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This week, the Greenville Advocate honors Jason Williams as Hero of the Week. A father of six and soon-to-be seven, Williams is the pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Georgiana and a full-time employee at AutoZone. His dedication to family, church and community is unmatched, making him a true hero in the eyes of those who know him.

“He’s just very selfless. He’s always been the one to give,” said his wife, Blair Williams. “I don’t even know how to put it into words. He’s stern when he needs to be and also tender.”

Born in Prattville and a graduate of Jeff Davis School in Montgomery, Jason has always been driven by a strong sense of duty and service. After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving as a mechanic in the nuclear engineering room of the USS Tennessee. 

His journey to becoming a pastor began unexpectedly.

“If you knew me 20 years ago, you would never believe I would become a pastor,” Jason said. “I started going back to church when my wife and I were dating, and it just sort of felt right at the time. My grandfather was a Baptist preacher, and it kind of built on that.”

Though his calling in the church came later in life, Jason says that he has no doubt that he is exactly where he’s meant to be.

“It began as filling in a few times because there was no one to do it,” Jason said. “But when you get up to speak and the words aren’t the words you were going to speak, you can’t deny that you know He’s working through you.”

At Eastside Baptist Church, Jason is deeply involved in every aspect of church life, from leading youth nights to organizing Vacation Bible School. 

“Anything that we have at the church, he’s involved with,” Blair said.

The commitment extends beyond his role as pastor. In January 2021, the couple became foster parents, with the intention of adopting.

“We both wanted a child and had discussed adoption. So we decided to foster to adopt because we knew there was a need,” Blair explained. “It’s brought us closer together. Your eyes really get opened because you know there’s a need but you don’t really understand how great that need is.”

Jason said being a foster parent has profoundly impacted his life. 

“I had children from my previous marriage but my wife and I didn’t have any together,” Jason shared. “It was something we really felt called to and it’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.”

According to Jason, his wife, Blair, has played a crucial role in the journey to where he is now.

“My wife has made me a better person and experiencing all of this with her is incredible,” Jason said. “I couldn’t do anything without her. It’s a relationship like nothing I’ve ever experienced because we really complement each other.”