PETERSBURG, Va. — Pastor David Gilliam, born and raised in Petersburg’s Delectable Heights neighborhood, has reflected on how his childhood community is being revitalized.
“I think we’re coming back,” Gilliam said.
Pastor Gilliam knows what it’s like to “come back,” after he experienced rock bottom – growing up poor and living on Richmond’s streets for 20 years.
WTVRNow, he says those experiences of poverty only helped propel him to the success he’s seen recently.
“I think it’s a lot of principles that have been instilled in me over the times, in actuality that was rich,” Gilliam said.
His goal is to inspire others with his music and words, including the congregation at his Impact Church locations in Petersburg and Houston, Texas.
WTVR A song Gilliam recorded on New Year’s Eve 2023, called ‘Be Glorified’, is how he planned to “minister to the planet.”
“I draw from my experiences, the song, my singing comes as a result of what I experienced, that’s what gives me the conviction to sing it,” Gilliam said. “This is a slow, heartfelt song that makes you think.”