Prior to his arrival at Northside Drive Baptist in March of 1997, James served as Senior Pastor at Ravensworth Baptist Church of metropolitan Washington, D.C. for five years.  Before going to Ravensworth, he served as the Director of Pastoral Care at the Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria, Louisiana for eight years, during which he filled four interim pastorates.  In addition, from 1979-1984 James pastored First Baptist Church of Wisner, LA.

 

James has been active in ecumenical and inter-faith activities throughout his ministry.  He has served as the President of the Board of the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta.  Presently, he is on the board of the Center for Care and Counseling of Georgia.  Also, he is a founding member of World Pilgrims, an inter-faith travel group which takes Jews, Christians, and Muslim together on pilgrimages.  He says that among Baptist families, his heart is most connected with Alliance of Baptists.  In addition, James has led several ongoing pastoral education groups using the principles of Family Systems Theory.  His hobbies include reading, writing, juggling, fishing, and traveling.

 

Dr. Lamkin received his undergraduate education at Louisiana College and obtained the Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary, where he received the H.C. Brown Preaching Award. Later, he received his Doctor of Ministry Degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1989.

 

 He is married to Rev. Liz Harris-Lamkin who is a chaplain at Piedmont Medical Center in Atlanta; also she serves as a chaplain Lt. Col. in the Air National Guard as the Wing Chaplain for the 116th in Warner Robbins, Georgia.

 

James has two children.  Stuart is a graduate of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia.  He is the Editor of the Uniform Sunday School Curriculum for Adults at Smyth and Helwys Publishing Company in Macon, Ga.  Emily works in the Development office of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home in Nashville, TN; but, she says her real joy is working with the youth in her church.

 

Last but not least, James is a grandfather!  Sean Michael Lamkin was born on May 19, 2007.  Stuart and Sara are his parents.  On the day of Sean’s birth, James gave him a rod and reel and tackle box.

James loves juggling, writing, hiking, traveling, and (on most days) being a Baptist preacher!

James’ phone extension at the church is 103.