Rev. Dr. Damon P. Williams

Denomination: National Missionary Baptist Convention of America (NMBCA)
Organization: Providence Missionary Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Damon P. Williams is a pastor, scholar, and academic leader whose vocation bridges the worlds of Christian ministry, theological education, and engineering. He has served for more than thirteen years as Senior Pastor of Providence Missionary Baptist Church in southwest Atlanta, where his preaching and leadership emphasize discipleship, justice, and faithful engagement with contemporary systems that shape human life.

In addition to his pastoral ministry, Dr. Williams serves as Assistant Professor in the Practice of Practical Ministry and Co-Director of the Baptist Studies Program at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. He also holds a senior leadership role as Associate Dean for Outreach and Engagement in the College of Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, an uncommon appointment that reflects his distinctive ability to integrate faith, leadership, and systems thinking.

Dr. Williams’ academic training began at Georgia Tech, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He went on to earn both a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. Following his doctoral work, he pursued theological education at Columbia Theological Seminary, where he was named a Columbia Honors Fellow and a Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) Ministry Fellow.

A native of Ellicott City, Maryland, Dr. Williams brings an interdisciplinary perspective to ministry, often drawing on systems theory to explore how faith communities form, drift, and are renewed. His work invites churches to move beyond comfort and efficiency toward conviction, transformation, and faithful presence in the world.

Dr. Williams is married to the Rev. Dr. Khalia J. Williams, and together they are the proud parents of two sons. He considers his family his greatest joy and grounding, shaping both his scholarship and his pastoral calling.