James Apollos Pratt was born and raised in Fredericksburg, VA to his parents the late Elder James W. Pratt and Mother Beatrice  Pendleton Pratt. He was third of eleven children, his parents first born son, fondly referred to as "Brother."

Apostle Pratt graduated from Spotsylvania County High School and was saved and filled with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost at the age of eighteen.

Apostle married his beautiful wife, First Lady Hannah Brown Pratt on January 20, 1962. This union was blessed with four children, two sons and two daughters. Many others were adopted into the family and call them mom and dad. Their home was always a safe place with an open door and was always filled with love.

Apostle Pratt graduated from the Virginia Bible Institute in Richmond, VA and received credits from Logo's Bible Institute in Jacksonville, FL.

Apostle James A. Pratt came up through the ranks from Brother, Deacon, Minister, Elder, Pastor (January 1978), Bishop, Apostle and in April 2014, Overseer of the North and South Carolina diocese. Before retiring from his job of twenty-eight years at Giant Foods, Inc. in February 1995, Apostle pastored two churches. One in Fredericksburg, VA and one in Kingstree, SC. He split his time between the two    churches spending two Sundays per month at each location. Apostle eventually relinquished his duties in Fredericksburg, VA and moved to Florence, SC where he was full time pastor in Kingstree, SC. In January 2009, Apostle Pratt branched out and started a church in Florence, SC and once again began pastoring two churches.

Apostle Pratt loved the Lord with all his mind, body and soul. He had a big heart, and he loved the people of God. He was truly a shepherd with a vision. He believed that through faith, prayer, fasting, reading, and studying God's word, all things are possible.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-three years Lady Hannah B. Pratt; five children James (Terri) Pratt Jr., Vickie (Sandy) Scott, LaSonja (Raymond) Jackson, Jason Pratt and Renee Willis; twelve grandchildren Brian Canady, Chaquana (Courtney) Brown, MarQuese (Jacqueline) Scott, Ramonte' (Brittney) Jackson, Tianna (Jeremy) Ward, Jennifer Pratt,  Ayana Jackson, Cassandra (Tydes) Washington, Breanna (Will)  Trippany, Jaden Pratt, Jocelyn Pratt, Janiyah Pratt, and Jason Pratt Jr.; thirteen great grands; one brother; three sisters; a host of nieces, nephews, other family members, church members and friends.