Dr. James E. Delaney is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, although he has resided in Memphis since 1979. He is a graduate of Union High School in Shreveport and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1972 from Grambling University.

He received his Certificate of License in January 1974, his Certificate of Ordination in December 1975 and has done evangelism work in several states. His religious education consists of courses taken at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary and Mid-South Bible College. In June 1976, he received a diploma from Brewster Theological Seminary. In March 2002, he received a Masters of Religious Arts in Christian Education; in December 2002, he received a Doctor of Theology; in May 2003, he received a Doctor of Religious Philosophy in Christian Counseling and a Doctor of Divinity; and in December 2003, he received a Doctor of Religious Philosophy in Christian Education – all from Jacksonville Theological Seminary. In 2019, Pastor Delaney completed Methodist Healthcare Memphis Hospital’s program in Clinical Pastoral Education.

Pastor Delaney has served as Pastor of Blue Cane M. B. Church in Charleston, Mississippi, Old Antioch Baptist Church in Sumner, Mississippi, and Hammond Hill Baptist Church in Senatobia, Mississippi. In addition, he served as Assistant Pastor of St. John from February 1979 to March 1989 and has served as Pastor since September 1989.

He has served as National President of MTDP Foundation and received the Silas Delaney Award of Merit in Theology in 1978 and 1979. He has taught classes on local, regional and national levels and has served as Moderator of the Union Progressive Association. He is currently a member of the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association. In 2018, Pastor Delaney was elected President of the Tennessee Progressive Baptist Council.

Pastor Delaney is retired from United Parcel Service and has one son, Dexter Delaney, a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.