Our Pastor
Bill Purvis was born on May 16, 1956 in Okinawa, Japan and grew up in Eufaula, Alabama. Two weeks prior to his spiritual conversion, a young witness for Christ would tell Bill, “Everything you are looking for can be found in Jesus”. On April 28, 1974, Bill would be stabbed 3 times with a butcher knife and left for dead. It was in his dying state that he repented of his sins and cried out to God, receiving Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior..
Bill Purvis was born on May 16, 1956 in Okinawa, Japan and grew up
in Eufaula, Alabama. Two weeks prior to his spiritual conversion, a
young witness for Christ would tell Bill, “Everything you are looking
for can be found in Jesus”. On April 28, 1974, Bill would be stabbed 3
times with a butcher knife and left for dead. It was in his dying state
that he repented of his sins and cried out to God, receiving Jesus
Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. That became the turning point
of his life. His transformation resulted in an undeniable love for God
and an urgency to tell others of Jesus. While a Business Administration
student at Opelika State College, (now Southern Union College) he
sensed a definite call to ministry one year after his conversion.
He went on to earn the following degrees from Luther Rice Seminary:
- Master of Arts, (M.A.)
- Master of Divinity, (M.Div.) Magna Cum Laude
- Doctor of Ministry, (D.Min.) Magna Cum Laude
He also holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from The Southern California Theological Seminary.
He served almost 7 years successfully as a youth pastor in three
churches where each youth ministry experienced growth and favor from
God.
These three churches were:
- Unity Baptist Church, 1976-78, where he served under Rev. Daniel Jones. He was ordained to ministry on October 11, 1977. It was under this pastor that he developed a passion for evangelism.
- Cascade Hills, 1978-80, where he served under Dr. Jim Lee. It was under this pastor that he grew in his understanding of Bible doctrines. He also married Deborah Michelle Raybon, of Pinellas Park, Florida on July 1, 1980.
- Pinehurst Baptist Church, 1980-83, where he served under Dr. Tony R. Dickerson. It was under this pastor that he learned skills of administration, exegetical preaching, and of working on a large staff team.
Looking back today, Bill clearly sees the guiding hand of God in his life through these experiences and holds each of these pastors in high regard.
On Easter Sunday morning of April, 1983, with only 32 people present, Bill and Debbie were called to the Cascade Hills Church of Columbus, Georgia as Senior Pastor. The membership has grown today to exceed 8,000. His ministry at Cascade Hills has been blessed with uncommon anointing.
If asked to this day about his life or ministry, his response is; “God has been very good to me in more ways than I ever deserved or could imagine. I’m humbled by his undeniable love for me and grateful for His grace that I always find near”.