James Earl Massey Papers

The Reverend Doctor James Earl Massey was the founding pastor of Metropolitan Church of God and served as the congregation’s senior pastor from May 1954 until December 1976 when he became the Speaker for “Christian Brotherhood Hour” (CBH), a radio ministry of the Church of God [Anderson, IN] heard internationally each week on four continents. Born in Ferndale, Michigan, on January 4, 1930, he was the fourth son of the Rev. George Wilson Massey, Sr. and Elizabeth Shelton Massey. He confessed faith in Christ in his early years and began preaching when he was sixteen. He was a graduate of Cass Technical High School, Detroit Bible College (later re-named William Tyndale College), Oberlin Graduate School of Theology, and received his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary.

During 1951-1953, before his pastoral ministry, he served in the U.S. Army Occupational Forces in Austria as a chaplain’s assistant, chapel organist. And an authorized Troop Information and Education Lecturer. His life-long interest as an educator continued during his pastorate, with service years 1963-1966 as Principal of Jamaica School of Theology (Kingston, Jamaica) while on-leave from the Detroit congregation. From 1969-1976 he was the first campus minister and faculty member at Anderson College; from 1984-1989, Dean of the Chapel and University Professor of Religion and Society at Tuskegee University, and from 1989-1995, he was the Dean of the School of Theology at Anderson University, from which he retired as Dean Emeritus and Distinguished Professor-at-Large. During his post-retirement years, he resided in Greensboro, Alabama, and returned yearly to Tuskegee University to speak, and was an adjunct faculty member at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University.

Across the years he was an active member of several agencies and boards, including Warner Press, World Vision, Inc., The New Interpreter’s Bible Project, the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization, The Howard Thurman Educational Trust, and Asbury Theological Seminary Trustee Board (Life Trustee).

Author of thirty books, including an autobiography (Aspects of My Pilgrimage, 2002), he preached and lectured at more than 150 colleges, universities, and seminaries and received eight honorary doctorates. His personal and professional papers are preserved in collections at Anderson University (IN), Samford University (AL), and Tuskegee University, three institutions he loved, and in which, with distinction, he labored.

In addition to the joys of pastoring, he confessed his joy in preparing ministers to serve churches and helping pastors to hone their leadership and pulpit skills.

Massey married Gwendolyn Inez (Kilpatrick) Massey in 1951. After many years of joyful service in The Faith, James Earl Massey died on June 24, 2018, still persuaded that “The best is yet to be!”

(Adapted from Celebrating the Life of Reverend Dr. James Earl Massey published by the Metropolitan Church of God for Massey's memorial service.)