John Andrew James II was born in Portsmouth, Ohio on April 1, 1930. Although his father was a Methodist pastor, his mother, Bertha Valentine James, was baptized in Jesus' name and filled with the Holy Ghost a year after Johnny James was born.
She raised Johnny and his sister Susie in a strict Apostolic Pentecostal environment. When asked what inspired Dr. James to start memorizing scripture, he responded:
“It was my mother, but she didn’t inspire me, she made me. My sister Susie and I had to say a different Bible verse before we ate, year-round, which meant we had to know at least 600 Bible verses a year in order to eat our meals.”
Sister Bertha left a legacy of God-inspired songs. The most widely known and sung around the world is "When I Think of the Goodness of Jesus," written in 1936. Johnny James said that his first birth made him a citizen of the United States of America, and his second birth gained him citizenship in heaven.
Throughout his entire ministry, Johnny James made Jesus the object, subject, and project of his preaching and teaching. He is a graduate and alumnus of Detroit Bible College, Aenon Bible College, and Capital Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana. He holds two degrees and is an adjunct professor of hermeneutics at two Bible Colleges.
He preached, lectured, debated, or taught in every one of the 50 United States as well as Canada, England, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and Australia.
He read the entire Bible in detail over 45 times. His legendary scripture quoting ability teaching prowess and memory caused him to be dubbed “The Walking Bible”.
Johnny James was married to the beautiful Anna Juanita James. They were the proud parents of nine children, eight of whom lived on earth and one of whom resides in heaven. They were also the very proud grandparents of 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Dr. James declared that "Until you see JESUS, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN NOTHING WORTH LOOKING AT!" The Walking Bible Johnny James was the author of two great books, Jesus, the Ultimate Ology and The Greatest Quotes of “The Walking Bible”.