Hi, my name is James.
I am broken. We are all born this way. As a follower of Christ, however, I never want to play fast and loose with the truth. Being the same person in person as I am online is important to me. Not everyone supports you in fulfilling God’s purpose for your generation, and even if they do, because of their own unaddressed issues, they may think God only wants to send you on paths of least resistance. Therefore, I am convinced that if my obedience to God ruffles others’ feathers sometimes, that’s okay. The mission is to please an audience of One. The work I’ve been called to is honorable, but far from safe or predictable. I just want to play my small part in God’s Kingdom. Dysfunction in the Name of Jesus: Confronting the Idol of Pastoral Workaholism is scheduled for an early 2025 release, but you can easily find my other books online, An Inward-Outward Witness: Suffering’s Role in Forming Faithful Preachers and Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil: Stories About the Challenges of Young Pastors. Also, from my time years ago as a competitive “spoken word poet, “ there is OnThaGrindCuzin: The School Daze of Being ‘Incognegro’ in 1619.
I’m that guy at the gym working out in a weight vest, slamming medicine balls all over the place—and sweating a lot. I apologize! I promise, I’m just trying to boost my metabolism and burn more calories. which is a big deal as you age. More than what I do for work, I’m most proud of who I get to do life with—my amazing wife, Renata. I love spending time with her more than anyone else. She says I’m picky, and she might be right. I want nothing to do with raspberries, wasabi, or camping. And ice breakers are the worst! One love to the introverts who know what I mean!
As an ordained Baptist clergyman, I hold degrees from Western Theological Seminary (D.Min.), Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (S.T.M.), George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University (M.T.S.), and the University of Maryland (B.A., African American Studies). If you're looking to connect, as Coach Deion Sanders says, “I ain’t hard to find.” With years of experience serving in churches and Christian higher education, I’ve served in a variety of settings—predominantly Caucasian, African American, and multi-racial/ethnic, across a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. I’ve lived in Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, West Virginia, Washington, DC, Michigan, and even Canada for four years. All these moves have made me an expert packer, but have also helped me relate to a broader range of people than I could have otherwise.
Outside of being born in Japan and living there briefly as a kid, I spent my formative years in Prince George’s County and Charles County, Maryland, which means Go-Go music, crab cakes, Channel 4’s Jim Vance, insane Beltway traffic, and Metro malfunctions will probably always feel like home. Coming from a family where we weren't involved in church, at age 20, one Sunday morning I walked into Maple Springs Baptist Church and at the end of the worship service I decided to surrender my life to Jesus. It isn't as if everything then improved in my life overnight, nor that everything is perfect now. And yet, through it all, "I still believe." Earlier in life, I worked at Teen People magazine, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, and USA Today, just as an entry-level web producer. The Christian life, I’m quick to tell anyone who will listen, isn’t about upward mobility, rainbows, or ease. God isn't a genie who goes around granting wishes, but He is perfect, merciful, and gracious. In ways none of us can fully comprehend, He causes all things to work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Not everything that happens is good, but God always is.
