Jeremiah Williams is a Junior here at ABC. Communications Director Cameron Peters recently sat down to ask him a few questions.
What brought you to ABC? Well, I come from California where it is warm so I thought the Lord was going to send me to southern states like Georgia, Alabama, or Louisiana to get that old school preaching and that Southern hospitality, what I was used to and grew up with but instead God sent me up north! But I felt a calling to the Alaska culture. The scriptures that popped into my head were Isaiah 6:8 “Here I am Lord, send me” and Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you I knew you…” So I applied to ABC and got accepted, so instead of soul food like fried chicken and candy yams I got black bear and moose haha! I can’t say I like being cold but where the Lord sends me I’ll go and I’ve been loving it ever since!
How has ABC impacted your relationship with Jesus? ABC has challenged me in classes and outside of class to know what I believe and why I believe it. My professors have and continue to challenge me by asking me questions, pushing me to shape my statement of faith. And I’ve been learning how to share and explain the faith if someone who isn’t a Christian wants to talk about Christianity. ABC has taught me to have a better relationship with Christ in practical ways and gives regular encouragement—big shout out to ABC chapels teaching you how to be more like Christ!
Tell me a little bit about your Church life here. I attend Tree of Life Church. It’s really different from what I grew up in, but I really like it and feel like I am a part of the community there. I serve in the youth ministry.
What led to you getting involved in youth ministry? I want to help the younger generation. I feel called to serve the middle and high school age by helping them find true relationship with Jesus so that when they are adults I can pass the baton to them and they can do the same for other kids. You can teach a lot in a youth group setting but it takes a lot of time invested to demonstrate the teaching in relationship with them. I want to walk with a group of kids through middle and high school and help send them into adult life with strong relationships with Christ.
To speak to the elephant in the room, I wanted to interview you during February in order to get your perspective on Black History Month as a black man. What does the month mean to you? I think it is an opportunity to understand the history of black culture and individuals deeper, beyond the obvious slavery and racism and civil rights movement. Black people contributed a lot through innovations and inventions to our country and the world. I think that’s important for young black kids, so they have stories of talented and creative people who looked like them that they can look up to and be like. I can imagine that would help give a healthier sense of identity, as well as spark a deeper appreciation by all of society. For sure, it kinda evens out the humanity a bit. Helps us see we have potential. It’s another chance to see another aspect of His creation in creating mankind.