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James White is the Director of Alpha and Omega Ministries. He
co-founded Alpha and Omega in 1983 along with Michael Beliveau. At the
time James was a
student at Grand Canyon College in Phoenix, Arizona. The previous year, shortly after his
marriage to Kelli, he had encountered two LDS missionaries, Elders Reed and Reese. In the
ensuing conversations, James had realized that there was much he didn't know about what
Mormons believed, and much he needed to know about his own beliefs as well. This
began an in-depth study of the teachings of Mormonism, but more importantly, a more
in-depth study of his own beliefs.
James added a Bible major and a Greek minor to his Biology
major at Grand Canyon, and began teaching a class at the church he was attending on the
subject of Mormonism. Alpha and Omega Ministries grew out of
those classes. Starting in 1984, James began leading groups of
volunteers to the semi-annual General Conference of the LDS Church in
Salt Lake City. This missions work continued until 2002 when it
was halted by the activities of rabid KJV Only "street preachers.
Things began moving quickly for James and
Alpha and Omega Ministries. Richard Pierce took over as the President of the organization. The work
expanded into other areas, providing in-depth responses to Jehovah's Witnesses and other
who denied the deity of Christ. In 1989 James began writing for Crowne Publications,
headed up by George Bonneau. He wrote six books between 1989 and 1991, and began teaching
at Grand Canyon as well.
During this time, James' attention was turned to the issues
surrounding Roman Catholicism. He engaged in his first debate in August of 1990 against
Gerry Matatics, then staff apologist for Catholic Answers. Other debates followed
quickly, including debates on the Papacy and the perseverance of the saints in December of
1990 (both against Matatics) and then on justification by faith and the Mass against Dr.
Mitchell Pacwa (San Diego, 1991---click
here to listen).
In 1993, Bethany House Publishers picked up James' book, Letters
to a Mormon Elder. This relationship with Bethany House resulted in another project,
starting in 1994. James had debated a King James Only advocate, Gail
Riplinger, on a local
radio station. The requests for his notes were so overwhelming that it was decided that a
book on the subject was sorely needed. His book, The King James Only Controversy,
came out in early 1995, resulting in a torrent of insults and attacks from KJV Only
advocates.
Meanwhile, James was continuing his work in the area of Roman
Catholicism, studying the early Fathers, and working hard to explain, and defend, the
doctrine of sola scriptura. In the same year he completed his second Master's
degree, a Th.M. in Apologetics from Faraston Theological Seminary. Opportunities to write
and speak increased in frequency, and James became a regular in the pages of CRI's Journal,
writing on the KJV issue and Mormonism.
Also in 1995 James was appointed Scholar in Residence in the
College of Christian Studies at Grand Canyon University, and was chosen as an adjunct
professor with the Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary's Arizona Campus. James has
lectured in Greek, Hebrew, Systematic Theology, and Christology for Golden Gate, and
Theology and Church History at Grand Canyon. He is also Professor of Apologetics for Columbia Evangelical Seminary in Longview,
Washington.
1996 brought another book, The Roman Catholic Controversy,
as well as a chapter in the Soli Deo Gloria publication, Sola
Scriptura: The Protestant
Position on the Bible. James was also hired as a Critical Consultant on the New
American Standard Bible Update. It also brought more attacks from Catholic Answers
and other groups who oppose the work of Alpha and Omega Ministries. James debated former
Protestant Tim Staples on the subject of sola scriptura in Fullerton, California
(click here for the Real Audio version of
this debate, and remember that you can hear this debate on tape #469)
1997 brought a flood of new
opportunities. James began going
out to Long Island for debates against Roman Catholics in 1996. The first year he debated
Gerry Matatics on the Marian doctrines (click here for the index
of this four-part debate on Real Audio; it is tape #472). In 1997 he debated Gerry on sola
scriptura (#473). James also had two new books come out, Grieving: Our Path
Back to Peace and Is the Mormon My Brother?
1998 proved to be a banner year. Ministry in
Indianapolis and San Diego went well, and the regular spring-time trip to Long Island
included a debate against Jesuit scholar and priest Mitchell Pacwa on the Papacy (click here for pictures and here for the audio tapes) and ministry
in a number of other churches (click here for pictures).
Two new books came out in 1998: What's With the Dudes at the Door? (a youth
book on cults co-written with best-selling youth author Kevin Johnson) and Mary---Another
Redeemer?
In late November the long awaited book The Forgotten Trinity was
released by Bethany House Publishers. This work has received the endorsements of
a wide variety of scholars from the entire spectrum of
Trinitarianism. James had the opportunity of teaching an intensive
course on apologetics in San Francisco over the summer, a privilege
repeated during the summers of 1999, 2000, and 2001.
Things did not slow down in 1999. April brought James'
30th consecutive missions trip to Salt Lake City, as well as "The Great Debate
IV" on Long Island against Roman Catholic apologist Robert Sungenis (click here). The Long Island trip was
even more interesting in that three debates took place, including one against Muslim
apologist Hamza Abdul Malik, and one against Robert Sabin, a Oneness Pentecostal advocate
(click here). Bethany House
released What's With the Mutant in the
Microscope?, a youth book on creation and
evolution.
Y2K
(2000) was greatly blessed. "The Great Debate V"
against Robert Sungenis was a wonderful opportunity for demonstrating the difference
between the God-centered Gospel of God's Grace, and the man-centered gospel of Roman
Catholicism. The next week brought a debate with Church of Christ minister Paul
Barber on election. And during this time James' newest book,
The Potter's
Freedom, was released. This 350 page work is a full rebuttal of Norman
Geisler's Chosen But Free. July 6th brought a three hour
appearance on The Bible Answer Man debating Tim
Staples, and the next evening one of the most interesting of
all of James' debates on
Papal
Infallibility. James continued teaching for GGBTS
(teaching Hebrew in the Fall), and two more debates finished
off the year: in October in Clearwater, Florida against
Robert Sungenis on
Papal
Infallibility (quite a contrast to the
July
encounter with Tim Staples!), and in December in San Diego
against Fr. Mitchell Pacwa on
sola
scriptura.
2001
brought another large published work,
The God Who Justifies,
a 400 page work on the biblical doctrine of
justification. It also brought a
full debate with Fr.
Peter Stravinskas on the subject of purgatory on Long Island
(the
video of which is very useful for showing in churches to
highlight the vast differences between the two sides on the
gospel),
and a major debate against notorious liberal activist Barry
Lynn on the subject of homosexuality.
2002 passed in a blur! Another half dozen debates,
including one against
George Bryson on Calvinism, one against Patrick Madrid on
the
veneration of saints and images, one against LDS scholar
Gilbert Scharffs and another against LDS apologist
Martin Tanner, and two against one of the leading
advocates of
Open Theism and
Inclusivism, John Sanders. Also two new books were
released,
Dangerous Airwaves, a rebuttal of the false teaching
of Harold Camping regarding the supposed "end" of the Church,
and
The Same Sex Controversy co-authored with Jeff Niell
on the subject of homosexuality.
2003 set new records for intensity of ministry. While
continuing teaching for Golden Gate at both its Phoenix and
Mill Valley campuses, James traveled extensively all across
the United States, and for the first time, to Brazil as well
(to speak at the
annual FIEL Conference). Debates
included the annual Great Debate against Mitchell Pacwa on
the
Priesthood, an LDS debate against
Dr. Dennis Potter, and
two
Roman Catholic debates against (now) Traditionalist Catholics
Robert Sungenis and Gerry Matatics. The year finished
with the most intense flurry of activity yet. James took
on Gregory Stafford, author of Jehovah's Witnesses
Defended: An Answer to Scholars and Critics in Tampa in a
vitally important
debate
on the deity of Christ. This was followed by an
apologetics cruise, and immediately by an appearance on CRI's
The Bible Answer Man broadcast where James defended the
Reformed position against those who promote "libertarian
freedom."
2004 brought the release of James's debate book against
Dave Hunt, Debating Calvinism: Five Points, Two Views
from Multnomah. We are looking forward to the publication of a book on
ecclesiology wherein James defends the plurality of elders
model against four other views (Broadman/Holman publishers).
The Great Debate IX will be on Long Island May 20th against
Catholic apologist Gary Michuta on the subject of the
Apocrypha, and other debates on the King James Only issue,
homosexuality, and Mormonism are in the works.
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