James Pickett Wesberry received the A. B. (1929) and A. M. (1930) degrees from Mercer University and the B. D. degree from Andover-Newton Theological Seminary. Wesberry served as a pastor in both South Carolina, his home state, and Georgia, but rose to prominence during his 31-year pastorate at Morningside Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Wesberry also served as president of the Georgia Baptist Convention (1956-1958) and the Southern Baptist Pastor’s Conference (1956), and he also served 17 years on the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, one of the longest tenures. In later years, he would serve as recording secretary of the Georgia Baptist Convention (1971-1991) and as director of the Lord’s Day Alliance. Wesberry held several notable public positions, as well. For twenty-one years, he served as chairman of the Georgia Literature Committee, a group created to fight pornography. He served on the Atlanta area draft board during the Vietnam War. Wesberry also briefly served as acting U. S. House Chaplain. He died at age 86 in 1992.