Lyle & Linda’s Ministry Experience

Lyle Williams grew up in Huntington, Indiana, and felt the call to ministry at a young age. He attended Marion College, now Indiana Wesleyan University, traveling and ministering with the acapella quartet. Lyle’s first pastorate was in Barrington HIlls, Illinois in 1969. He went on to pastor churches in the Wesleyan Methodist denomination for another twelve years, before being called to plant a church for the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Southern California in 1982. After pastoring a church in Santa Barbara, God called him to the role of Pastor to Seniors and Congregational Care at First Baptist Church of Lakewood in Long Beach, CA. Throughout his years of ministry, both as a senior pastor, and in various interim and assistant roles, Lyle experienced firsthand the struggles, exhaustion, and loneliness that can accompany ministry. After moving to Tennessee in 2010, Lyle and his wife, LInda, founded Fishbowl Ministries, and Lyle has spent the last twelve years encouraging and ministering to pastors, reminding them that they are not alone. He found the calling of the second half of his life in being a pastor to pastors. After serving as President of Fishbowl Ministries, Lyle has transitioned into the Founder Emeritus role, and is continuing to meet with various pastors’ groups in Middle Tennessee. Lyle met the love of his life, Linda, in college, and they were married for 52 years before the Lord called her home in April 2020. Lyle and Linda have 3 children and 7 grandchildren, all of whom live in Tennessee, and Lyle loves being able to regularly spend quality family time together.