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James Cheatham served as Delta Streets Academy Principal from the fall of 2018 until the spring of 2020. He made the transition from Principal to that of Campus Pastor because he wanted to build strong relationships with the students, pray for them, and be a person in whom they could trust and confide. The move also allowed James a little more time to focus on Grace Point Church. James serves as a pastor of Grace Point Church, which meets at Delta Streets on Sunday evenings at 5:00pm.
After serving for two years as Campus Pastor, James is moving back into the role of Principal. Here are some of his thoughts from our interview.
Describe your new position at DSA and why you decided to accept this new role. First, I want to say what a joy it has been to be the Campus Pastor for the past two years. There have been times of sadness, but there have also been many causes for celebration. I am thankful to Delta Streets Academy for giving me the opportunity to serve and help develop that new position. I am thankful to the many students who have trusted me and allowed me to pray with them in the good times and in the challenging times. Principal at DSA - I’ve been there and done that. And I’m signing up to do it again. I want to be involved with DSA. My family enjoys being a part of Delta Streets. I believe in our mission and I enjoy the opportunity we have to impact the young men in our community in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe God has given me some abilities to be effective as the principal at DSA. The need was there and the board agreed that it was good, so I am thankful to step into that role once again.
What are some of your goals as the new Principal? I am thankful to be a part of building and growing what started way back in 2012 when the school first opened. What an amazing ministry to be a part of! I hope that we, as a staff, will stay true to our mission and effectively display to our students and their families that we are committed to the absolute best for these young men. Personally, I hope that God will help me to be a source of consistency for our students, families, and staff. I hope, even though I am no longer Campus Pastor and I will now be more involved with discipline again, that the students will know that I love them and that I am committed to them. The Principal role can be really hard. It can be exhausting when people treat you as the bad guy or attack you, but it is needed. Please pray for our entire staff as we strive to provide a disciplined educational environment. Please pray for the students as they are key to their own success.
How do you plan to encourage and challenge students while supporting DSA’s mission in this role? Our mission is to provide a Christ-centered disciplined education. We as a staff can’t really do that effectively unless we are doing what Jesus wants us to be doing anyway and that is to remain in Him. If we are not daily rooted in Christ, we will contribute in a negative way when the train comes off the tracks. But if we are seeking Him and His Kingdom first, we will be able to teach, discipline, encourage, and correct in a healthy way with truth and love at all times. I need God’s grace and mercy everyday as a Christ follower, husband, father, pastor, and now add in Principal. Christ in me is where the encouragement and challenge needs to come from. I would expect to still share the gospel of Jesus Christ whenever the opportunity arises. I intend to hold students accountable to the standards set for by Delta Streets Academy. Continuing to encourage them along the way in good times and in difficult times.
What is your hope for the future of DSA students? First and foremost we hope that every student will hear the good news message. That we are all sinners and enemies of the One True God. But that Jesus Christ, God Himself, became man and lived a perfect life, died on the cross and rose again so that we might be saved. We hope that every student will graduate or finish their time at Delta Streets Academy with as many opportunities available to them as possible. I hope that one day we will see students become servant leaders while they are still attending DSA. That young men will have an understanding of and a desire to pursue the mission of Delta Streets. And not just for themselves, but that they would lead others to do the same. That our young men would embrace what is best for them and for their fellow students. When by God’s grace we see that day, we will celebrate like it's 1999!
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