CMBA celebrated Bill Wright’s 33 years of ministry when he retired in 2022. Readers are encouraged to revisit that spotlight on his Kingdom impacts throughout the CMBA Family of Churches, where they will learn about how God has used Bill from the time of his baptism at age 10 through his leadership on countless CMBA missions ministries and events. Recently, Bill reminisced about serving throughout the Midlands and the impact of those experiences on his life and ministry today.
After pastoring several churches earlier in his ministry career, Bill says God “put a passion in my heart for missions. I prayed for opportunities to serve in places without a gospel presence, and then God brought me to CMBA.” In the years that followed, his passion for missions began many ministries that helped people see the mission fields that existed right outside of their doors and beyond.
“I am so fortunate to have been around the best leaders over the years, and I want to give back at this point in my life to the churches because they’ve given so much to me,” Bill says, before adding that he could “talk for hours about ministry memories from serving as chaplain of the Blowfish baseball team to State Fair ministry, to international workers, to prison work, which has been so near to my heart.”
Bill saw the importance of creating access to ministries like these for all churches, especially smaller membership congregations who might not have been able to create a mission trip for themselves. He was often encouraged to see CMBA churches step up missionally and partner together over the years. Evangelism was always at the heart of these ministries, and Bill still celebrates the times when church members returned home from mission experiences with a stronger call to share their faith in their communities.
“I had the beautiful position of seeing the bigger picture of how God was at work all over the association. Sometimes when we serve in a church, even if we’re seeing God work, we still have a very limited view. For 14 years at CMBA, I was able to see God at work on a broader scale and that is something that’s still precious to me,” Bill says. “And that’s the beauty and significance of associational ministry. You’re so close to the church – just one step away – so you are able to know the larger picture while relationally connecting with people that know you and know your heart.”
Bill acknowledges there are “thousands of stories” he could share about God’s kindness and grace in the midst of the challenges of associational ministry. Like the layman who stopped by the Gadsden Street office during a particularly difficult season just to tell Bill that God was using him. “When he left, I went back to my office and cried. The Lord is so good to me.” Another time, while serving on a nonprofit board, Bill shares how God rescued him from the impossible assigned task of marketing an upcoming project.
“I had about as much hope at being successful as piloting the space shuttle. I was so stressed out and had drafted an email detailing why I couldn’t attend the upcoming meeting, all while complaining to the Lord about why I couldn’t do this role,” Bill recalls of the experience. “Following that meeting, a layman in attendance told me his wife owned a marketing firm. That firm ended up doing the services pro bono. God works through the Body of Christ, so it’s never about what I can do. It’s about what God can do, and He is unlimited.”
Bill believes his heart for pastors is another reason God called him into associational work. “Some of my best memories are of being with pastors and fellowshipping with them. We have been so blessed to have great CMBA pastors and leaders, including during difficult or transitional times. So often God would use the times I spent getting to know pastors’ passions, giftedness, and callings, and then an opportunity would come and God would bring them to mind because of the relationship that existed.”
When asked what he hopes might be a part of his legacy mark on CMBA, Bill responds with a quote he gathered through his love of reading biographies. While still a CMBA staff member, Bill began studying the life of Mother Theresa. The following quote changed the trajectory of his ministry:
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
“This is how I see myself. God has called me to do small things with great love, but often the things we consider small are actually big in God’s economy. At this point in my life, my only desire is to finish well. I want to love Jesus, serve Him, and serve His churches. For me, the way to do that is often through things that may not be considered ‘out front,’” Bill says, before sharing his annual charge to CMBA’s World Changers student summer missionaries. “I told them that if we had done our work, no one would even know we were there. If we’ve done what we should do, Jesus will be the center of attention, and the church will be glorified. We won’t even be seen.”
Retirement has brought more time with family – Bill and his wife Stephanie have two adult sons and two grandsons, with a granddaughter on the way. “Stephanie is already buying girl stuff, we can’t wait,” he says with excitement.
Unfortunately, this season of life has also included health issues that Bill is still struggling to overcome. He expresses his appreciation for the faithful prayers and contacts from so many CMBA friends since his symptoms began last fall. He reports improvement and recovery are slower than he’d like, but that he is moving in the right direction to return to his former levels of activity. He looks forward to preaching again and helping at his church, First Baptist Columbia.
According to Associational Missions Strategist Jamie Rogers, it’s impossible to ever know Bill’s impact on the CMBA family of churches. “He served so faithfully for so many years. I am so glad that Bill and Stephanie now have more time to spend together. Both of them are the example of faithfulness through all circumstances.”
Bill appreciates that “so many have said they were praying for me, and I can tell that they are. I am thankful to still be so loved and cared for by our CMBA churches.”