Bio
of
James Watkins
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Seventeen-year old James Watkins left high school in 1943 to
serve in the United States Navy. Two years later he returned to his hometown in
Summerville, Georgia and took a job in a textile mill. A fellow worker, Julius
Sprayberry, introduced him to the gospel, which led to his baptism and
membership in the Lord’s church. On January 10, 1948 he married Foye
Dooley, who stole his heart. Three months later they were both buried with
Christ in baptism. Shortly afterwards, they heard Rex Turner, Sr. preach in a
Gospel Meeting and due to his influence, James enrolled in Montgomery Bible
College (now Faulkner University). Upon graduation, James returned to
Summerville and his old job in the textile mill. |
| He began preaching by appointment around the area. In addition
to the nearby Lyerly, Georgia, other pulpits he filled included Ider and Cedar
Bluff, both in the bordering state of Alabama. In 1954 James and Foye moved to
Flintstone, Georgia where James began his first full-time work at the
Chattanooga Valley congregation. For the next forty plus years he preached for
five other congregations which were: East Chattanooga: Chattanooga, Tennessee;
Riverwood: Nashville, Tennessee; East Ridge: Chattanooga, Tennessee; Landmark:
Montgomery, Alabama; and Church Street: Lewisburg, Tennessee. While living in
Montgomery, Alabama, James completed his bachelor’s and master’s
degrees from Southern Christian University (now known as Regions University.
Upon his retirement from local work in 1997, James increased his already heavy
schedule of gospel meetings and entered into a full-time evangelistic work that
includes around forty meetings a year in addition to Lectureships and special
series. During his years of local work there were times when his meetings were
scheduled as much as ten years in advance. To his dismay, he has to turn down
numerous invitations. James also began the television program, PREACHING THE
GOSPEL, in 1997, which is now in its eleventh year. The program has grown from
one station to more than thirty in addition to DirecTV and Dishnet satellites.
The program may be seen daily on the Gospel Broadcasting Network (GBN), a
twenty four hour, seven days a week satellite television station. The Watkins
have four children: Bill, Teresa, Alan and Hope. Bill preaches for the Crieve
Hall church in Nashville, Tennessee and Alan preaches for the Grant Street
church in Decatur, Alabama. |