After graduating from high school, Rev. Gilliard continued his studies at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, SC. While at Southern Wesleyan, he was elected Dorm Council President, lettered in basketball four years, selected co-captain his senior year and listed to Who’s Who Among Students in America’s Universities & Colleges. In September 1994, he was one of two students selected by the university to attend the Forum on Leadership, Faith and Values in Washington, DC which included a session with then Vice President of the United States Al Gore. On May 5th 1996, Rev. Gilliard graduated from Southern Wesleyan University with a B.A. in English.
Rev. Gilliard became a member of the Greater Metropolitan Missionary Church in June 1998. While at Greater Metropolitan, he served as the president of the Prison Ministry, the pastor’s armor-bearer, and was the Assistant Administrator of the church. Rev. Gilliard was licensed on August 17th, 2003 to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the leadership of the late Bishop Gregory Carter and was ordained on May 20th, 2006.
In October 2010, God informed Rev. Gilliard that it was time to pursue the awesome task of becoming a pastor. So, with the mandate from God, Rev. Gilliard left the Greater Metropolitan Missionary Church to pursue the destiny that God had for him and his family.
Since June 12th 2011, Rev. Gilliard has served as pastor of the Christian Hope Baptist Church in Ware Shoals, SC. He was employed at Windstream Communications for 24 years and is currently employed at Xela Communications. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the Tumbling Shoals Baptist Association and served over five years as a volunteer at the McCall Hospice House of Simpsonville, SC. In addition, he has served as a Loan Executive at the United Way of Greenville.
On May 14th, 2016, he received his Master of Divinity Degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center- Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, Georgia. During his matriculation at the ITC, he made the Dean’s List and graduated Cum Laude.
Rev. Gilliard is married to his “good thing”, his wife, Rev. Xanthine Walker Gilliard. God has richly blessed Rev. Gilliard in every area of his life. However, he says no award or title can compare to knowing Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. God has completely turned his life around and there is no greater love that exits.
