Jim Williams (pastor)

S Jim Williams
9th General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand
In office October 1977 – 1985
Preceded by	Frank Houston
Succeeded by	Wayne Hughes

Sydney James Williams (born 11 September 1935) is a former pastor and leader of one of the most influential churches in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand. He is a published author and a former General Superintendent of the NZ Assembly of God. He is currently pastoring in Brisbane.

Williams received his training at a Bible College in Tauranga. In 1972 he moved with his wife Betty to become pastor of the Hamilton Assembly of God. During his ministry there his influence extended outside his local church through a series of conferences on church growth that attracted many from other Pentecostal denominations as well. In 1975 he became a member of the executive of the NZ AoG.

In 1979 Williams followed Frank Houston as General Superintendent of the NZ AoG. He proved a dynamic leader, gaining popularity as a speaker with his regular programme on the newly formed Radio Rhema. As Carew notes this lifted the Assemblies of God’s profile considerably.

The denomination as a whole was experiencing new growth:

Williams became a published author with a work based on the book of Proverbs called Wisdom - the missing link a book on handling pastoral problems.

One of the most difficult things he had to manage as General Superintendent was the fallout following the revelation of the financial and moral failure of Neville Johnson then pastor of the largest church in Australasia, the Queen Street Assembly of God.

Williams left for Australia in March 1989, the leadership of the AoG then passing to Pastor Wayne Hughes. In Australia Williams served in what was then known as the Garden City Church in Brisbane.

In October,1993 the Executive of the NZ AoG received a letter from the Australian Assemblies stating that Williams had been guilty of adultery while pastor at the Hamilton Assembly. Williams was replaced as Pastor of the Garden City Christian Church by his deputy Senior Pastor, Pastor Geoff Holdway. Ps Holdway differed from Williams charismatic style by focusing on a more fundamental adherence and teaching of scripture. This was based on his background in the baptist theological seminary with a much more Pentecostal emphasis on scriptural interpretation.

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