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doyle

Brother G.W. "Bill" Wilson has passed from this life to Heaven's reward. Memorial arrangements inside

doyle · Acts-celerate Owner Posts: 6957 **4/2/16 9:51 pm**

For those of us who have known him for decades, the news that Bill Wilson has suddenly departed from this life, came not just as a surprise, but also a shock. In our lifetime, we have met few who have accomplished more.

The Wilson family has planned a "Celebration Of Life" service for Brother Wilson on Saturday, April 9 at the Abundant Life Church of God in Lakeland Florida. The viewing is at 4pm Saturday and the Memorial Service begins at 5pm. Further details about the arrangements and accommodations in the area, can be found at this linke: http://www.actscelerate.com/viewtopic.php?t=85086

I first met Bill when he was pastoring the Lindenhurst, NY COG. Linda and I had moved to Long Island in an attempt to rescue a neighboring church that had been blown apart by internal and pastoral situations. Shortly after we moved there, Bill Wilson was chosen as Evangelism Director for the Churches of God in New York. He replaced Phil Higgens who had served meritoriously. Phil and Yana were moving into another phase of work.

Bill and J.D. Golden were used of the Lord to move the COG in NY forward in a powerful way. One of the top writers from Fuller Theological Seminary, said that the COG in NY, had "one of the most effective urban ministries he had ever seen." COG General Church leadership at the time, deserve credit too as do all COG congregations that raised money for the Youth And Christian Education Project; New York City.

In addition to serving meritoriously in NY, the Wilson family later moved to Florida where Bill served as Director of Cross-Cultural Ministries. A letter of appointment for Bill to serve as an Overseer in Canada, had just arrived when the Berlin Wall came down. Suddenly, the door into Russia SLAMMED wide open.

With the appointment letter to be an Overseer on his desk, Bill instead decided to lay that aside to answer another call. When given the choice, he laid aside the security of a General Church appointment. Instead, he took a major risk to go to Russia in an attempt to help the COG get a foothold in that country that had been Communist for 70 years.

To maintain power in Russia, over the decades, the Communists had murdered over 40 million people. As Bill prepared to go to Russia, that nation's thousands of nuclear weapons were pointed at the U.S. Under the leadership of Carl Richardson, Bill Wilson and Jim Hughes, hundreds of COG ministers traveled to Russia to help the COG get a strong start.

At that time, most people had heard of Russia's fabled "Underground Church." Carl, Bill and Jim helped the Underground Church have some of it's first public meetings after Communism fell in that nation. Some of the Underground Church leaders had been in prison for 25 years because they refused to stop preaching.

It was Russia's Communist leader Gorbachev who released them from prison, but it was Carl, Bill and Jim, operating as front-line leaders for the COG, who drew over 500 ministers of the Underground Church, to meetings in Moscow. In addition, under the leadership of Carl, Bill and Jim, the COG was able to start 15 churches surrounding Moscow.

Many of you have dynamic memories of participating in those evangelistic outreaches in Russia. Each of you have your own personal memories when COG people banded together to reach into a nation that had been closed to the Gospel. Bill moved his family into two small rooms at Hotel Ismailova on the outskirts of Moscow. They were there for over a year,

Those of us who have stayed in that hotel, saw that those rooms are about half the size of a Motel Six room in the U.S. From the seeds of sacrifice like that, a powerful ministry began to develop to teach and preach that God is love and Jesus saves. As did a number of our viewers, I personally saw with my own eyes, Russians who had been under Godless Communism for 70 years, sit on the edge of their seats in rapt attention as they heard the Gospel message.

Following those Russia days of powerful evangelism, Bill Wilson began a missions-evangelism and church-planting ministry to reach the major cities of the world. It is called "World Class City Ministries" http://www.WCCM.net. Under that banner, those working with and thru WCCM, have been helpful in the starting of 3,000 churches around the world, and a strong Bible School in India.

That number 3,000 is not a misprint. Networking with Bible-believing people all over the world, the passion of Bill Wilson and WCCM was church planting. Today, as news pours in of his passing, those churches and the thousands of people being ministered to in them, are part of his amazing legacy of service to the Lord Jesus,

In this one article, it would be impossible to share all that Bill and his family have done in the Lord's Harvest field. This writer welcomes all Actscelerate viewers to share how their life has been blessed by the life and ministry of Bill Wilson.

Our prayers go out to Bill's beloved wife Jean, their daughter Keri, and their four sons, Todd, Kevin, Chad and Shaun. We have learned that the cause of Brother Bill leaving this life for Heaven's reward, was due to a heart-attack. More is contained in an accompanying post.

Bless you Brother Bill for your life, your love of Christ and your family, and your incredible legacy.

Doyle
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revuriah

Golf Cart Mafia Underboss Posts: 3682 **4/3/16 5:49 am**

Upon our return to Lakeland from 2 years of ministry Aurora/Chicago area, one of the first people I met was Pastor Wilson. I attend Abundant Life, as Pastor Stewart has been a mentor and spiritual father to me since I came into the COG from a charismatic Presbyterian church in early 1998. It was as I was walking across the back office parking lot that he came out of the office building (before the move), introduced himself, and spent some time talking with me. That was in mid-May. In the almost 11 months that have passed since we moved back, Pastor Wilson was one of the men I truly appreciated.

I truly wanted to spend some more time with him. His missions work was exemplary. His love for the lost was inspiring. He had just returned with a team Abundant Life workers from a trip to El Salvador.

I'm shocked and saddened. I just saw Pastor Wilson on Wednesday, at a special one-night revival with Jack Coe, Jr. He was praying with the saints around the altar.

Shaun, my friend, praying for you, your Mom, Kevin, Chad, and Keri. God bless you, and may you find His comfort, brother.
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Dave Dorsey

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **4/3/16 6:13 am**

Rev. Wilson has one other son, named Todd. Thank you to those praying for the family.

Rev. Wilson was a tremendous man of God. I only recently got to know him well, and am so grateful I had the opportunity before he went home to his reward.

Eddie Robbins

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **4/3/16 7:25 am**

I had some interaction with Bro Wilson, also going back to our trip to Russia and several times at the Assembly. I met with him and Shaun for breakfast in Maryland a few years ago. He is one of those guys that did so much for the Kingdom that seemed to happen quietly in the COG but the reason is because he was a humble man, not seeking recognition. We need more Bill Wilsons. Blessings to you, Shaun.

Quiet Wyatt

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **4/3/16 8:16 am**

Sorry to hear of his passing. I only met him in person once, but I had known of his ministry prior to that. A real trailblazer for the Kingdom.

Gerald Abreu

Acts-celerater Posts: 900 **4/3/16 11:12 am**

I've traveled the world with Brother Wilson. I will miss him. What a great example of integrity! To Shaun and all the Wilson clan, I offer my condolences.
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Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **4/3/16 1:05 pm**

I did not know Bill Wilson, but from what you boys is sayin, thank the good Lord for a man with such a great witness/legacy.

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **4/3/16 1:22 pm**

What a shock. I was blessed to be called by Bro Wilson to do the NY Camp Meeting Children's church on Long Island and later to be allowed to be the Bible teacher at his youth CAmp.

I never saw him again but followed his ministry. He was a very impressive individual, and man of God. He will be missed for sure. The family have our prayers of support.
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Nature Boy Florida

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 **4/3/16 4:40 pm**

Very sorry to hear of his passing. Definitely one of the good guys.
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shaunbwilson

Site Admin Posts: 3222 **4/5/16 10:45 am**

Thank you to everyone who has reached out in love and support over the last few days. I've been checking in on Acts a few times every day even during this difficult time as some of his friends are active on Acts-celerate. Your warm kindness and fond memories of my dad have made the process a little easier. I'm not quite ready to write my own tribute yet, but here's one that my brother Kevin posted on Facebook that I thought some here who knew my dad might enjoy reading. He used some of the same exact language I had been thinking about.

bonnie knox

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **4/5/16 10:57 am**

Condolences, Shaun. May God give you comfort. That's a very nice tribute your brother wrote.

georgiapath

Acts-dicted Posts: 7604 **4/6/16 4:53 am**

So sorry for your loss.