Minister/Elder Joseph Leseon Williams a.k.a J.L.W is the youngest ordained minister in Champaign-Urbana. He has been playing Keys (Piano) for 4 years, Singing for 4 years and Preaching for 6 years. He has his own youth ministry called "Young People Praising Ministries Y.P.P.M."
He is also a very important part of his community and his school. Joseph has a great love for the people and the Word of The Lord.
More information about Elder Williams:
"Early Years "
Minister Joseph Leseon Williams was born September 5, 1993 in Champaign-Urbana Illinois. Before he was born into this world, his mother Angela Wilson was a member of The Church of God In Christ. During the time of her pregnancy, they would lay hands on her stomach. She was told that her son would do a great work for The Lord. After Joseph was born they knew something was different about him. He would stand on the church pew and say the word, “Hallelujah" all the time. He was two years old then. He has four siblings, two brothers on his mothers side (Jeffrey W. Wilson the 2nd, and Addison B. Wilson) and two sisters on his fathers side (Danisha and Chantell Williams). The middle child to his mother was Angela S. Wilson, and youngest and only boy of his father was Joseph L. Williams. He grew up without a father figure for sometime, but God had placed men in his life, and his mother did all she could to take care of her kids, on her own.
"Salvation"
He got saved and gave his life to Christ at the age of 13, and also during that time got filled with the Holy Ghost. In the Apostolic Church, Glory Center International, in Champaign, IL. His older brother Jeffrey asked the family to go to church with him one day, and they all agreed. There, Joseph wasn't feeling the church thing, and was into cussing, secular music, and just a negative teenager. One day he decided to sit down and here the preacher preach, It finally opened his heart to the word of God. But going back home to a tyrant stepfather made salvation seem hopeless. His curiosity lead him to learn more about this Jesus. This later led him to become saved and give his life to Christ one Sunday Morning. During that same time, he was filled with the Holy Ghost on a Tuesday night and accepted his calling to preach The Word of the Lord at the age of 13. God has given him many gifts since then to further his work for The Lord. He is known as Min. J.L.W. He is still preaching in season and out of season. He has been a very important part of the churches, he has been to.
"Childhood"
A very quite, and wise little kid, who grew up in Urbana, IL, went to Elementary School at Thomas Paine, and finished his las two years of Elementary school at Yankee Ridge. He wpould help his mother take care of his little brother, and sort of made himself the man of the house. Went to Urbana Middle School ,and now attends Urbana High School, in the fall of 2011, he will be a senior in High School. Joseph has been a Young Achiever in Elementary School, and was in Title 1, He was also an honor role student in Middle School, He took Band for 4 years, and quit in High School of Freshmen year, He played percussion but wanted to focus more on ministry. He and also took up the piano and taught himself.
"Church Life"
From, being brought up in The Church of the Living God, to The Seventh Day Adventist Church, Glory Center International where he was an Armor Bear for Apostle C.D Nesbitt , The Truth Pentecostal Holiness Ministries, where he was the Minister of Music for Pastor Charlotte Blissit. Even 5th Illinois West C.O.G.I.C Also Grove St. Church of God in Christ (C.O.G.I.C), which is where his roots are. His great grandmother, Missionary Emma Brent, attended the church in the 1940's, and her youngest brother, Bishop William Haven Bonner, of the Sixth Illinois Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ, is one of his great-great uncles. He served as an Armor Bearer to Overseer/Elder Robert L. Perry Jr,, who is the Adjutant Overseer of The Church of God in Christ to Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr,. Also his great Grandfather, who was a Baptist man attended Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Urbana, Il. He is also a very important part of his community and his school. Joseph has a great love for the people and the Word of The Lord. With the gift God has given him he will use it to set the captive free. He has been part of a couple of ministries in the Champaign area, he now belongs to Kingdom Connection Outreach Center in Urbana, IL where Davita Benard is the Pastor and Founder. He currently served as Minister of Music, his little brother was the main drummer, and his mother was Praise and Worship Leader, he also belongs to Noah Brown and Company (NIBAC) a group of talented singers in the Champaign area, that are well known in the Central Illinois area, founded by Minister Noah I. Brown who belongs to St. Luke C.M.E Church, as well his older brother Jeff plays there. Minister Joseph and his family sing with NIBAC as well and over the years, his family has been part of the gospel community in Champaign, his grandmother and her sister use to sing around town, and in many churches, also his mother has been in many gospel groups in the city. Minister Joseph L. Williams has plans to become a zoologist, ad go to college for zoology, pursuing his love for animals as a child, but too also preach the Gospel and Save Souls. In July 5th, 2011 he went even further and became an Ordained Elder, from First Nation Ministry, and still letting God lead him.