The former Caryla Ruth Head and James have been been married since 1974. They have four married children and eight grandchildren.

James & Caryla are grateful for their children, their spouses, and the GRAND children that God has given them. The children are all saved and serving the LORD in a local church.

      They have lived in East Point and College Park, GA; New Orelans, LA; Trussville, AL; Talbotton, GA: and since 1992, in Dallas, GA.

       Caryla has worked for the Paulding County School System since 1998, and presently works at the BOE as a secretary in the Nutrition Department.

       Pastor James Cook has been in the Gospel Ministry since he was called to preach in 1983.

       Before following his Calling to preach the Gospel, James worked mostly as a life insurance agent, being first hired by Interstate Insurance company, which later became Gulf Life and then American General Life Ins. Co.

       After experiencing God's salvation and being saved in 1979, James and his wife Caryla joined the church at Second Baptist Church, College Park, GA (now McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville, GA). There, between the years 1979-1983, James was ordained as a Deacon and then later licensed to preach.

     In 1983 James and Caryla  left the Atlanta area for James to attend New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. While at NOBTS James served as an Associate Pastoral Intern at Ames Boulevard Baptist Church, Marrero, LA. Then, after a brief membership at First Baptist Church, Kenner, LA, James was called back to  Ames where he served as an Associate Pastor.

     Ames Boulevard Baptist Church also ordained Pastor James into the Gospel Ministry on July 20, 1986. James graduated in 1986 from NOBTS with an Associate Degree in Pastoral Ministries. 

     In the summer of 1986 James was called as Pastor of White’s Chapel Baptist Church, Moody, AL.

     In 1989 Bro. James answered the Call to be Pastor of Talbotton Baptist Church, Talbotton, GA. 

     From Talbotton, The Cook Family moved in 1992 to Dallas, GA  in answering  the call to serve as Pastor of New Canaan Baptist Church. James  resigned in April 2008 after almost 16 wonderful years where he was honored and blessed to serve as NCBC's under-Shepherd.

    James filled the pulpit for several services in varying churches and funerals between his resignation from New Canaan in April 2008 unitl Father's Day 2008 when he began to regularly fill the Pulpit at Victory Baptist Church, Douglasville, GA.  James eventually accepted VBC's Call to be their Pastor on October 5, 2008, where he is presently co-laboring with this wonderful congregation.

 * * * * *

Some other things you may want to know about Pastor James Cook

In addition to other beliefs, James is a Conservative, Bible Believing Christian and Preacher, who desires to fulfill his Calling to Preach by proclaiming the Gospel (the Good News of the death, burial, and literal resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead, Who is The LORD God in the flesh) to ALL Peoples, receiving ANY and ALL into the local church and ministering to them as the under-Sherpherd, and with them as a co-laborerer of Jesus Christ, by a servant leadership characteristic and style.

James believes that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived on the earth as100% man while at the same time was 100% God. That Christ died as the sinless Lamb of God in the flesh, was buried, and on the Third Day, arose! That salvation is soley, wholly, and entirely by grace through faith in the LORD Jesus Christ, Who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life! There is NO OTHER way, or one, to the Father Above, NONE!

James believes that "whosoever will may come" to Jesus, and that The Father God desires that ALL be saved and that NONE should persish. And the one who claims to be a Christian should actively share his faith with others for their salvation through the convicting, convincing, and conversion of God The Holy Spirit. Therefore, James does not believe in an "extreme Calvinism" that teaches some are presdestined to Hell with no hope of willingly trusting in Christ as Savior.

James also believes that if one has "enough of Jesus to get him to Heaven" that one will also have "enough of Jesus to get him to the church worship services."

One cannot logically, Biblically, or morally say, "I love Jesus," but deny, despise, or neglect His Bride, The Church, unto Whom He is the Groom, and for Whom He died and will return to recieve at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Nor can one logically, Biblically, or morally disreagerd being part of the Body, unto Whom He is The Head; nor Her Building, unto Whom He is The Cornerstone.

To reject the Church is to reject the God of the Church. Attending church doesn't make one a Christian no more than standing in a grage makes one a car, but Christians, true ones, will attend worship services unless Providentially Hindered. Don't fool yourself otherwise. JESUS LOVES THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR HER. We should, too!

Pastor Cook believes in a leadership that leads by example. Every church leader ought to be tithing, witnessing, praying, singing as best they can, faithfully attending worship services and Sunday School, not a drinker or smoker, or the like, and actively seek the unity of the Body of Christ as they find someplace and some folks to serve with their God given Gift or Gifts.

Finally, that the Bible teachess "Love overcomes a multitude of sins." Therefore, a "loving church is an overcoming church." Love, Love, LOVE! "And the greatesst of these IS LOVE!"

* * * * *

Did you know that

God is Good and

Jesus is Wonderful!

See God's Simple Plan

* * * * *

PASTOR COOK'S RECOMMENDED

BOOKS AND READINGS

THE BIBLE: Basic Instuctions Before Leaving Earth; by God; many and various Publishers

THE GRAND WEAVER: How God Shapes Us Through the Events of Our Lives; by Ravi Zacharias; Zondervan Publishers 

CULTURE SHIFT: Engaging Current Issues with Timeless Truth; by R. Albert Mohler, Jr.;  Multnomah Books

STANDING FOR LIGHT AND TRUTH; by Dr. Adrian Rogers; Crossway Books

DEACON RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH THE BODY OF CHRIST: Be The Leader God Intended You To Be; by Dr. Donald E. Ledbetter; Xulon Press 

RECAPTURE THE WONDER; by Ravi Zacharias; Integrity Publishers

LIFE WIDE OPEN: Unleashing the Power of a Passionate Life; by David Jeremiah; Integrity Publishers

BETTER THAN GOOD: Get Motivated! Creating the Life You Can't Wait to Live; by Zig Ziglar; Integrity Publishers

THIS WASN'T SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN TO ME: 10 Make-or-Break Choices When Life Steals Your Dreams and Rocks Your World; by Beverly Smallwood, Ph. D.; Thomas Nelson Publishers