Rev. Dr. James H. Wilkes, Jr. is a native of Gastonia, North Carolina, and the only child of the late Mr. James H. Wilkes, Sr. and Mrs. Deborah Wright Wilkes.He graduated from the Gaston County Public School System and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from UNC Greensboro, a Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University, and a Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership from Boston University in 2022.

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Dr. Wilkes accepted his call to ministry at the age of 13. In July 2007, he was licensed to preach at the historic Mount Calvary Baptist Church (Gastonia) under the leadership of Pastor James Burris and was ordained in 2011. He served as Assistant to the Pastor at Genesis Church (Gastonia, NC) under Rev. Johnny D. Brown, III and was a ministerial staff member at Union Baptist Church (Winston-Salem, NC) under Dr. Sir Walter L. Mack II.

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On July 25, 2016, Dr. Wilkes was unanimously elected Senior Pastor of Elon First Baptist Church in Elon, NC. His ministry is a unique blend of traditional biblical preaching and innovative outreach, engaging both in-person congregants and online audiences. Passionate about community impact, he collaborates with local organizations to serve underserved populations in Alamance County, NC. In 2024, Elon First Baptist Church expanded, launching a second campus in East Burlington, NC, becoming one church in two locations.

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In 2017, Dr. Wilkes married Melia Olivia Burris, also of Gastonia, and they are the proud parents of James Henry Wilkes III.

Most importantly, Dr. Wilkes loves the Lord and stands firmly on Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, saith the Lord, plans to prosper you and give you an expected future.”