James W. Tharp was born October 16, 1929 and graduated from Gillette High School, Gillette, Arkansas in 1948. He married Maxine McClain in 1950, and graduated from Union Bible Institute, Westfield, Indiana in 1952. Tharp was ordained in the Church of the Nazarene in 1957.  He has pastored churches in Westfield, Indiana; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Rushville, Indiana; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pasadena, California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Seattle, Washington and Bozeman, Montana. He and Maxine have four children and eight grandchildren.

In 1979, he began working with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, assisting the evangelist in his telephone counseling ministry, and was the personal guest of Billy Graham for the 10 days of "Amsterdam '86".

For the years of 1979-1981, Tharp lectured on the Holy Spirit for California Graduate School of Theology in their doctorate program. He has studied at Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois and at Seattle Pacific University. His first book Revival Must Come! was published in 1991 and his second book The Spirit of Prayer will be published in 2000.

Tharp is the founder and president of CHRISTIAN RENEWAL MINISTRIES based in Bozeman, Montana (formerly based in Dothan, Alabama). Since 1994 he has been devoted to speaking in camp meetings, revivals, pastoral institutes, and conducting the School of Prayer, helping thousands to improve their prayer life.  Tharp is the editor of the Christian Renewal Journal published quarterly and has a daily radio broadcast A Word On Revival, that can be heard on this web site.  Tharp is dedicated to preparing the Church through prayer for another great spiritual awakening.