In one of her songs, Wendy James exhorts people to ‘‘jump into a leap of faith" and entrust their lives to God.

Her family is a living example of that.

The Jameses — Wendy, husband Dave and sons Zac and Ben — have chucked the typical life of hearth and home and committed to a vaudeville-like existence to spread God’s word as Wendy and the James Gang.

‘‘We poured our whole lives into this thing because we believe in it," Mrs. James said.

The newest CD from the James Gang — Kids II: Song of the King — was recently released, coinciding with the debut of the family’s new stage show of the same title. It is their fourth CD.

For the past three years, the Jameses, of Granville, have been traveling in their motor home to entertain families in central Ohio and elsewhere with their first stage show, God Loves You. In 2002, they did 41 shows for about 20,000 children in South Africa.

While on tour, the Jameses experience an ‘‘instant bond" with families who share their Christian faith, Mrs. James said.

Their commitment to full-time ministry is the result of a change in perspective.

‘‘I’ve come to realize that there are more important things in life than money and stuff," Mr. James said. ‘‘It’s just not where we are anymore."

Family takes new path

Life is much different for the Jameses than it was just a few years ago.

The parents, both 40, had met in college, married and had children. He worked for a series of companies as a chief financial officer, the work that brought them to central Ohio from Indiana in 1995; Mrs. James taught music in public schools before giving that up to stay home with their sons.

Mrs. James’ first songs resulted in what she calls ‘‘the budget" CD in 1989. Made for about $2,000, ‘‘that’s the one we don’t talk about," Mr. James said, laughing.

While at home, she continued writing songs, and in 1995, she recorded Wendy James. Two of the songs, Jonah and For God So Loved the World, received some play time on Christian radio stations.

It was the success of Jonah that led them to focus on reaching out to children and families, Mrs. James said.

But while things were looking up musically, Mr. James was restless, making good money in the business world but nagged by a feeling that his life needed new direction.

‘‘We were thinking, boy it would be great to be in full-time ministry because that’s really where our heart was," he said. ‘‘I didn’t really care that much for the corporate lifestyle, but we were really used to the nice paychecks."

The family got a ‘‘boot," as Mrs. James called it, in late 1997, when Mr. James lost his job in a company shakeup, the second time it had happened since moving to central Ohio. It was enough to convince them that God was leading them to a life of full-time ministry.

During the next few years, while developing the God Loves You CD and show, Mr. and Mrs. James also formed Living Rock Family Outreach. Funded with donations and sales of Wendy and the James Gang material, Living Rock connects Christian artists with church groups who need their help.

Today, performing has the Jameses on the road frequently, making at least two major trips yearly to different areas of the country. In late July, they will head out on a three-month tour, taking them through the upper Midwest and along the West Coast.

For Zac and Ben, the hectic life has meant leaving Granville public schools to be home-schooled.

‘‘It was harder than it looks," Zac said of home schooling. ‘‘You work just as much or more than you would in public school. But one of the advantages is that it has total flexibility, which is what we needed."

Ben said it was difficult for him to leave public school because he knew he wouldn’t see his friends every day. He still gets together with some of them on weekends and stays in touch by cellphone.

Both love performing, and their mom’s music is a hit because they say it has a rock ’n’ roll feel.

They said through performing, they have witnessed thousands of kids accepting Jesus into their lives.

‘‘It’s been definitely worth it," Ben said.

Audiences take part

The Rev. Jeff Pound, senior pastor of Spring Hills Baptist Church in Granville where the Jameses attend, said the family reflects the performance.

‘‘Their program is so personal and real because that’s really who they are," he said.

The shows seem to be as much fun for the audience as they are for the performers.

Elaine Long, a Granville resident and Spring Hills member, said Mrs. James’ music ‘‘appeals to all ages. I like to listen to the shows and sing along with it as much as the kids do."

Two of Long’s children, Sara, 11, and Gregor, 7, appeared recently as villagers in the debut performance of Song of the King. Long said it is unusual to find music and theater ‘‘combined in a way that glorifies God."

‘‘It’s encouraging music," Long said. ‘‘You cannot listen to this music and not feel uplifted and ready to go."

Sara likes the upbeat tunes.

‘‘It’s kind of jazzed up compared to some other Christian music I’ve heard," she said.

‘‘The fun is obviously contagious," Debbie Lynd of Johnstown said after watching children in the audience jumping, dancing and singing. She came with her 8-year-old daughter, Angie.

Mrs. James said the family sees the difference they can make for children through performing.

‘‘You know they’re really making changes in their hearts. And they’re really honestly evaluating where they are, and they want to know God, they want to know Christ," she said.

The Jameses hope to continue building their ministry, and they would like to have 1,000 artists working with Living Rock someday.

Mr. and Mrs. James know that someday Zac and Ben might go in new directions as their interests change.

For now, though, their motor home keeps rolling, and they will stay on the path laid for them, Mrs. James said.

‘‘We’re trying to be open to where the Lord leads," she said. ‘‘If he takes us off the road for some reason, that’s OK."

dmahoney@dispatch.com