Harold Edwards, Sr.

Harold Douglas Edwards, Sr. was born November 6, 1952 to two proud parents, Abbie Dell Anthony and Nathaniel Edwards, who later became Mr. & Mrs. Edwards and resided in the peaceful Woodville Community of Savannah, GA. The eldest of four sons, he spent the first eleven years of his life being reared in the home of his loving grandparents, Deacon Elmore and Mrs. Louise Anthony. Being the oldest of their grandchildren, he was without a doubt, the apple of their eyes.

Harold was raised in a Christian home where Jesus Christ was Lord; a home where going to church was a mandate and not an option; a home where Godly principles and values were instilled in him. It was those values that carried and safeguarded him until that day the Lord saved him on March 3, 1994.

Pastor Edwards was educated in the Savannah Chatham County Public School System. He attended Tompkins Elementary, Scott Middle and Tompkins High, from where he graduated with honors as a member of the National Honor Society in 1972.

During his tenure at Tompkins, he was a member of the baseball team for four years. An avid baseball player with an aspiration of one day becoming a professional, he left Savannah after graduation and attended Florida A&M University on a baseball scholarship. He eventually came to the understanding that becoming a professional baseball player was not going to be his reality. Harold left college, returned home and began a career at Union Camp Paper Corporation (International Paper Company) in December of 1973, where he continued as an employee for 45 years.

In 1975, he met the love of his life, Sandra Williams, with whom he entered into holy matrimony in 1976. Their union produced two lovely children, Harold, Jr. and Roshida; four grandchildren, Jakari, Zyere, Zayden and Zyonna; and has brought into his life another daughter, Tranise.

God assigned him the wife that was truly intended for him when He gave the gift of marriage to mankind in the Garden of Eden. Their marriage has endured for 44 years, both with many tough times and with much blessedness; especially the last 26 years since the lord Jesus Christ delivered him from the bondage of sin. It was deliverance that not only delivered him from sin, but also delivered him into ministry of which he has been serving for 24 years.

The journey of ministry subsequently brought Pastor Edwards to the position of Senior Pastor at Fairlawn Baptist Church which began 20 years ago, after his time at a small ministry called Freedom Mission Deliverance came to an end. He prayed to God that He would lead him wherever it was that He could use him. The Lord spoke to his heart and said go to Fairlawn Baptist Church and assist Pastor Leroy Pollen, III, whom he served under as Associate Pastor for eight years. He faithfully taught bible study, not knowing that God’s omniscient plan was to elevate him to Senior Pastor. When the opportunity came, the church asked him to lead the congregation of which he said yes and has been leading and serving for the last 13 years. To God be all glory!