James has been Senior Pastor of Myers Park United Methodist Church since 2003. A native of Columbia, SC, he studied chemistry and physics at the University of South Carolina before going to Divinity School at Duke, where he also earned a Ph.D. in Old Testament. He has published 17 books, including Yours are the Hands of Christ, Worshipful, and Weak Enough to Lead. He is involved in leadership within the denomination and city-wide endeavors. Biking, hiking, and reading fill his spare time. He and his wife Lisa, a photographer and community activist, have 3 grown children.