Friendship Baptist Church

Our History

On October 17, 1945, Friendship Baptist Church was organized in the home of Brother & Sister William Moore on East Monument Street, with forty-two faithful saints forming the new Body of Believers. A few days later, on October 21, 1945, Friendship held its first worship service in a hall on West Colorado Avenue, with the Reverend J.W. Quinn delivering the Word of God. By God’s Grace, Friendship Baptist Church had been on the move from that day forward! On January 20, 1947, the church building was started, and in 1962, a new church was erected and dedicated.

The Reverend C.A. Miller was the first pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, Serving God and the people for four years. Following Reverend Miller, the Reverend J.E. Eatmon served as pastor from January 1950 until his death on November 19, 1956. Between 1956 and 1965, God placed His great servant, Rev. El Ray Johnson, in the pastorate of the Friendship Baptist Church. Rev. Johnson faithfully served Friendship for twenty-seven (27) years before retiring in December 1992.

Following the Retirement of Rev. Johnson, Rev. Sandy Ray Fields, and Rev. Erie D. Fields, Rev. Henry F. Johnson (Interim) served Friendship Baptist Church as Pastor. On Wednesday, June 23, 2004, after a season of much prayer, the people of Friendship Baptist Church confirmed God’s call to the Rev. Clarence W. Davis to Shepherd the People, known as the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Davis mounted the pulpit for the first time, as a Pastor, on August 8, 2004. He Resigned in March 2013.

On November 13, 2016, Reverend Kevin C. Anderson mounted the pulpit as pastor of Friendship Baptist Fellowship. Pastor Anderson is a true man of God who believes and knows personally that we truly serve an amazing God; thus, his saying of “Amaze Me In All Things” accurately represents our Sovereign Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Since Reverend Kevin C. Anderson’s retirement, on September 24, 2023, Friendship Baptist Church has been graced with the powerful ministry of Pastor Roland G. Williams.

By the power of God, Friendship Baptist Church has endured through times of great challenge and change to the glory of God. Today, Friendship is a progressive, activist church, reaching beyond the church’s walls and into the community through civic, social, and political engagement.

The main focus of Friendship continues to be the preaching of the Gospel, the teaching of the Word, and ministering to the lost, the hurting, the wounded, and all who are seeking God or seeking to grow deeper in their faith journey with God.

Pastor Roland Williams

Pastor Roland Williams was born in Longview, Texas in 1961 to Ella Mae Williams and Cecil Leon Thompson. He graduated from Gladewater High School and attended Jarvis Christian College.

Pastor Williams married DeValon Denise Daniels in July, 1983 and is the proud father of three and grandfather of four.

He was ordained as a Deacon in 1996 at Post Oak Baptist Church in Kilgore, Texas where Pastor Lacy Burton served. He became licensed to preach in October, 2005 under the pastorship of Pastor Larry Washington.

Pastor Williams was called to lead First Community Missionary Baptist Church in Harleton, Texas in 2012 and installed as Pastor that same year at Post Oak Baptist Church in Kilgore, Texas ending the year at First Community Church.

Residing in Colorado Springs, he was the Interim Pastor at Friendship Baptist Church from Aug 2020 – 2023 and voted in and selected as Pastor on April of 2023. He is employed with Weatherford ALS as the Manufacturing Lead.