At the young age of 18, James followed God’s lead into a life of ministry. He began speaking in churches, and doors quickly opened for him to hold crusades in stadiums and indoor arenas nationwide. One of the most important people by his side in these early days of ministry was the love of his life, Betty Freeman, who became his bride in 1963.
Since 1962, James has delivered the Gospel to the masses – first, through crusade evangelism and for more than 40 years, via television. He and Betty co-host LIFE TODAY, a daily television program reaching 300 million homes around the world with an inspirational message. They also present the plight of the poor around the world and invite viewers to make a difference through the many mission outreaches of LIFE, including feeding 500,000 children every month through Mission Feeding in Africa. They have travelled the world on behalf of the poor, helping provide water wells through Water for LIFE, caring for orphans, providing homes for families and reaching out through Mission:RESCUELIFE to rescue children targeted for sexual slavery.
They have three adult children, now married, and enjoy 11 grandchildren.