My name is James Williams. I currently live in Worland, WY, with my beautiful bride and 3 amazing children. Since being saved in 2010, I have had an unquenchable thirst for the Gospel of Christ. More specifically, I have had a desire to see the people of God grow in their faith and in their relationship with Him. I have served in many roles in the church: sound, tech, preaching, small group leading, worship, and most other areas that can be thought of. The one thing that I have noticed, no matter what area I serve in, is that the people of God need to be pushed, challenged, and taught to love, serve, and rest in the Lord.

That same theme rings true in my life. I need to be pushed, I need to be challenged, and I need to be taught to better serve God and His people. That is where the idea of seminary first took root in my soul. I need to be molded, shaped, and humbled; If I was to shepherd the flock, I needed to be better equipped. There was a distinct lack of deep theological study in my life, which needed to be remedied. RBS was the institution that suited my needs most. RBS provided a way for me to work a full-time job, raise a family, and serve in the church, all while growing in my faith and learning from the great cloud of witnesses that have come before me.

RBS has been challenging for me. I went into RBS with no formal education outside of high school and with a full family. Each day was a new test of my willingness to follow where I felt God was leading me. There were times when the challenge felt like it was too much for me to handle, but God remained faithful, and I have now finished the Marrow of Theology program at RBS. This challenge has proved itself to be invaluable in my life. The relationships that have been built, the resources that have been gathered, and the education that has been received have all become indispensable.

Early in my Christian life, I had always looked down on seminary as a place where good Christians went to die. The stories abound of the Christians who went to seminary, and they returned proud, over-educated, wrongly educated, and oblivious to the needs of the church. I am happy to say that RBS doesn’t seem to produce these types of results. The professors are pastors, ministers, and counselors. Each one of them is in the thick of ministry, and the reality of what they are trying to do (raise leaders in the church) never seems to be lost on them. The education is practical to train men for on-the-ground ministry and not primarily focused on the theoretical – this may be the most valuable aspect of RBS.

I look forward to seeing where the same faithful God who sustained me through my studies decides to take me next. I have my own wishes and desires to shepherd the flock of God, but ultimately, I trust that He will place me exactly where He wants me, and I will strive to serve Him the best I can and rest in my faithful God.

Thank you to all the people who have been with me through this journey.

Soli Deo Gloria