We recently connected with Charmaine James and have shared our conversation below.
Charmaine , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
The Not In My City@ movement came from interceding about the racial issues in the United States of America and in the local churches across this nation in 2016. The desired outcome from NIMC is to heal the racial division that causes us to have preconceived ideas that are not based on actual experiences or evidence about each other. As a church we wanted to deal with the issue of racism and prejudice in the four walls of the church. We believe that working together we can overcome these issues that has plagued our nation.
On December 9, 2020, Not In My City® extended it’s platform by launching a YouTube channel. The Not In My City® Unite channel exists to inspire and provoke us to work together to bring transformation to our spheres of influence. We will discuss relevant topics with our local and national leaders which will change mindsets and empower people to become leaders who will then transform their communities and our nation. Working together we can overcome age old issues that have plagued our nation for centuries.
As of November 2021, the Not In My City® Unite show has become a part of the 20TV Live Katy HTX family. We look forward to expanding our movement across the nation.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Charmaine James – Pastor of Apostolic Ministries at One City Church in Beaumont, TX
Pastor Charmaine James is an intercessor and ordained minister with a passionate desire to see revival and transformation happen across the world. She connects with churches, leaders, and ministries from around the world to help establish God’s kingdom in their areas of influence. Charmaine believes that if the church will minister to the hearts of the individuals in our communities, they’ll have a desire to embrace the body of Christ. The church holds the keys for transformation in their region; stepping out of the four walls of our churches will help unlock the destinies of our regions. Charmaine is honored to be a part of a movement that began in 2016 “Not In My City ®.” God released NIMC to her through intercessory prayer. God’s desire for Not In My City® is to help bring racial reconciliation inside and outside of the four walls of the church. Charmaine believes regional transformation results in national transformation.
She is a graduate of Covenant Bible College and Seminary of Tallahassee, Florida with a degree in Theology. Charmaine is honored to be an ordained minister and member of One City Church; she is the first African American ordained minister in this church’s history. With the leading of her Lead Pastors, Charmaine has connected churches, ministries, and leaders from all areas of social and economic systems to advance the kingdom of God and bring racial reconciliation. Charmaine will leave a legacy of establishing God’s kingdom by empowering others to recognize and operate in their God given gifts and to bring healing to racial issues in our nation.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In 2010, I was offered a position at a local church in my area. The senior pastors made an historic decision that day; they hired me as their first African American admin staff, ordain minister, pastoral staff and now TV show host. Resilience stepped in on those days that I didn’t feel welcomed by members, area leaders and at times my own race. I learned to rely on God and the assignments He assigned me for. This momentous decision gave me an amazing opportunity to be a sign (betoken) of transformation, hope and a forerunner for other ethnic groups of people in our community. We have proving as a church that everyone is welcome and needed in the body of Christ.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative television host is the comments/reviews that has touched and changed our viewers and guests lives. I received a beautiful letter from a guest I interviewed in December of 2022. The title of the show is “Your Choice, My Choice, God’s Choice’; the main discussion was the overturning of Roe vs Wade. The guest expressed how she left with a new insight of God’s love for her, she felt safe and greatly appreciated discussing a topic that was once considered “taboo” especially in churches. That’s reward enough for me! Allowing our guest to release their stories and the viewers to hear relevant stories full of truth is the biggest reward of all as a creative.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.not-in-my-city.com or www.onecity.church
- Instagram: @charoja or @nimcunite
- Facebook: Charmaine James or Not In My City
- Linkedin: Charmaine James
- Twitter: Charmaine James
- Youtube: Not In My City
Image Credits
MICHAEL Y. SIMON PHOTOGRAPHY