Chaplain William Key serves as Gulf Coast Regional Director.
I became a born-again Christian after being a lost church member for 11 years. I felt the calling of God to preach the Gospel and entered into a Bible College for a year. I took one year off to work and then planned on going back to college. However, the plan changed and I was in the Army for 8 years (where my job was heavy transportation) and then Air Force for 3 years and obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant. After coming out of the military, I drove a truck long distance and then locally.
Even though I did not enter the ministry full-time, I continued to work in my local church serving the Lord in the bus ministry, singing in the choir, and teaching. It was at this time when I met my wife, Doris, at our church. She sat two pews ahead of me for a year before I asked her out. We were married 6 months later. Doris has been a blessing to me in the family as well as in the ministry. She is my assistant with Truckstop Ministries.
I started a men’s class in approximately 2000. By this time, it had been 25 years since I had been in Bible College. So my wife and I signed up for a correspondence course and we became graduates of Biblical Studies in July of 2001.
One evening I was driving from Georgia to Tampa, Florida, and I stopped in Baldwin, Florida at the truck stop to have dinner. I had seen the outside Chapel for some time, as that was a frequent trip for me. Something came over me to go check it out. But there was a controversy within me—I didn’t really want to. I gave in and walked around the Chapel. Something was saying “go in.” Something else was saying, “it’s late, you need to get home for church in the morning.” So I headed home. I know now this was when the Lord started dealing with me to be part of Truckstop Ministries. About six months later, I was in my office at home putting some presentations together. I took my material and went to the T/A in Tampa and had lunch. I went into the TV lounge and was studying because I was tired of sitting at home in the office. I looked up and saw a pulpit and a sign. It was the same logo that I had seen in Baldwin. I picked up a flyer, went home and called Truckstop Ministries’ office. They said someone local would contact me. I figured I would never hear from them again. About 2 hours later, the Team Leader in Tampa called me. We met the next day, he interviewed me for about an hour and a half, and then asked me if I felt the Lord was calling me into this ministry. About a month later, I was serving as a Chaplain. Then my Team Leader wanted to step down and he trained me for Team Leader. After a time away from Truckstop Ministries, the Lord led me back, and today I work with the Team Leaders in training, to encourage and to be a help to them in any way I can. I also meet with the individual teams on a yearly basis. My desire is to serve Truckstop Ministries in any way the Lord leads.