Elder Steve Wilkinson
Elder Steve Wilkinson was born and raised in Yazoo County, Mississippi, where his father served a Primitive Baptist congregation. He was made to feel a conviction of sin and brought to hope in Christ as his Savior in his early teens and was baptized upon profession of faith in Christ Jesus.
Elder Wilkinson first began speaking in public in 1974, and served a number of small congregations throughout rural Mississippi and Louisiana. He was united in marriage to Sister Gayle Wilkinson in 1978, and together they have been blessed with three children. Brother Steve was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry on March 28, 1981 and was immediately called to pastor Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church in Kenner, Louisiana. Elder Wilkinson served these churches for three and one half years, while praying for direction and opportunity to serve a single congregation in a full-time capacity.
In God’s providence, Elder Wilkinson was called to pastor Eastside Primitive Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas effective January 1985. Brother Steve served faithfully as pastor at Eastside for 18 years, from January 1985 through August 2003, at which time he was led to take the care of Little Union Primitive Baptist Church, Lithia, Florida. Elder Wilkinson’s service at Eastside were marked by a commitment to prioritizing the preaching of the gospel expressed through twice weekly preaching services consisting of an expository approach to the scriptures, and simple exposition of Biblical passages. The result of God’s blessing in the congregation was an ingathering and increase of membership, and more significantly the development of a close fellowship and community of church members in the congregation. Elder Wilkinson was blessed to shepherd the congregation through a number of changes and challenges including: the relocation from their home of more than 30 years on the Southeast side of San Antonio, to their new location in Northwest San Antonio; the transition of name from Eastside to Bethany; and the absorption of two other congregations in the San Antonio area into the body.
After a short period serving churches in Florida, God was pleased to direct Elder Wilkinson back to his adopted home of San Antonio in 2009, where he re-united in membership at Bethany Church, and began serving to supply preaching to a number of congregations across Texas including Fredericksburg, Luling, Temple, and Ft Worth.
We are pleased that God has opened the door for Elder Wilkinson to resume his role as Pastor of Bethany Primitive Baptist Church here in San Antonio, where he continues to preach the gospel each week in a thoroughly Biblical manner believing that gospel truth is the key to growth in both individuals and congregations.