CHILDHOOD
Abandoned on a street corner by his mother at the age of 12, young Bill Wilson sat and waited for her at that corner for three days. She never came back. A Christian layman who was on his way home from work stopped to help him. Though anyone could have stopped, it was the Christian man who did, and after getting him a hot meal, this gentleman loaded little Pastor Bill into a church van and sent him to a Sunday School camp. It was at this camp where he gave his life to Christ. This was the start of his incredible walk with God – one that would affect hundreds of thousands of lives all over the world.
MISSION TO HELP HURTING CHILDREN
Because of his appearance from having been neglected for years even prior to being abandoned, young Bill found that no one would pray for him at the altar of that camp. It was then that he told Jesus “My mother doesn’t want me; now the Christians don’t want me either. But if You want me, here I am.” He never forgot the promise he made. Pastor Bill developed a heart of compassion for suffering children everywhere and he knew from his own experience that level of emptiness and pain could only be filled by the love of Christ.
As a teen, Pastor Bill’s ministry started with loading a van full of needy children in Florida, and bringing them to Sunday School. From there, Pastor Bill eventually conceptualized and developed several bus ministries in the United States. Every week, thousands of children would be picked up and brought to church to participate in a unique Sunday School program that became the pattern for curriculums, books, seminars ad college classes.
FOUNDING OF METRO WORLD CHILD
Dr Bill established Metro World Child (formerly Metro Ministries) in 1980 in what was one of New York City’s roughest neighborhoods, most commonly known for its history of gang violence, crime, drugs, and poverty. Dr Bill has been beaten, stabbed, shot shot in the face and the back. Despite everyone telling him that these tough areas could not be reached, he persevered through extremely difficult times and refused to leave the city or give up on the children who were growing up in this environment. Dr Bill’s unique concepts of outreach and Sunday School programs, along with training courses and curriculum development, are now replicated globally. This ensures that as many children as possible come under the sound of the Gospel and experience the love of Christ as he did. What started in a small building on a corner in Brooklyn has now grown into an international ministry that reaches over 200,000 children weekly. Metro World Child currently has Sunday Schools around the world including Kenya, Bulgaria, Germany, Romania, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, Uganda, Namibia, Philippines, Peru, South Africa, Colombia and Haiti.
After 50 years of full time ministry, Bill has authored many books including his bestselling autobiography, ‘Whose Child is This?' and his brand new 2019 release 'Elephants of Relevance'. Holding a Ph.D. from the university of Wales he speaks and lectures regularly at universities and seminars. He also travels weekly receiving invitations to churches, conferences, television and radio programs where he shares the vision and mission of Metro World Child and that one person really can make a difference.