OUR PASTORS

Pastor W. Anthony Lawson, Jr.

is a native of the Bronx, of New York. He grew up in Kinston, North Carolina, a small town in the coastal plains region of Eastern North Carolina. He is the only child of William A. and Bonnie Donald Lawson. Pastor Lawson earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Communication in 1977 from North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC. He earned a Master of Arts Degree in Counselor Education in 1981 from East Carolina University, Greenville, NC. Pastor Lawson worked as a School Counselor at four different high schools for nineteen years before answering the call to full-time ministry.

Pastor Lawson preached his initial sermon in August of 1984 at Antioch Free Will Baptist Church in Kinston. He was installed as the Pastor of Jumping Run Church on December 21, 1986. Under his leadership, Jumping Run Church has become one of the fastest growing congregations in Eastern North Carolina. Pastor Lawson is an experienced preacher/teacher. His ministry places emphasis on Biblical principle-based instruction, on how to apply the Word of God into everyday real-life situations. He teaches and preaches using simple illustrations. Pastor Lawson believes that if it is not practical, it's not spiritual. His spontaneous humor makes even the "hard sayings" of the Bible easy to receive and apply to everyday life, thus leading to positive life change.

Pastor Lawson's teaching style, by and large is what makes Jumping Run Church, "the church of an unforgettable experience".

Pastor Lawson is married to his high school sweetheart and life-long love, the lovely Elder Della Wiggins Lawson. He is the proud father of two adult children, William Anthony Lawson, III, and Lori Elizabeth Lawson.
 

Elder Della W. Lawson

works closely with her husband, Pastor W. Anthony Lawson, Jr. at Jumping Run Church to help carry out the God-Given vision for the ministry as Assistant to the Pastor and Church Administrator. She is also the overseer of the Volunteer Ministry of Helps. She is a Bible teacher who has been called to teach Biblical principles and to instruct people to practically apply God's word to their lives through special emphasis on faith, healing, and intercessory prayer.

She preached her initial sermon at Jumping Run Church in October 1995. She was ordained as an Elder at Jumping Run Church in November 2001. She loves the Lord and she loves people. She enjoys seeing God change the lives of those who are seeking Him, making Him Lord of their lives, and daily growing into His character and image because, “It's all about Him.”

Elder Lawson graduated (summa cum laude) from Winston Salem State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education in May 1977. She also earned a Master of Arts Degree in Counselor Education from East Carolina University in July 1982. Elder Lawson worked more than twenty years as an elementary school teacher and elementary school counselor in the public schools (1977-1998). She served as principal at the Jumping Run Christian Academy from 1998-2004.

Elder Della W. Lawson is the daughter of Pastor Booker T. and Minister Mary C. Wiggins. She and her husband, Pastor Anthony Lawson, have two children, William Anthony Lawson, III and Lori Elizabeth Lawson.