Dr. James B. Buskirk, recently retired, was Senior Minister at First United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma September 1984 - February 2001. More than 4700 persons accepted Christ and/or united with First United Methodist during Dr. Buskirk's ministry of twelve years. Under his leadership, the mission program exceeded $250,000 yearly and attracted more than 200 lay persons to short-term missions each year with more than 3300 lay persons doing lay ministries each week as an expression of their Christian discipleship. He has been a delegate to the last four jurisdictional conferences and the last three general conferences. He was a pastor of seventeen years prior to becoming the first professor of the Arthur J. Moore Chair of Evangelism at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, 1972-1976. Dr. Buskirk was the founding dean of the School of Theology at Oral Roberts University, 1976-1984. Dr. Buskirk is the originator of two local church programs in creative ministry called, "Motivation for Ministry" and "Affirmation Evangelism." He has contributed chapters to several books and written numerous articles.
Dr. Buskirk has been "Conference Preacher" at several annual conferences, spoken at jurisdictional conferences and at national conferences, and taught at several "Pastors' Schools" in annual conferences and at "Ministers' Week" in seminary settings. He has ministered in numerous churches in almost every state and preached and taught abroad. He was given the coveted Philip Award in 1979 from the National Association of United Methodist Evangelists. He received the Harry Denman Award in the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference in 1988. In 1992 he was named Distinguished Evangelist by The United Methodist Foundation for Evangelism.
Dr. Buskirk served over thirty years as a pastor. He served as the chair-person of the Oklahoma Conference Board of Evangelism for eight years. For four years he was on the Conference Board of Education. Other boards and agencies on which he has served are The South Central Jurisdiction Episcopacy Committee, Oklahoma Conference Episcopacy Committee, Frances Williard Home, Methodist Manor, Mount Sequoyah, Manna Ministries, Baddour Center, and is now Chair of the Board of Trustees Asbury Theological Seminary.
Dr. Buskirk earned a B. A. from Millsaps College, Jackson, Mississippi, a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, and a Doctor of Sacred Theology from Atlanta Theological Association through Candler School of Theology. He received Doctor of Divinity degrees from Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky and from Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Dr. Buskirk is married to the former Miss Nancy Merritt who is a graduate of Emory University. They have a son and a daughter, Christopher and Angela. Their son, Chris, is a graduate of Candler School of Theology and is the Associate Minister of Preaching at First United Methodist Church, Houston, Texas. Their daughter, Angela, is a graduate of Oklahoma City University with a major in psychology and has earned a Master Degree in Health Services Administration at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She and her husband reside in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Buskirk's experiences as a husband, father, pastor, evangelist, professor, dean of a seminary, and administrator all contribute to his effectiveness in ministry.