Dr. James Hicks

Dr. James Hicks has been the Senior Pastor at Bloomington First Church of the Nazarene in Bloomington, Indiana, for 23 years.  He has taught discipleship and small groups for 30 plus years.  Dr. Hicks has a B.A. from Trevecca Nazarene University, a M.Div. from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. in Practical Theology from Christian Theological Seminary.  He is a graduate of the School of Large Church Management, has received training in the Alpha program, and training in small groups through Willow Creek. He has used variations of the Dynamics of Discipleship program as well as other curriculum through the years. He is currently the Southwest Indiana District SDMI chairman.

In his 23 years of ministry in Bloomington, Dr. Hicks has had the experience of taking an older, traditional church through the deprogramming stages and reprogramming the core through the church’s new purpose of “Seeking the Lost, Evangelizing the Lost, and Equipping the Body for Ministry.”  

In his doctoral dissertation,  “Discipleship Through Small Groups,” Dr. Hicks  revealed that Bloomington First Church, located near Indiana University, has been a “sending church” down through his 23 years.  Disciples have come from both churched and non-churched settings. After being trained, they are now active in the local church as well as in various ministries across the country.