James Banks

James Banks is a best-selling author and speaker best known for his work helping others learn how to pray. James’ writing has been translated into several languages and has encouraged well over a million people in many countries worldwide. James is a writer for Our Daily Bread, the author of several magazine articles on prayer and outreach, and is a regular guest on radio and television. He and his wife Cari have been married 31 years and have two adult children. They make their home in Durham, North Carolina, where James serves as a pastor and church-planter.

James started writing in elementary school when his teacher encouraged him to write poetry (fun fact: James shares a grandfather “way back” with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). His senior year in high school James was the California State Champion in Informative Speaking; his senior year in college he ranked among the top four speakers in the U.S.A. in the same event. Today, in addition to writing and speaking, James enjoys college basketball, beekeeping, fencing, gardening, and spending time under the hood of his 1964 Plymouth. James also loves long walks, a good story, church history, forgotten hymns, and languages (he is fluent in German and Spanish, has studied biblical Greek and Hebrew, and Russian). His books have been translated into Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese.

James is a graduate of Westmont College (B.A.), Princeton Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity), and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry, emphasis in Church History). He is ordained in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), a growing, Christ-centered group of believers.

James loves to help others draw near to God through prayer. Over 27 years in pastoral ministry and his experience as a parent enable him to speak from the heart about challenges many face and God’s amazing power to answer prayer (God saved James’ son out of heroin addiction). James is available for speaking events, seminars and retreats. For more information and clips from recent media appearances, please visit the Events/Media page of this website.