Rev. Tara Faith Williams, M.Div.
Senior Pastor
Dedicated to facilitating the growth and evolution of all people, Tara Faith Williams’ body of work spans over a decade and includes multiple church staff roles, a successful business career, and community leadership. Tara is a wife and a mom first, but put a Bible in her hand and a message in her heart, and you’ll see why hundreds if not thousands, have been blessed by her ministry.
A woman of passion, vision, and purpose, Tara embodies a no-nonsense approach in her message and teaching style. Outspoken, fiery, transparent, truthful, and wise, she is a living testament to her favorite scripture, “For I know the plans I have for you,’" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Affectionately known as Pastor Tara, she uses conviction and straight talk to deliver her consistent message of love, forgiveness, and hope. She considers it a privilege to serve believers from every denomination and culture by helping them to know the truths of Scripture and to encourage them to experience these truths practically through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Tara is known as a practical and effective leader. She embodies the essence of “servant” in her leadership approach. She leads by doing and has been an essential mobilizer regarding social justice issues throughout Nashville, TN.
Her gifts in administration span both the secular and the sacred. As a Human Resource Employee Engagement Coordinator for the Facilities Business Operations Center at Vanderbilt University, she applies spiritual principles to help others see the bigger picture while focusing on the details that matter most. Pastor Tara became the first African American pastor of Bellevue Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Nashville, Tenn., in June 2017 and led the congregation faithfully until August 2018, returning to her previous home church, New Covenant Christian Church (DOC) in Nashville, TN, as the Executive Pastor.
On February 21, 2021, New Covenant Christian Church called Pastor Tara to serve as the Interim Senior Pastor. Nineteen months later, on September 1, 2022, she joyfully became the Senior Pastor and was installed as New Covenant’s 14th Senior Pastor on March 12, 2023.
Pastor Tara earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Ashford University. In conjunction with her studies at Vanderbilt, Pastor Tara holds the Kelly Miller Smith Institute’s (KMSI) Certificate in Black Church Studies, a program built to support students who desire to expand their knowledge and appreciation of the historical, theological, and liberative praxis dimensions of the Black Church tradition.
She has been married for 30 years to her covering, best friend, and partner in ministry and life, Anthony “Chan” Williams, Sr. Their blessed love produced the fruit of five beautiful children: Anthony Jr., Aleigha, Amir, and Audreona and their son, Alijah who went home to be with the Lord on December 25, 2018. Alijah gifted them their only grandson, Santana Cai.
Pastor Tara firmly believes, “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” (Proverbs 11:25) Not only does she believe it, she lives it!
A woman of passion, vision, and purpose, Tara embodies a no-nonsense approach in her message and teaching style. Outspoken, fiery, transparent, truthful, and wise, she is a living testament to her favorite scripture, “For I know the plans I have for you,’" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Affectionately known as Pastor Tara, she uses conviction and straight talk to deliver her consistent message of love, forgiveness, and hope. She considers it a privilege to serve believers from every denomination and culture by helping them to know the truths of Scripture and to encourage them to experience these truths practically through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Tara is known as a practical and effective leader. She embodies the essence of “servant” in her leadership approach. She leads by doing and has been an essential mobilizer regarding social justice issues throughout Nashville, TN.
Her gifts in administration span both the secular and the sacred. As a Human Resource Employee Engagement Coordinator for the Facilities Business Operations Center at Vanderbilt University, she applies spiritual principles to help others see the bigger picture while focusing on the details that matter most. Pastor Tara became the first African American pastor of Bellevue Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Nashville, Tenn., in June 2017 and led the congregation faithfully until August 2018, returning to her previous home church, New Covenant Christian Church (DOC) in Nashville, TN, as the Executive Pastor.
On February 21, 2021, New Covenant Christian Church called Pastor Tara to serve as the Interim Senior Pastor. Nineteen months later, on September 1, 2022, she joyfully became the Senior Pastor and was installed as New Covenant’s 14th Senior Pastor on March 12, 2023.
Pastor Tara earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Ashford University. In conjunction with her studies at Vanderbilt, Pastor Tara holds the Kelly Miller Smith Institute’s (KMSI) Certificate in Black Church Studies, a program built to support students who desire to expand their knowledge and appreciation of the historical, theological, and liberative praxis dimensions of the Black Church tradition.
She has been married for 30 years to her covering, best friend, and partner in ministry and life, Anthony “Chan” Williams, Sr. Their blessed love produced the fruit of five beautiful children: Anthony Jr., Aleigha, Amir, and Audreona and their son, Alijah who went home to be with the Lord on December 25, 2018. Alijah gifted them their only grandson, Santana Cai.
Pastor Tara firmly believes, “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” (Proverbs 11:25) Not only does she believe it, she lives it!
