James Underwood

A lifelong resident of Northeast Mississippi, James Underwood previously served as an instructor, Director of Spiritual Life, and Head of the Bible Department at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School, where he taught Bible, Mathematics, and Humanities courses for twenty years. Among the extracurricular activities he led were Book Club, Praise Band, and Quiz Bowl.

James came to Christ at the age of 18 after reading the Book of Ecclesiastes and discovering that only a life lived in purposeful submission to God can bring lasting peace and joy. Regarding his vocational calling, James says he feels God's pleasure most strongly when equipping students with the tools necessary to better understand God's Word and World.

James earned his B.S.Ed. in Mathematics and B.A. in Bible from Blue Mountain Christian University and his M.A. in Theological Studies from Liberty University. He is nearing completion of his Ph.D. in Humanities through Faulkner University's Great Books program. His dissertation examines the ways in which the earliest Christians faced death, how their perspectives differed from the Greek and Roman philosophies around them, and how those differences shaped Christian history.

James, his wife, Cristy, and their son, Trey, are active members of The Church at Trace Crossing, a Southern Baptist church in Tupelo, where James leads a Life Group, teaches equipping classes, and plays drums in the praise band. In his leisure time, he enjoys reading, cinema, playing music, and kayaking.