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photo by Marcus Frazier
Minister James Bowman has walked over approximately 24,000 miles throughout the 48 states of the continental U.S. in the name of God. He has now found himself in the Miss-Lou and will be speaking at Highland Baptist Church tonight.
Walking minister strolls through town
Published Sunday, January 6, 2008
NATCHEZ — James Bowman is on a mission from God — a very, very long mission.
For the last three years Bowman has literally been walking back and forth across America preaching the word of God and helping anyone he can.
“This is what God wants me to do,” he said.
Bowman estimates since he started his wandering mission he has literally walked 24,000 and worn out more than 30 pairs of shoes.
He is a sort of metaphysical Jack Kerouac.
Bowman said the drug related murders of both of his parents before he reached 20, greatly impacted his life.
“They were both alcoholics and drug addicts,” he said. “I started drinking beer, then smoking marijuana, then pills and it just went from there.”
Bowman said he spent more than 20 years addicted to heroin.
To support his habit he stole cars and burglarized homes.
Bowman said he eventually became so disgusted with his life that he tried to eventually overdose.
“I had enough heroin to kill 10 people,” he said.
Bowman said he shot-up a much larger usual dose and laid down on his blanket at a homeless camp in the desert ready to die.
“Something stuck me in the head though,” he said.
The culprit was a business card belonging to a pastor.
Bowman said he and another homeless man joked that perhaps it was a message from God.
Bowman put his head down, ready to die.
“Then someone was picking me up an carrying me to a car,” he said.
Bowman said the pastor — the same one from the business card — brought him to a motel in kept him in a tub of cold water for the entire night.
The next day Bowman said was brought to the church and prayed-over for the entire day.
“When they brought me, I was more dead than alive,” he said.
That night, Bowman gave his life over to God.
That was in 2002 and by 2005 Bowman was minister of his own church.
Bowman said when the church unexpectedly burned down, he was ready to rebuild.
“We had the slab poured,” he said. But the night before construction was to begin, Bowman said God told him to start walking.
“That was it,” he said.
Bowman said he gave away all of his possessions and hit the road.
“I go where God tells me to go,” he said. “I don’t have a plan.”
And for the last three years the 51-year-old has just been walking around telling his story and telling others about God.
“I have spoken in 677 churches and 83 universities,” he said.
Bowman said he only travels with a duffel bag.
He keeps a few changes of clothes and as many Bibles as he can carry.
“If I see someone who needs something, I give it to them if I have it,” he said. “When God is ready for me to get another one he’ll send it.”
And while a life of walking on an unknown path, sounds at the least troublesome, Bowman said he is not concerned.
“I leave the worry up to God,” he said.
In his three years of walking, Bowman has had some pretty amazing experiences.
He described one such situation in Vermont.
“I was walking and God told me what house he wanted me to go to,” he said.
Bowman said once he arrived at the house, the woman who lived there told him that she had not seen her son in seven years.
Bowman said God gave him the son’s phone number, in Alaska.
“She picked up the phone and called him,” she said.
Bowman acknowledges that the story and more like it are hard to believe but does not questions God’s plan.
On Thursday Bowman walked in to Natchez, over the bridge, and spent the night outside.
He said in the morning he called a friend in Kentucky and just a bit latter Dale Little called him on the phone.
Little is the president of the Adams County Baptist Union.
“He seems genuine,” Little said. “He wants to do God’s work.”
Tonight, Bowman will be speaking to the congregation at Highland Baptist Church at 6. But he won’t be in town much longer after that. Bowman said God told him to start walking down U.S. 84 on Monday.
Comments
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on January 6, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
God works in mysterious ways.
Posted by seeemeeego (anonymous) on January 6, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Now this is what it means to walk the walk! How wonderful that delivered from his tormented life, he is truly God's messenger.
Posted by Annebelle (anonymous) on January 6, 2008 at 2:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natchez People...Maybe God sent this man here to speak about the breakins going on...or...to speak to the criminals personally. Only God Knows...Amen
Posted by Jamie (anonymous) on January 6, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Everyone,
I hate to have to say this - but this guy is a con. He came through my hometown of Coushatta, LA last weekend and asked our pastor to speak in our Sunday morning worship service. Because his story is quite incredible, our pastor of course stepped out on faith and let this guy tell his story. Afterwards, our church put him up in a hotel for a couple of days and in the meantime, our pastor did some due diligence. Turns out, this guy lied about almost everything he said - i.e. he mentioned he was friends w/ the Athletic Director of Ohio St. University and that this athletic director had given him 4 tickets to the LSU vs. Ohio State National Championship game - our pastor called Ohio State and the Athletic Director had no clue who this guy was. Anyway, I hope this reaches someone in your local church's congregation before this guy speaks tonight. It is sad when people extend a loving hand to someone (like Christ tells us to do) only to be taken advantage of. I guess our pastor confronting this man about his deception and lies didn't do much to sway the man into changing his ways...
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on January 6, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oh come on. just some random guy that is psychotic
Posted by mamatj (anonymous) on January 6, 2008 at 8:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm sorry but Jamie is correct. This man showed up at our church tonight. James Bowman was confronted about his past experiences. His untruths were exposed to our entire congregation. Once confronted Mr. Bowman excused himself to the restroom and simply disappeared.
This man needs your prayers.
Thank you Jamie for taking the time to contact our church. I truly hope others use caution when confronted with this type of situation. Remember Matthew 7:15.
Posted by ApostleTom (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear Readers:
I'm the pastor of First Baptist Church in Coushatta, LA, the one Jamie referred to in his comments. James Bowman did indeed show up here Sunday morning, Dec. 30, and introduced himself as "The Walking Preacher."
As I talked with him, he shared that he'd been on Orpah Winfrey three times, Larry King three times, 60 Minutes twice and several other nationally-syndicated television programs. Likewise, he shared about having spoken at a large church in Shreveport Christmas Eve night. He also said he had four tickets to the LSU-Ohio St. national championship game on Jan. 7, which had been given to him by his "good friend," Archie Griffith, the two-time Heisman trophy winner from Ohio St. He wanted our church to have them.
Normally, I try to check someone out before allowing him to speak; however, I couldn’t that afternoon and didn’t want to miss "entertaining an angel unaware" (Heb. 13:2) so I allowed him to speak.
That night it came to light that he hadn’t spoken at the Shreveport church. I also talked to the deputy sheriff who picked him up on Sat. night, Dec., 29, and found out he'd not paid for James' room, although James said he did. Likewise, James told me on Monday morning that he didn't have any money, although some of our folks had given him money on Sunday and even that morning 10 minutes before I picked him up.
We called Ohio St. and Archie Griffin’s secretary said Mr. Griffith didn't know James Bowman and had never promised any tickets. James also told me an author in Bedford, Indiana had written a book about him that was to be released in February. I called her and there is no such book. Again, an outright lie. When I then confronted James about the discrepancies in his story, he seemed perplexed by it all and even looked upwards to Heaven and asked, "What's going on God?"
Last Thursday we called the Alexandria motel where we’d put him up for two nights and found out James had extended his stay by paying cash. So, where did he get the money? The answer: He had money all along and simply uses his "walking preacher facade" to "fleece flocks" (like ours) along the way.
Do I wish ill for James Bowman? No, not at all; in fact, I grieve over someone with his ability who preys upon unsuspecting, generous, well-intentioned Christians. I told him he needs to repent and reminded him that God has a long Arm--which was evidenced by the fact that Jamie, one of our members, happened to come across the article in this paper.
I'm praying that one of these days he will repent and return to every church, including ours, that he's been in and ask forgiveness. Until then, I hope other churches like the one there in Natchez will find out the truth about him before letting him speak.
Posted by firered (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW...
Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It sounds like this man has really conned people. I'm sure when he got to Natchez he sensed the fear & thought he had lucked up on a pot of gold.
This is another example of "Who can we trust."
Posted by JunkyardDawg (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So, did he speak at Highland Baptist church or not?
Posted by ijohnson (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing!!!!
Posted by HannahBelle322 (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No, James Bowman did not speak at Highland Baptist Church on Sunday night. He simply disappeared before his time to speak.
Posted by Incognito (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A background check should have been done prior to the release of this story. Since this has come to light, Natchez Democrat may need to retract this story and tell the truth about this individual or warn the public of him. It's obvious he can't be trusted
Maybe, in his mind, he feels as if he has done these things. Poor delusioned man. Christian folk, we need to make sure we watch and pray, in that we will not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and be able to identify what is and what isn't...
Posted by Incognito (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
“I leave the worry up to God,” he said.
God has all power and is all knowing, (the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof). God worrying? OK
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what a load of bull. why would these ppl be so quick to believe him?
Posted by vicksburg (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How much of the story is true and how much is fabricated?
Posted by lroberts1 (anonymous) on January 7, 2008 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a perfect example what's happening to our country! He's a darn fraud and should be locked up.
I stopped on the side of the road to help a family get back to New Mexico, Now I wonder if i was coned???? Who In the name of God can we ever trust again, Except God himself/ People we better wake up. It's later than we think. One day there will be a loud trumpet blow! What will you do???????
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on July 14, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When someone is really sent from God to deliver a message, and for the record, I do believe that can happen, if the person who encounters said person has the spirit of discernment and the Holy Ghost, God will alert this person to the individual's true intentions. Instead of going for stories hook, line and sinker, do like the poster mentioned above about the Pastor of the church in LA. Do some homework and find out IF this person is who they say they are. Sadly, NOTHING is sacred now, everything can and has been perverted. People will lie about anything now, just to get over and this does make it hard on legitimate followers of Christ, who do His work daily! True followers of Christ don't care for popularity or notoriety and some don't have wild, fantastic, outlandish stories to tell, they just want to spread the Gospel of Christ, his life, death, burial and resurrection, in the hopes of drawing followers to Him!
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