Bishop James L. Martin, Sr. is a native
Washingtonian. He and his wife, Minister Tawanda Martin, reside in Fort
Washington, Maryland and are the proud parents of seven children, and the proud
grandparents of six. He was educated in the DC Public School System, and
attended the Duke Ellington School of Performing Arts, Strayer Business College
and the Wilbur H. Waters School of Religion and Theological Seminary. At Wilbur
Waters, he received the Bachelor of Divinity degree in June 1990, the Master of
Divinity degree in June 1992 and the Doctor of Divinity degree in June 1995,
graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Bishop Martin was delegated to the
Progressive Baptist Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1979. He was
licensed to preach the gospel in September 1986 and was ordained to the Gospel
Ministry in October 1988. In 1996, he was recognized as an Outstanding Young
Man of America; and in 2006, he was featured in the September/October edition
of the Gospel Today magazine as one of the "50 Most Loved Pastors."
On November 3rd of that same year, he was named 1340 AM-WYCB's "Pastor of
the Week." Bishop Martin has functioned as an Associate Minister, Minister
of Music and Assistant Sunday School Superintendent at the Corinthian Baptist
Church in Lanham, Maryland (formerly in Washington, DC.), where he currently
serves as the Senior Pastor and under-Shepherd.
Bishop James L. Martin is a member of the
Hampton Minister's Conference, the Baptist Minister's Conference of Washington,
DC. and Vicinity and the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a
certified Marriage Ministry counselor and a certified Evangelical Teacher
Training Instructor. On Friday, October 30th 2009 at his 11th Anniversary
Celebration, he was elevated to Bishop-Elect by Bishop Glen A. Staples,
Presiding Prelate of the Temple of Praise Fellowship. On May 15th, 2010,
Bishop-Elect Martin was consecrated to Bishop in the Lord's church by Bishop
Glen A. Staples.
It is Bishop Martin's petition and
aspiration that, "through the preaching of the Gospel, self will decrease, God will
increase and the seat of religion will be relinquished for that of a
relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ." His motto is,
"just
let me live my life and let it be pleasing Lord - to thee. And should I gain
any praise, let it go to Calvary... to God be the glory for the things He has
done!"
