Bill Keith:
CLASS OF 1970
Gainesville High SchoolClass of 1970
Gainesville, FL
Bill's Story
Bill is married. His schools include Gainesville High School. He later attended Liberty University (Liberty Baptist College) (Christian Ministry, Minors in Bible, Theology, Bachelors), Sante Fe Community College (General Studies, Transferred to Liberty).
Music Bill likes includes Jeremy Camp, Robbie Hiner, The Green Children. Books he likes include The Blessing, The Holy Bible, The Power of Encouragement. Movies he likes include Fireproof the Movie, Facing the Giants the Movie, Fireproof. TV shows he likes include The Andy Griffith Show, Duck Dynasty Latinoamérica, Duck Dynasty Fan Club.
One of Bill's favorite quotes is:"Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Joshua 14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, (Caleb)
Esther 4:14b "....and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Mordecai)
1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, What have I now done? "Is there not a cause?"".
More about Bill:"Bio for Bill Keith
Bill is Senior Pastor of Countryside Baptist Church (Gainesville, Fl),CEO of Countryside Christian School (Gainesville, Fl), CEO of Riverside Christian School (Trenton, FL), and President/Founder of the Board for Creekside Christian School (Otter Creek, Fl.)
Bill and Vonnie met in church when Bill was 12, and Vonnie was 11. They were high-school sweethearts and were married in 1971. Bill and Vonnie have three grown children; one son, and two daughters. All three are married and have produced 6 wonderful grandchildren for Bill and Vonnie. Bill says that if he knew how much fun his grandkids were going to be, he’d of had them first!
Bill received his education at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Formerly known as Liberty Baptist College, Bill received his Bachelors Degree there in 1980, and a Masters Degree in 1983. He came on staff at Countryside Baptist(Gainesville, Fl) in 1985 serving as Associate pastor. In 1988 he was appointed as Principal of Countryside Christian School and served in that position from 1988-2000.
During his tenure as principal at Countryside, he became interim pastor at Otter Creek Baptist Church in December of 1992. After a short stay, Otter Creek Baptist called him as full-time pastor. He served as bi-vocational pastor there from December 1992-December 2010, commuting into Gainesville on a daily basis. In 2000 Bill resigned his tenure as principal at Countryside to devote more time to the church at Otter Creek. In the fall of 2001, Bill founded Creekside Christian School at Otter Creek Baptist, serving as Pastor/Principal from 2001-2010. The school is still flourishing there today.
Sometime around the fall of 2008 Countryside Baptist Church assumed ownership and control of a struggling school in Gilchrist County, near Trenton, Fl. Bill...Expand for more
was given the assignment of reorganizing and restructuring this school. The name was changed from Suwannee River Valley Christian Academy to Riverside Christian School. Bill moved a few senior staff members from Countryside to Riverside, appointing one of them as the new principal. The school has flourished there since that time and continues to grow even now.
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In December of 2010, Countryside Baptist Church called Bill back home to serve as the senior pastor after the retirement of his father, Pastor Gene Keith who had founded both church and school there, and served there from 1959-1967, 1970-2010. He and Vonnie are currently serving there.
Pastor Bill Keith is the third in a line of four Florida Baptist Pastors. Bill’s great-great grandfather, A.A. Keith(number 1), was sent to Florida in 1885 by the Texas Baptists, who sponsored him as a church planting missionary for $65 per year. He served faithfully until his death in 1928. Two generations later Bill’s father, number two in the line of Florida Baptist pastors, Pastor Gene Keith(number 2), was called into the ministry and served from 1952-2010. Pastor Gene still teaches, preaches, writes, blogs, and face books, after Pastoring for over 58 years, and starting Christian schools in Florida during his faithful service to our Lord. Bill (number 3)was called in 1976, and has served Florida Baptists as Pastor and Christian school planter since 1985. His son, Billy Keith (number 4) listened to God’s call in 1995 and entered the ministry. He is founder of Crossbrand Cowboy Church in Williston, Florida. Crossbrand was the fourth cowboy church started in Florida and now leads the state in cowboy church growth. And now three generations later, Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches is helping sponsor Crossbrand as they pioneer cowboy church planting in our wonderful state. Christians from Texas have played a wonderful role in God’s work in the life of these men in the state of Florida.
Other organizations that Bill has served with are: FHSAA (Florida High School Activities Association) Board of Directors- 1998-2003; Levy County A.R.C. Board of Directors (a few years); Harmony Baptist Association (Trenton, Fl) - Moderator, current Administrative Committee, current Executive Committee, current Chairman Missions Committee; Creekside Christian School – President of the Board of Directors – 2001-presednt.; Vision Christian Academy (Raliegh, Fl) Advisor/Mentor; Passage Christian Academy (Gainesville, Fl) Advisor/Mentor. Florida Council of Private Schools – Board of Directors ____-Present; Webmaster for Hawaiian Salt Surfboards.
In their spare time, Bill and Vonnie enjoy spending time with their grandchildren, going to garage sales, hunting (Bill) and fishing (Bill). Vonnie enjoys music and reading good wholesome books! Both are thrilled to be in God’s will, and love serving Him!".
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