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Jim was born Jewish, christened Roman Catholic, baptized Baptist and received his doctorate from a Presbyterian Seminary. (He’s ecumenical.) Having lived through a tumultuous childhood - riddled with divorces, adoption and more divorces - he has had two mothers, seven fathers and a host of step, half and adopted siblings. (He’s sympathetic.) He was married in 1982 and he and his wife have three daughters–one born in 1987 and twins born in 1989. (He’s broke.) He is a graduate of Georgia State University, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Columbia Theological Seminary. He has enjoyed post-graduate studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and Hebrew College. (He’s educated.) Jim served as a staff minister at Parkwood Hills Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia and Marietta, Georgia’s First Baptist Church. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Baxley, Georgia (7 years) and currently serves Highland Hills Baptist Church of Macon, Georgia (12 years). He has spent the last seventeen years lecturing as an adjunct professor at Brewton Parker College and then Mercer University. (He’s experienced.) He’s written four books, several series of curriculum, numerous articles and essays…and a poem for Highlights magazine when he was nine years old. (He’s published.) Jim drives a convertible VW Beetle to work, has been known to ride motorcycles on the weekends, is an avid concert attendee (from Ani Difranco to the Atlanta Symphony), a triathlete and marathoner, a student of the classical guitar, claims to excel at Texas Hold’em Poker, reads, writes (but doesn’t like arithmetic) and is enamored with the Hebrew language. (He’s fun.) Jim has not entered the public speaking arena because he’s embezzled money, cheated on his wife or been fired by a congregation that got tired of him. The truth is, he is privileged to currently pastor a congregation with whom he shares a deep sense of mutual affection and is only giving attention to this additional avenue of ministry because he feels called to do so. (He’s credible.) |