Dr. William H. Elder, III is the Senior and Founding Pastor of Mountaintop Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama, one of America's leading churches in outreach-focused ministry.

Born in New Orleans, Bill made a faith commitment to Christ at age 12 during a Billy Graham crusade. During his junior year as a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute, Bill sensed a call to ministry and then transferred to Baylor University, where he completed his B.A. in Religion in 1964. There he met his "Baylor Beauty," Linda Newman. Bill and Linda were married in 1965. Bill received his Master of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1968. He then returned to Baylor for his Ph.D. in Religion (Biblical Studies), which was completed in 1974.

In 1971, Bill accepted a position as Chairman of the Bible Department at Memphis University School. In 1972, Bill accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Religion at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. During his seven years on staff Bill and Linda welcomed a son, Bill, and a daughter, Kristin, to their family. In 1978, Bill accepted a position as Director of Christian Citizenship Development of the Christian Life Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. During his three years with the CLC the Elders lived in Nashville, Tennessee. Bill represented the Southern Baptist Convention with the Congress, the White House and the United Nations for that period of time in his ministry. Their third child, Sally, was born during their stay in Nashville.

In 1981, Bill accepted a call to become senior pastor of the St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana (1981-1985). The Pulaski Heights Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas called him as pastor in 1985, a church he served for four years. In 1989 he accepted a call to become Senior Pastor of Vestavia Hills Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama (1989-1992). In 1992, Bill and Linda launched a brand new church, Mountaintop Community Church, which would be singularly focused on reaching unchurched people. The church began with ten people and over the 15 years has grown to more than three thousand. Throughout those years the church has remained at 70% of their people coming from the ranks of the unchurched.

Mountaintop Community Church continues to grow with two weekend services, one midweek service, dynamic children’s and student ministries, adult small groups and classes, as well as multiple outreach and community and international ministries that reach thousands.

Dr. Elder and Linda live in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Their three children are all married. Bill IV and Susie (Creagh) Elder have two daughters, Georgia and Zoë, and live in Nashville, TN. Brannon and Kristin (Elder) Maner live in Homewood with their daughter, Caroline. Kevin and Sally (Elder) Young also live in Homewood with their daughters Libbie and Lucy. Linda, Sally, and Kevin are all on staff at Mountaintop.