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John James, a founding member and former lead singer of Newsboys, provided ChurchLeaders with an\u00a0exclusive interview<\/a>\u00a0to discuss a new personal\u00a0tell-all book<\/a>, new music, and his reaction to last year\u2019s Newsboys scandal<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n James carried lead vocal duties for Newsboys from the early 1980s to 1997, appearing on the albums \u201cRead All About It<\/a>,\u201d \u201cHell Is for Wimps<\/a>,\u201d \u201cBoys Will Be Boyz<\/a>,\u201d \u201cNot Ashamed,<\/a>\u201d \u201cGoing Public<\/a>,\u201d and \u201cTake Me to Your Leader<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n He left the band in 1997 after personal failures he described as sinful choices that led to the loss of his marriage, family, career, and ministry.<\/p>\n James said the culture of fame and success can intensify pressure on a person\u2019s character and relationships, emphasizing that redemption was not instant and that consequences remained even as he experienced forgiveness and healing.<\/p>\n During the interview, James credited the local church for helping him rebuild his life, calling it a \u201chospital\u201d for broken people and describing recovery as a day-by-day process marked by setbacks and perseverance.<\/p>\n The former Newsboys singer is now set to share his story through a forthcoming book, \u201cNewsboy: My Story of Hope and Second Chances<\/a>,\u201d and has returned to writing and recording music after three decades away.<\/p>\n