Pastor Edrin Williams wins second annual Bethel preaching award

Each week in North Minneapolis, some 1,400 people—in person and online—hear Pastor Edrin Williams speak about the transformational love of God. As lead pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church—a multiethnic, multigenerational congregation rooted in an often underserved community—Williams sees preaching as a vital calling.

“I still believe the Church is the hope of the world,” he says. “We are God’s people called together to worship him and bless the world.”

For his commitment to that mission, Williams received Bethel Seminary’s second annual Preaching Excellence Award at the Preaching Showcase on May 5, 2025.

“Edrin’s preaching is consistently challenging, relevant, and engaging, and based on sound understanding of the meaning of the biblical text,” says Bethel Seminary Dean Peter Vogt. “We recognize that his preaching exemplifies the kind of excellence in exegesis, presentation, and application that the Preaching Excellence Award is meant to honor.”

The award includes a $500 gift to be directed to a ministry or organization of the recipient’s choice. Williams chose Haven Pantry, a ministry of Sanctuary Covenant Church that provides food and household supplies for individuals and families in need.

Williams grew up in South Carolina’s Lowcountry and is shaped by the Black Baptist preaching tradition. He says he has always known what excellent preaching looks like—but when he was called to ministry, his vision was broader.

“I knew I wanted to be a great pastor, not just a good preacher,” he says. “Bethel gave me the opportunity to consider the whole life of the pastor, thinking about Bible and theology, spiritual and personal formation, and community-centered ministry. I love preaching, but I always had a sense that it was just one part of what faithful pastoring called for. Bethel gave me language and a framework to work that out in real time.”

Williams has served as lead pastor at Sanctuary for six years. Before that, he served as discipleship pastor (2013-2019) and youth director (2011-2013). When asked about the biggest challenge facing preaching today, Williams points to the fast pace of life and the constant noise competing for people’s attention.

“It’s hard to name a single challenge, but I often find myself longing for more time with our congregation each week—to go deeper in the teaching of and soaking in the Word,” he says. “There’s an overwhelming number of voices speaking into the lives of those seeking to follow Jesus. I feel a huge burden to root our church in the Scriptures so that people encounter God there in a way that aligns their heads, hearts, and hands and feet with the ways of Jesus.”

He adds that while the stakes of preaching seem higher than ever, consistent engagement with church communities is becoming less common—even among committed Christians.

“I pray for our church and others like it to be innovative in fostering a deep hunger for God in people’s lives—and that this hunger would be matched by an eagerness to grow toward maturity. In my view, that means becoming disciples of Jesus who go on to make other disciples of Jesus.”

That sense of purpose fuels Williams every time he preaches.

“Each time I stand before our congregation, I get a chance to do my little part to make a great, big God known to a world that desperately needs to know him,” he says. “That gets me—and keeps me—motivated in preaching.”

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