First Church has a large staff to meet the many needs of the church and the community. Our staff members are listed on the about us page of this website. We also have numerous ministries that are led by members of our congregation. Below you can find more details about the ministerial staff.
If you would like to connect with the Pastors, please contact us.
Pastor Lee
Pastor Lee :: Senior Pastor
Pastor Dr. William J. Lee Sr., was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan to two Christian, Seventh-day Adventist parents, the late Mr. James Lee Jr, and Mrs. Jean Lee.
Dr. William J. Lee Sr. is a gifted preacher of God’s Word. He preaches a powerful message for this end-time generation.
Flowing under a strong anointing, Pastor Lee is a trailblazer. His messages touch the hearts of adults and youth alike. He strongly believes that Jesus Christ is soon to return, thus he ministers with great passion and enthusiasm proclaiming the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Lee ministered for 20 years, serving in the Lake Region with distinction and honor. He began as a seminary intern at his childhood church, Highland Ave Seventh-day Adventist Church in Benton Harbor, MI. During his second year of seminary he began full-time responsibilities pastoring the Trinity Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kalamazoo, MI. During his tenure he also pastored the Jackson Summit, Grand Rapids Bethel, Indianapolis Capitol City, and the Chicago Shiloh Seventh-day Adventist Churches Dr. Lee also served as Departmental Director for Men’s Ministry for 7.5 years.
Pastor Lee currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the First Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huntsville, Alabama. Dr. Lee holds the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama; (Magna Cum Laude) the Master of Divinity Degree from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan; and he has earned the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Andrews University concentrating in Urban Ministries. His dissertation was entitled, “A strategy to increase African-American male membership in the Adventist Church.”
Dr. Lee also served as an adjunct professor at Oakwood University Religion and Theology Department.
Dr. Lee is the author of two books. “Ready, Set, Go! Igniting African American Males for Christ, and a daily devotional entitled, “Pursuing the Favor of God.”
Pastor Lee married his high school sweet-heart, Mrs. Latoria Thomas-Lee. They have been married for 18 years. The Lee’s have two children, William Jeffery II and Christopher Joshua.
Any success achieved by Pastor Lee, is always attributed to the hand of God, and to those people who have helped him along the way. One of his favorite Bible text is Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” He enjoys basketball, tennis, cruises, and long walks with family.
Pastor Miller
Pastor Miller :: Associate Pastor
Pastor Jadon Miller was born on the beautiful island of Jamaica to Moy and Calvin Miller. At a young age, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts where he spent much of his growing years until he was relocated to Silver Springs, Maryland. It was here that Pastor Miller, then only 16-yearsold, felt God leading him into the ministry.
Elder Miller was determined to follow God and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology at Oakwood College (now Oakwood University). After his sophomore year, he ventured outside the classroom to serve as a student missionary in Haiti where he had the opportunity to minister as Jesus did, immersed in the lives of those in which he came into contact.
Once back in the United States, Elder Miller enrolled in the military (ARMY) and served for four years in active duty as a chaplain’s assistant. Shortly after 9/11, he went on a tour of duty to Afghanistan, all the while never forgetting the path God had chosen for him. After, he returned to Oakwood College to complete his theology degree.
Elder Miller’s life took an unexpected turn while back at Oakwood. He suffered an accident that left him with no sight in his left eye. Although the loss was devastating, he believes that God used it to prevent him from doing a second tour of duty and saved his life. At the same time, God in His providence sent Annamaria Works into his life to be the silver lining in his dark clouds. A year later, he saw well enough to walk his beautiful bride down the aisle despite his loss of vision. He considers himself blessed and highly favored to have spent the last eighteen years with Anna. She is not only the mother of their three handsome boys, Jadon (14), Micah (12) and Isaac (10), and their beautiful baby girl, Aniyah (2), but she is also his partner in ministry.
Pastor Miller and his wife continued on to Andrews University where he earned his Master of Divinity degree. Subsequently, Pastor Jadon, Dr. Anna Miller, and their family, accepted calls over the next 15 years to chaplaincy, pastoral ministry, under the leadership of the Central States Conference, as well as missionary work overseas. God has now led Pastor Jadon and his family to Huntsville, Alabama where he is now the associate pastor of First SDA Church, working in partnership with Dr. William Lee, in his new home, South Central Conference.
He is prepared to “preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words” as quoted by Francis of Assisi, trusting that God is faithful and will be with him, his home, and his church family every step of the way.
Pastor Lampkin
Pastor Lampkin :: Pastor of Pastoral Care and Visitation
Pastor Alexander Lampkin began his pastoral education at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama where he graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and a minor in Accounting; in 1988, he earned a Master’s Degree in Divinity from Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; He further continued his education, receiving an Educational Specialist degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 2007.
He has served in the Illinois Conference from 1982-1995. In 1995, he was called to the South Central Conference where he has served in multiple capacity.
Transitioning from Knoxville, where he has served since 2006 at the College Hill SDA Church in the Mechanicsville neighborhood, Pastor Lampkin has been energetically leading his flock for eight years.
He has held several revivals in Knoxville, leading many people to Christ, and has been very active in the community serving East Knoxville, Lonsdale, Western Heights, Christenberry Heights and the Mechanicville neighborhoods.
Pastor Lampkin is married the former Laveta Marie Baggett in 1992, and to this union of 22 years three sons were born: Brenton, Branden, and Braidan.
Pastor Lampkin, who has also served as a chaplain for the Knoxville Police Department, is known for his love for family, reading, basketball, and young people.His favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:6, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.”
Pastor Taylor
Pastor Rashid Taylor :: Youth Pastor
The Genesis of pastor Rashid Taylor began on December 14, 1974 in Dayton, Ohio to Anthony and Donna Taylor. When he was 9 the family joined the church and he fell in love with the teachings and activities of the church from Sabbath school to Pathfinders to the children’s choir.
This love for the church lead him on a trip to Oakwood University where he again was struck by the heavy presence of the Holy Spirit and believed that was the school for him. This same overwhelming strike of passion and purpose hit him when he met his wife, Evyonne Rainey, there in 1997 and married in 1999. They’ve recently celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary.
After avoiding his call to pursue what he imagined to be his purpose, Pastor Taylor rejoined the church of his youth becoming the youth pastor. He then moved his family to Kansas City, Kansas where he continued serving God as AYM leader, youth and adult Sabbath School instructor, couples ministry leader and eventually an Elder.
His relationship with God called him into Pastoral ministry and back to Oakwood University, where he received his Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies. While completing his degree he joined the First SDA Church in Huntsville as an Intern and then as the Youth Pastor. The position which he currently serves in.
Pastor Taylor has a love for sharing the love of God in diverse and creative ways. Aside from teaching and preaching, his other passions are sneaker collecting, traveling, cooking, and music.
His favorite text is Philippians 2:5-7
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.