About JC Smith

James Smith was raised in the holiness Pentecostal church. As a teen, the lessons learned during Sunday school did not prepare him for life in the real world. At 12 years old, he was moved from a small rural town in Pennsylvania to a much larger city in New Mexico. He was simply not prepared for what the world would throw at him.He soon began drinking heavily and using drugs of all sorts. At 13 he was recruited as a Nazi skinhead. At 14 he began going to jail constantly. He was running away, sleeping around and trying to find out who he was and none of the answers that he found seemed to point to his working class roots or Pentecostal heritage.

At 19 years old he found himself alone in a bathroom, thinking of what the future held for him. The answer was, to his mind at the time, nothing. He had a tub full of water and a razor blade lying on the counter and as he was preparing to slice his wrists he remembered a verse from when he was a child, John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” He had tried every kind of drink, every kind of drug, hatred with the skins, anything and everything that could tell him who he was, anything to try and fill the void inside of him- but he had never tried Jesus. He climbed out of the tub and fell on his knees, telling God that he didn’t know if he wanted him or could even do anything with him, but that if he could, he would give him his life.

He was never the same. He immediately began street ministry to the people he used to be a part of on the streets. For two years he walked the streets up to eight hours a day telling whoever he could about this Jesus who saved him. He was discovered there by a Pastor in New Mexico, who took him under his wing and mentored him as a minister. Not long after, he was preaching in pulpits all over the country as an Evangelist.

Over the years, James has worn many different hats in his service to the Lord. From street preacher to Evangelist, church planter to radical revivalist, preacher to pastor, he has done whatever his hand finds to do with his whole heart. To stay true to the heart of revivalism, restore the heritage of Pentecostalism and destroy religious traditionalism, all while reaching out to the hurting masses that the mainstream church does not want very often. That is James’ heart and the center of American Pentecost.

With a perspective that is uniquely Generation-X, James’ sermons reveal the hypocrisy that infests the American church system and call the church to a higher level of sacrifice for the Lord. Coupled with a raw power for physical healings that manifests regularly in the services and an anointing that brings to mind the old days of the tent meeting revivals, an AP service introduces the power of Pentecost to a brand new generation.

James and his wife Shana have 5 children at home now that baby Molly was born premature this year. His interests are Mixed Martial Arts, tattoos (which he has two full sleeves of) and mountaineering along with plenty of fishing, bow hunting and canyoneering (when he can actually get around a canyon!).

To write James, please email him at jamessmith@americanpentecost.com

If you are interested in having him come and preach at your church or event, please submit your request using booking@americanpentecost.com or call the ministry number at 281-757-6087.