James R. Wicker
CONTACT
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1985
Dissertation: “An Analysis of the Use of Noncanonical Literature in Jude and 2 Peter”
Master of Divinity, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1980
Bachelor of Arts in Oral Communication, Baylor University, 1977
RESEARCH INTEREST
Dr. Wicker is interested in research projects in the following areas: Gospels, biblical hermeneutics, and apologetics.
Dr. Wicker serves as professor of New Testament in the School of Theology. He is chair of the Department of Biblical Studies. He brings to his classes a passion for proper biblical interpretation, creative communication, and practical application. Dr. Wicker likes to use his various hobbies of travel, photography, artifacts, comedy skits, and Gospel illusions as teaching illustrations in the classroom.
Dr. Wicker has contributed journal articles to the Southwestern Journal of Theology and Didaktikos and numerous book reviews for the Southwestern Journal of Theology. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, Institute of Biblical Research, and Society of Biblical Literature. He regularly presents at academic conferences.
Since 1990, Dr. Wicker has led annual or bi-annual trips to the Holy Land and Europe, and he has published eighty-seven newspaper articles related to these trips. He is currently writing a book on humor and the Gospels, a book on humor and the epistles, a book on biblical hermeneutics, and a book on travel to Israel.
Dr. Wicker and his wife are active members of the First Baptist Church of Dallas. They have three grown children: Jessica, Matt, and Stephen.
Dr. Wicker annually leads trips to Israel. He leads bi-annual trips to Greece and Turkey.
2014–present: Deacon, FBC Dallas, TX (Deacon Officer 2019–24)
2013–present: Discipleship University Teacher, FBC Dallas, TX
2012–present: Sunday School Teacher, FBC Dallas, TX
2013–22: Wednesday Night Bible Teacher, FBC Dallas, TX
Mar. 2006–Sept. 2010: Interim Pastor, Retta Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, TX
Jan.–July 2003: Interim Pastor, Ridglea Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, TX
1991–99: Pastor, FBC Frisco, TX
1984–91: Pastor, FBC Farmersville, TX
1981–84: Pastor, FBC Lavon, TX
1977: Summer Missionary, FBC North Plano (now Hunter's Glen Baptist Church)
1976 & 1975: Summer Youth Director, Prairie Creek Baptist Church, Plano, TX
Wicker, Jim R. There are Three Heavens: What the Bible Says. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2020.
Priest, Kenneth W., Matthew McKellar, David Brooks, and Jim Wicker. Preaching for Church Revitalization. Vol. 1 of Preaching Points Commentary Series, Southern Baptists of Texas, 2020.
https://training.sbtexas.com/onlinetraining/preaching-points-series/
“Hell as Eternal Torment/Conscious Punishment: An Exegetical Analysis.” What is Hell? A Multi-Disciplinary Dialogue. Edited by Paul Copan and Chris Date, IVP Academic, forthcoming.
“God the Son in Prayer.” In Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry. Edited by Dan Crawford. Terre Haute, Indiana: Prayer Shop, 2008.
“Dual Citizens of Concentric Kingdoms: Christian Citizenship According to the New Testament.” Southwestern Journal of Theology, Spring 2022, pp. 99–114.
“Show Me the Funny: Using Humorous Pictures in Preaching and Teaching.” Part 2. Didaktikos, April 2020, pp. 32–34.
“Show Me the Funny: Using Humorous Pictures in Preaching and Teaching.” Part 1. Didaktikos, Feb. 2020, pp. 27–29.
“An Assarion for Your Thoughts: The Challenges of Translating NT Numismatic Terms.” Southwestern Journal of Theology, Fall 2019 (released Feb. 2020), pp. 77–95.
“Pre-Constantinian Nomina Sacra in a Mosaic and Church Graffiti.” Southwestern Journal of Theology, vol. 52, Fall 2009, pp. 52–73.
https://equipthecalled.com/pre-constantinian-nomina-sacra-in-a-mosaic-and-church-graffiti
“Preaching Through the Sermon on the Mount.” Southwestern Journal of Theology, vol. 46, Summer 2004, pp. 73–89.
Meet Jim Wicker
Whether he is dressed as a Roman soldier or a Jewish shepherd explaining the background of a New Testament text or supplying his class with 3D glasses to be at the empty tomb in a video he created, Jim Wicker, professor of New Testament at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, seeks to teach his students not only how to accurately teach the Scriptures, but “model how to creatively teach it.”