Bill Leathem

I was born December 1, 1953, in Chico, CA. I grew up in the northern San Joaquin Valley and consider Sacramento, CA, my home. My father was a bi-vocational pastor who made his living as a school teacher. I was saved and baptized at the age of seven. My parents have been married for 59 years. I have two sisters and one brother.

Having graduated from Highlands HS, North Highlands, CA (1971) and American River College, Sacramento, CA (1973, AA), I completed my undergraduate education at California Baptist University (1975, BS Business Administration, Mathematics minor). During my college years, I began deepening my understanding of God through routine/daily personal Bible reading and prayer. I made an adult commitment to learn about walking in faith after my freshman year in college and have been on this uninterrupted journey for 38 years.

After college graduation, I went home to Sacramento and continued working in retail sales. Most of my years working from the ages of 16 to 24 were spent in retail sales – WT Grant, JC Penney, and Kmart. While attending First Baptist Church, Fair Oaks, CA, I met, dated and married Carole Lee Williams.

My first ministry position (1980) was as a worship pastor. Next, I ministered as a youth and worship pastor. Then I ministered as a lead pastor. Most of my years in ministry (19 of 21) were spent as the lead/speaking pastor.  Shortly after I became the lead pastor of Granite Bay Baptist Church, Granite Bay, CA (1984), Katherine Jordan (1984) and William Jackson (1986) were born. Kate (25) is a college graduate, married to a minister’s son (Luke Neighbors) and they have one young boy (Tyson) and an infant daughter (Kinslee). Jack (23) is a college graduate, the Jr/Sr High and College/Young Adult Pastor at South Valley Church and is attending seminary in order to become a vocational pastor.  After six years at Granite Bay, I began ministering as the lead pastor of First Baptist Church of Newhall, Santa Clarita, CA (1990), now South Valley Church.  I was in Santa Clarita for 11 years.

After 21 years of local church ministry, my next ministry assignment by God was as a capital stewardship consultant at The California Baptist Foundation/Strongtower Financial, Fresno, CA. While at the Foundation and Strongtower, my duties changed from a capital stewardship consultant, to the National Director of Strongtower Stewardship, to my final position at Strongtower Financial as the Chief Administrative Officer. In November, 2009, First Baptist Church of Newhall, now South Valley Church, voted to ask me to return as the lead pastor.  This time at FBCN/South Valley, we have three staff pastors and a paid worship leader. It is exciting to be back at a church I love, in a preferred location the Santa Clarita Valley, ministering with people who want to help people find and follow God.

 My outside interests include exercise (walking and gym with Carole), travel (mission travel – Africa, Germany, Sweden, Hong Kong, Argentina; vacation travel - 30 visits to Hawaii, hiking and scuba diving included) and watching performance reality television shows (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, etc).

Carole has always worked outside the home…bookkeeper, office manager, real estate sales, retail sales manager, entertainment industry actress, women’s Christian conference speaker, travel agent, event planner and more. Carole supports my ministry calling and activities. She is involved in local church ministry (women’s ministry; technical arts), although she has never worked in children’s ministry, played the piano or sang vocal solos. She also has a passion for global mission promotion and ministry. Carole is an encourager of people and an adventuresome risk-taker. 

OUR TEAM

Pastor Kevin