Pastor Debbie Williams, M.Div.,CA,GC-C
Pastor Debbie is a 1979 graduate of Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana, with a B.A, Social Work, and a minor in Sociology. Upon graduation, Pastor Debbie enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserves. She retired in 1999 as a Master Sargent with 20 years of honorable service. In 1990, while still enlisted, Pastor Debbie received a diploma in leadership and management from a non-commissioned officer’s school in Austin, Texas. While servicing her country, Pastor Debbie also provided counsel and support to military women, female spouses, and young female adults experiencing marital and domestic violence issues.
Pastor Debbie’s ministerial service to the Body of Christ began in the early 1970s through a school support service to the community. Through this school program, a decree was given to Pastor Debbie by a senior mother in the neighborhood, “God is going to bless you one day for what you are doing.” In 1997, the Lord called Pastor Debbie to ministry. In 2005, she received her minister license and ordination. In 2008, Pastor Debbie graduated from Samuel Proctor School of Theology (Richmond, Virginia) with a Master of Divinity in Theology. After graduation, Pastor Debbie received additional training in pastoral counseling. She became a pastoral counseling specialist, served in street evangelism ministry, and worked as a women’s support group leader within the local church. Additionally, Pastor Debbie earned a Church Chaplaincy outreach program certificate from World Outreach Church, Newport News, Virginia. She later became a professional chaplain.
In 1997, Pastor Debbie connected with Elder Cornelia Browning -Moore, LCSW, Director of Living Waters Christian Counseling Center. She also volunteered at the Counseling Center. During this time, Pastor Debbie met Dr. Brenda Williams, Ph.D., Dr. Jeremiah Williams, Ph.D., Mr. Brinkley, and Ms. Deatrice Tucker, MSW. She sat in on children’s sessions with Dr. Brenda Williams and teen sessions with Mr. Brinkley. Pastor Debbie received Domestic Violence and Anger Management Training from Ms. Deatrice Tucker. Pastor Debbie expanded her domestic violence training by completing training through Transitions, a domestic violence training center in Hampton, Virginia. Pastor Debbie worked in a Transitions emergency shelter for two years.
After nineteen years of laboring before God, shepherding/mentoring His people, training as a pastor, and providing domestic violence and pastoral counseling support, Pastor Debbie was ordained a Pastor in November 2016. As a retired Social Worker and military veteran, Pastor Debbie currently works as a certified bereavement and grief counselor, chaplain, licensed victim advocate consultant, and pastoral counselor for Healing Waters Counseling Center (Newport News, Virginia). She has also facilitated two grief support groups and co-taught a yearly Bible class and a Christian education class in churches within Hampton Roads.
Before the COVID-19 health crisis, Pastor Debbie provided vesper services to a local residential community in Williamsburg and co-facilitated a support group at the Williamsburg Housing Authority Senior Citizens Home. Pastor Debbie is the founder of the Ministry of the Word and Outreach Ministries,which provides ministerial services and other supports to military veterans, including financial support, food, and clothing needs.
Soon, Pastor Debbie will launch Solace, a bereavement and grief counseling ministry in Hampton Roads, Virginia. She is also the proud mother of Pastor Trisanne Springer and Ms. Vinaya Springer.
God has blessed and enriched Pastor Debbie with wisdom and compassion to love and serve His people. God has placed His Word in her belly which is life-changing, practical, and filled with truth to empower the lives of the marginalized victimized, unloved, and unchurch. There is much to be said about this Woman of God, and it can be summed up in four words, “A servant of God!”