995, the Lord called his father home on Father's Day.
While preaching the Fathers’ Day message at Fountain Chapel A.M.E. Church under Pastor Ronald Williams, his father quietly slipped to glory in New Jersey with his mother and two sisters at his side. A few months later, while spending time with God in the Valley of Fire outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, God then directed him to relocate to Dallas, Texas.
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In October of that year, he visited his late godfather, Bishop Donald G. K. Ming in Atlanta, Georgia to seek further counsel during this season. While receiving his counsel, his uncle advised him to “go see John (Bishop John Bryant) and tell him I sent you. He will know what to do with your kind of ministry.” Where was Bishop Bryant? In Dallas! Next assignment confirmed.
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In 1996, he traveled over 70,000 miles in the continental United States alone preaching revivals and just “going.” It was a year of confirmation as the Lord continued to open up doors for preaching.
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in March of 1996, he had preached a weekend revival at Ebenezer A..M.E. Church in Evanston, Illinois for then Pastor James C. Wade who is now a General Officer overseeing Church Growth and Development in the A.M.E. Church. As Pastor Wade and his late wife Julia, dropped him off at Midway airport, none of them knew what was about to happen. As he was about to board his plane for Tampa, Florida to return home, the Lord spoke to him and said “go to Milwaukee.” As he stood at the gate and watched his flight pull away, he decided to take a leap of faith. He rented a car and went to Milwaukee and checked into a hotel. The challenge: he had never been to Milwaukee and didn’t know anyone in town. His obedience opened up doors as he neared Sunday. He preached at the Holy Church of America through a contact who connected him with the assistant pastor. Sunday morning, became Sunday night and then an entire week of revival as the scheduled revivalist cancelled on Tuesday. It was a week of miracles, signs and wonders. In late 1996 he relocated to Dallas, Texas.
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“All throughout 1996, God continued to confirm that He was with me. I would wake up and the Lord would say ‘go to a certain city today and I will bless you.’ I would end up preaching in that city three or four places by week’s end and I had never been there.
In March 1997, during a solo trip to Kenya, he was blessed to preach weekdays at noon worship services hosted by a fellowship of pastors. For five days, nearly 3,000 persons literally pushed their way into the Embassy Cinema in Nairobi to hear the Word of God.
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Upon the election of three African-born bishops in 2004, he approached each with the possibility of starting the A.M.E. Church in Kenya. Bishop Paul J. M. Kawimbe responded with that possibility. In 2007 he helped to plant the first A.M.E. Church - Bethel - which has now spawned into thirteen churches in that country. The ministry continues to support annually the work in Kenya with annual contributions which have helped the churches to purchase items such as vans, music keyboards and, just as important, to provide the youth with scholarships, supplies and uniforms for school. One of the signal values of the ministry is that it has brought in Kingdom-minded mission partners from outside of the traditional church world to help with the growth of the work. One of those non-AME partners has expended and invested nearly $150,000 in the A.M.E. church in Kenya alone. For this global mission partner, it is about exposing their independent congregation to global missions and encouraging the fulfillment of believers’ responsibility to touch the world. Pastor C has helped numerous other churches and ministries to tap into their global nature and this has benefited the A.M.E. Church.
The Third 20 Years
On March 23, 1998, Bishop John R. Bryant gave him his first pastoral appointment. It was in the Greater Garth Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas, that he shifted his passion for missions to the pastoral setting. After twenty years of global missions and evangelism, he received his first pastoral appointment at the hands of The Right Reverend John R. Bryant. He put in 50-60 hours per week and helped to restore and implement a vibrant ministry in the heart of a challenged community. He led the congregation in a three-phase renovation project which put the church in a different place in the community and in the Greater Dallas District. “Greater Garth,” as it was called, became a favorite meeting place for the District meetings of Presiding Elder E. L. Wright, II and the pastors and people. During the spring of 2000 while on a fast, God directed Pastor C to have the mothers and sisters to prepare a meal for the hungry and homeless on that following Saturday. He immediately called Mrs. Irene Smith - “Big Annie” - and asked her to lead in that effort. She affirmed but also inquired as to how to get people to come. Using the feeding program of the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church which was also located in South Dallas and was the first church on the district, Pastor C simply asked, then Pastor, Dr. W. Raymond Bryant, to allow him to distribute flyers at their Friday noon feeding which occurred every week. Ninety-eight (98) persons showed up the next week to be fed. The rest is history.
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“This was my first pastoral charge. The Lord and Bishop John ‘slow-walked me down” and challenged me to be open to the Lord and see how much more he would bless. I did and so did He!"
Shortly thereafter, he secured by phone, a commitment from a global bank’s community development division, to finance the restoration of an aging and dilapidated house which the church owned next door. After clearing through the necessary denominational processes, the house was restored and became known as “Garth House” named after the founder, Fannie Garth. Garth House became a place for feeding hot meals and giving away clothing one Saturday per month. The signal affirmation of this viable community asset was shared connectionally when the 10th Episcopal District hosted the 2003 Women’s Missionary Society Quadrennial in Dallas, Texas. Garth House was one of the Five Points of Light and was featured on a bus tour of the city for delegates and attendees of the convention.
In 2002, the late Bishop McKinley Young assigned him to his second charge.
At the Anderson Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Killeen, Texas, he led the congregation to purchase two homes which became known as the Hamilton-Manjang Mission Houses. In 2004, while in the midst of purchasing two homes in the community at one time, Pastor C asked the local missionary president to “pick” which house they wanted to have as their base. The local society embraced the vision of being the main catalyst for feeding and clothing the community and thus giving leadership to the church’s local missional ministry. Named for the local Women’s Missionary Society, the first home was dedicated in 2005 by Supervisor, Dr. Jessica K. Ingram. In its first year, “Mission House,” as it’s affectionately called, served almost 700 persons. In 2011, the church added a second property and was able to remodel it to handle the food portion of the local missional outreach. In 2015, this 320 member congregation provided food and clothing to 9,756 persons in the Bell County area with a total value of over $160,000.
While this was going on in the local sphere of its missional assignment, Pastor C was also leading the congregation in regional mission work as well. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Killeen became a haven for hundreds of evacuees from New Orleans, Loiusianna. For several weeks, both Sunday services were attended by dozens of persons’ fleeing the devastation. Weekly, Pastor C led the congregation in giving out hundreds of dollars to help and encourage those persons in need. Weekly before preaching, he would walk out in the congregation and ask them to “give me $5.” The congregation responded by giving him hundreds of dollars which he would immediately place in the hands of dozens of evacuees and their families right in the worship service. Several families ended up joining and many made Killeen their new permanent residence.
During this time, he also led the congregation in supporting the home churches of members who were from New Orleans. For three years, he led the church in providing monthly support for the late Reverend Lester Shaw and the Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church in the 3rd ward of New Orleans. Each month both the pastor and church received a missional support check to help them in rebuilding. While the church also supported the 10th Episcopal District mission work during Hurricane Ike, he also led the congregation in a similar response by supporting the A.M.E. Churches and pastors in the Houston, Texas area.
The global missional nature of the church was brought to bear beginning in 2005 when Pastor C journeyed to Sierra Leone to minister in the first annual conference of the newly elected West African Bishop - The Right Reverend David R. Daniels. For many years Pastor C raised funds from friends and supporters outside of his local church through the parachurch ministry (Flaming Fire Ministries) to fulfill his global missional call. This was done so as not to stress the local church’s budget and to give time for the church to embrace its missional nature. On the Sunday before his departure, the Board of Stewards, made an impromptu appeal in both worship events. “He didn’t ask us for anything,” said the Steward Pro Tem - Brother Raymond Felton, and “we can’t let our pastor travel around the world without having a seed in his missionary journey.” This was the beginning of the church’s discovery of its global missional nature and potential.
Later in 2005, Pastor C lead a small team from the church to Kingston, Jamaica where he had cut his global missionary teeth in 1981. This small group provided supplies to the children’s orphanage and they ministered in the 16th Episcopal District Summer Youth Congress. Over the years numerous trips were accomplished taking dozens of youth, young adults and adult leaders, along with thousands of pounds of supplies to places around the United States and around the world.
For the first eight years of his pastorate he was in school completing the Master of Divinity (Baylor University) and Doctor of Ministry (Drew) Degrees. It was in his doctoral thesis that all of the missions work was chronicled and synthesized. One of the foundational biblical underpinnings became even more valued and held an all-engaging imperative: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NIV For the Church to fulfill the expectations of the Lord Jesus, it must enrich and expand in the four spheres of Kingdom outreach: Jerusalem (local), Judea (regional), Samaria (national) and ends of the earth (global).
Just nine months after graduating from Drew University with the Doctor of Ministry degree, his precious mother - Edith J. Campbell - went home to be with the Lord.
“There are times when I pull out my late mother’s Life Member Stole and simply hold it. It reminds me of the legacy of missions I have inherited.”
She had seen her firstborn and only son receive the terminal degree in ministry. As his mother and sisters had been there when his father breathed his last, so the Lord’s gift to him was that he was in the room alone with his mother as she breathed her last. With hymns playing on the recorder, she peacefully departed on January 5, 2012. One week later, in the Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church where his father’s life had been celebrated, his mother was eulogized by the late Bishop Frederick Hilborn Talbot the 90th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Just prior to closing her casket for the last time, his beloved sisters Rochelle and Jessica, agreed that he should have his mother’s Life Member Stole...a symbol of service in the Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. While he is not eligible to wear the stole, he cherishes the legacy of missions that it represents.
Senior Pastor
THE REVEREND DR. WILLIAM M. CAMPBELL, JR.
He now serves as the thirtieth pastor of Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Brandywine, Maryland. He was appointed by The Right Reverend James Levert Davis. There he picked up the visionary four-point Strategic Plan left in place by his predecessor, the newly elected and consecrated Bishop Harry L. Seawright. He hit the ground running.
In just over two years, the congregation has been able to check off the fulfillment of the plan which included a nearly $900,000 capital project renovation of both the Brandywine and Temple Hills campuses. He engaged the church in global missional work in Jamaica, Kenya, and is presently leading the congregation in completing the building of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Lilongwe, Malawi (20th Episcopal District). Members have also prepared supplies for mission trips to Kenya and Rwanda and have joined him on ministry trips to Capetown, South Africa.
For the past three years the church has hosted Presiding Elder Moses Achola from the East Africa Annual Conference to share in ministry. Together with four other non-AME churches, they have paid for his travel to the United States to attend the General Conferences (2012/2016) and General Board meetings. After each meeting he has spent 4-6 weeks of travel and ministry in each of the churches.
Approaching the fourth 20 years...
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Now in as he approaches the fourth 20 year period of his life, he looks forward to leaving a legacy of missions, preaching, evangelism, and teaching along with scholarship and service. He describes this as the “legacy phase” of his life’s journey. “Four things I work on that I’d like to leave,” he says.
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Write 100 books before I close my eyes. I accomplished seven so I have a long way to go. But the Lord has blessed me with nearly 40 years of content.
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Continue to teach and train ministers for service in the Kingdom of God.
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Teach local churches and believers how to do missions in every sphere.
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Lecture and empower seminary students to encourage them to reach for all that God has for them.
So, when the opportunity to serve his beloved African Methodist Episcopal church as the Executive Director of Global Witness and Ministry knocked on his door, he answered, as he’s always tried to answer the Lord’s call to Kingdom service:
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"Here I am send me!"
Campbell for Missions
Post Office Box 1069 | Oxon Hill, Maryland 20750-1069
