https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-11-17 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/dysfunction monthly 0.5 2025-07-13 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/call-for-papers monthly 0.5 2025-11-17 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/the-road-to-innovation-supervised-ministry-and-practicum monthly 0.5 2025-05-07 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/advent-musings monthly 0.5 2024-12-26 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/am2zqulxlke40fjyyz0iqcuqg09ji4 monthly 0.5 2024-12-20 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/no-green-thumb monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/3dlwwqmhn2tg1fx2a77ll2te5kca7h monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/marching-to-the-beat-of-love monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/the-brief-nature-of-life monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/leadership-matters monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/honoring-tim-keller monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/an-inward-outward-witness monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/venturing-into-the-great-beyond monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/embracing-the-inevitable monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/my-people monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/tell-the-truth-shame-the-devil monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/blog/hypp0s481cpg5suxyjwqxgwx2gdeot monthly 0.5 2024-08-08 https://www.jamesellis3.com/home daily 1.0 2024-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/0af2edd9-796b-4480-b9f4-537fa87095e7/Pro-JAMES+%2835%29.jpg Home - With time for foolishness… I am James Ellis III—though, as odd as it may sound, I have no middle name. Like most people, my story is full of layers. I have moved around a lot, but am far from lost. The words of Frederick Douglass from his 1845 memoir, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, resonate deeply with me: “I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur my own abhorrence.” As an author and ordained Baptist pastor, I lead a small Reformed church of mostly retirees and also serve as an assistant professor of practical theology at a Winebrenner Theological Seminary. To learn more, just keep clicking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/bbb77c55-d7a5-461f-8214-fa74b01155fe/BookCOVER.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587938081260-VKQZH1UYM5OX1LUQ3U83/Group+30.png Home https://www.jamesellis3.com/about daily 0.75 2025-10-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/a70fc247-6fb5-4696-a62c-e86b98cea101/Pro-US+%2839%29.jpg About - Hi, my name is James. I am broken. We are all born this way. However, as a follower of Christ, I never want to take the truth lightly. Being the same person in public as I am online is important to me. The truth is that not everyone will support you in fulfilling God’s purpose for your generation, and even some who do may, because of their unaddressed issues, believe that God’s call for you in always to the path of least resistance. But I am convinced that if my obedience to God sometimes ruffles others’ feathers, that’s okay. The mission is to please an audience of One. The work I’ve been called to is honorable, but far from safe or predictable. I just want to play my small part in God’s Kingdom. In Those Days as Today: Preaching Through the Book of Judges is my latest book, and you can easily find the others online: Dysfunction in the Name of Jesus: Confronting the Idol of Pastoral Workaholism, An Inward-Outward Witness: Suffering’s Role in Forming Faithful Preachers and Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil: Stories About the Challenges of Young Pastors. Also, from my time years ago as a competitive “spoken word poet, “ there is OnThaGrindCuzin: The School Daze of Being ‘Incognegro’ in 1619. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1588316299773-GU64EA1RLZVUVYQX4GO8/Together%252B%25252816%252529.jpg About - I’m that guy at the gym working out in a weight vest, slamming medicine balls all over the place—and sweating a lot. I apologize! I promise, I’m just trying to boost my metabolism and burn more calories. which is a big deal as you age. More than what I do for work, I’m most proud of who I get to do life with—my amazing wife, Renata. I love spending time with her more than anyone else. She says I’m picky, and she might be right. I want nothing to do with raspberries, wasabi, or camping. And ice breakers are the worst! One love to the introverts who know what I mean! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1588315352075-YYE0PJ5TKL4NF1K7K9QY/Solo-JAMES+%285%29.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587924670443-GCM4FX8N95FUYOQ2072I/EllisTogether+%2852%29.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1588315635820-X1IXKV47Q1UIGRUWMPOL/RuggedManiac+%283%29.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/5542b08b-96f8-43a7-999f-36f45e844140/Childhood+%2818%29.jpg About https://www.jamesellis3.com/author daily 0.75 2026-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/d5b3e18b-1ffb-48ca-a07d-56a0601b2bae/Ellis.InThoseDays.half.jpg Author https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/ad8162ba-9d30-4efe-aad1-00be491f99ff/Dysfunction+in+the+Name+of+Jesus_600x900.jpg Author https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/c68f3235-14a4-40ca-8e70-9927590d052e/BookCOVER.jpg Author https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587258670029-XT28MTYADPB99JH6SLI7/TellTheTruth.jpg Author https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/47fd7bbc-1876-47c9-9202-c6c6b1463087/OnThaGrind.jpg Author https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/6cdcc0d7-e6ed-4c9c-9814-c9ba647e16c1/WWnameplate.png Author - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/243d2bf3-b713-4614-8168-9fcbde58e2c4/Group%2B15.png Author - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/20dc953b-3463-4ceb-859d-ea9ea6b4255f/GFM.png Author - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/6cdcc0d7-e6ed-4c9c-9814-c9ba647e16c1/WWnameplate.png Author - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/20dc953b-3463-4ceb-859d-ea9ea6b4255f/GFM.png Author - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/6cdcc0d7-e6ed-4c9c-9814-c9ba647e16c1/WWnameplate.png Author - 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Called to speak Although I was a decently talented web producer and then Pre-Kindergarten teacher, ever so briefly, many moons ago, neither occupation proved to be the best long-term fit. In my mid-twenties, without audible manifestation, flashes of light, or prophecies shared by strangers (although all of that would have been welcomed and still is), God made it clear that He was calling me into the pastoral vocation. Honestly, it seemed rather nonsensical at the time, for a relatively new Christian to be preparing to minister to others about Jesus. I couldn’t connect the dots of why or how in the world God would use someone like me to make a difference in such sacred and arduous work. But, I had read enough of the Bible to recall that “obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22) and since God was so clear and persistent in His will for me in this way, I decided to not waste a bunch of time (that was a gift from God in the first place) running from the inevitable, and so moved forward by faith, trusting Him to do the heavy-lifting. And He has done just that. https://www.jamesellis3.com/photographer daily 0.75 2020-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1588320462439-0YQRRU4A3I0JD7KVLNIJ/NYC-TS+%2824%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/f7899041-cce7-47ce-b333-fc0304f3a6f5/DMV+%28152%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1588320466820-9UPNOO53CM2RCRMBXNIB/SanD+%2823%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/e0666ca4-a4c4-4c7b-bb69-892234bdd6ef/ToSort+%286%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587312757487-6HJ4TF9I13YSOP1BV7BX/dsc_0074_48381722436_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1657868007681-I8VAA7YKBMVXTJGTK4LV/48202375172_3db8e1c06f_k.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587314320258-ZNX2EKVU95IR4U8F2WWY/vts_48202252687_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1657868078990-F0LGRY84C0SUAUY90KID/49132249237_260f141396_k.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587312894842-CN7B2CIVPMH6AYZKUMD5/chicago-11_48202204346_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1588320463015-A7AJTOKGJXCGDNOJDUGZ/SanD+%2843%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1588320432946-6PLRP4Y0XYIR42H9QFU5/RP-Engagement+%2841%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/bc05667c-f4ae-41f8-bfb6-9932e29bac07/Azani+%2815%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587314956441-6O6O9QPTADF36XQH48Y9/dsc_0132_49314121552_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/2f5841c9-f018-4d08-8e42-e920708dbeb4/Alaska+%28126%29.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/91e2eed7-4f72-4bab-9e5c-d5acd1abb624/50553878736_d8fc899656_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/4fe41391-5649-49b0-a33f-242bf7f4adee/TEMPLE-Christmas+%2839%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587313583326-DQ7T2KNIWLOZSOCAAHSU/food-15_48202246177_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/4db67a33-23d1-4428-a88c-b0b243aabf38/truth+%283%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/196313af-b615-4f72-bb23-12c9b674c12a/BarkDay+%2812%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/c458696a-5e14-451a-9ff5-34b1279e3253/BarkDay+%2847%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/e3d84628-3552-414e-aa76-996469f07587/FBallPractice+%2813%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/ab929c07-b505-4f73-b107-242616b40fea/Ghana+%28104%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/2c399172-21c0-4014-95b4-2a26bd116697/Ghana+%28208%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/80395435-ec5e-44ee-bf27-a82b4a1678be/ToSort+%2814%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/ab2ed36c-119d-4d40-9e54-2bea4fe1caf0/BarkDay+%2827%29.JPG Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587312870353-8OO11UVI9DS94CF4FOK4/dsc_0003_48381722606_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/1587313512844-LC650E1E7TAKA43OE94P/food-5_48202198496_o.jpg Photographer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/ceea0b17-9050-4c1b-a04d-1317f2f66ae4/Twins+%282%29.JPG Photographer https://www.jamesellis3.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-10-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9b7e2ab4c28b36d03cc2ee/2d03a805-db6a-4a81-83b4-27027b42236e/52924621018_c92f694e86_o.jpg Contact James Ellis III https://www.jamesellis3.com/sermons daily 0.75 2025-08-13