Author

James Wesley Dennis III

Executive Pastor, Watson Grove Baptist Church

The Rev. Dr. James Wesley Dennis III serves as the executive pastor for Watson Grove Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Previously, he served as an associate program director at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School (now the Forum for Congregational Life). 

An ordained Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, James has served congregations in South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as the connectional church. He graduated from Morehouse College, Vanderbilt Divinity School and Candler School of Theology (Emory University). He enjoys good food, fine cigars and dating his wife, Mrs. Joslyn White Dennis.

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Apply for a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant 

Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants from the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship are designed for worshiping communities. These grants allow a wide range of Christian worshiping communities to focus on projects that connect public worship with Christian discipleship and faith formation. Funding awards range from $8,000 to $25,000. 

The grants support year-long projects that show promise in fostering renewed or strengthened worship practices within worshiping communities in the United States or Canada. Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants for teacher-scholars are also available. Applications for the October 15 deadline will open on July 15, 2026.

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