J.E. Massey Bio

Dr. James Earl Massey

Dr. James Massey is one of the most extraordinary Christian communicators of our time. He’s an accomplished musician, a pastor, a prolific author, theologian, and a professor. If you don’t recognize his name, you may still recognize his voice. For five years he was the on-air voice of the Church of God broadcast, “The Christian Brotherhood Hour,” and for more than 60 years, he has been the loving husband to Gwendolyn Inez Kilpatrick-Massey.

Dr. James Earl Massey is Dean Emeritus of Anderson School of Theology in Anderson, Indiana. For fifty years he has been an extraordinary Christian communicator in pulpit and classroom, serving as Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Church of God in Detroit (1954-1976), missionary educator in Jamaica (1964-1967), Campus Minister of Anderson University (1969-1977), Speaker on the “Christian Brotherhood Hour” radio broadcast (1977-1982), Dean of the Chapel of Tuskegee University (1984-1989), and Dean of Anderson School of Theology (1989-1995).

He has preached and lectured at more than 100 colleges, universities, and seminaries in the United States and on four continents.

Dr. Massey carries the title “Life Trustee” of Asbury Theological Seminary, is an accomplished musician, a man of literary skill and spiritual depth, called the “Prince of Preachers,” and is an honored representative of his church heritage, the Church of God (Anderson). He provided editorial leadership for the magazine Christianity Today, Leadership, Preaching, and the landmark publication The New Interpreter’s Bible.

Dr. Massey is the author of 18 books, including three textbooks on preaching. His own books include Spiritual Disciplines, Designing the Sermon, Sundays in the Tuskegee Chapel, The Burdensome Joy of Preaching, and Aspects of My Pilgrimage.

Dr. Timothy George (Dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and Executive Director of Christianity Today) had this to say about Dr. James Earl Massey:

“While many people seek greatness but only attain mediocrity, James Earl Massey has been lifted to greatness while seeking simply to be faithful to his calling. Beyond his many accomplishments, at the core of Dr. Massey’s being there is an essential decency, humility, and spirituality that is compelling. Never one to give himself to minor absolutes, he has modeled, with courage and compassion, the burdensome joy of a herald whose life reflects the message he proclaims.”