Jim was born in Borger, Texas the son of a United Methodist preacher. He attended West Texas State University and Perkins School of Theology at SMU. His early passion was music and he studied to be a Band Director. When he felt God’s call to ministry he followed in his father’s footsteps and attended seminary at SMU. He met his wife Pam in his first church in New Orleans and they married in 1977. He transferred to Pam’s home state of Florida and Jim has been a pastor here ever since. Jim and Pam have two grown children, Ryan and Sarah. Ryan and his wife Angela and their daughter Caitlyn live in Lakeland and Sarah is attending UCF to get her Masters Degree in Social Work.

Jim has carried his passion for music into his ministry and has played the guitar in Praise Bands for the past 12 years.  He also loves to play golf and tennis, as well as Wii Bowling with Pam.  Jim also loves to read spy novels, classic stories like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and to play board games with friends.

Jim's passion for ministry started out as Christian Education and Bible study.  He loves to use his experience in traveling to the Holy Land as a tool to bring the Bible alive to new disciples of Christ.  In the past few years, his passion has been to develop a deeper spiritual life in the church.  He has been chosen to lead many Emmaus walks as head Spiritual Director.  His own personal mission is to grow in mission outreach and to touch the lives of others in need with the message of God's love.

Jim's 34 years of ministry have taught him to see each day as a new and fresh opportunity to shower the grace of God upon the hurting and troubled world.  Also he wants each Christian to reach their potential of living a joyful, rejoicing example of God's love - a life that speaks to others of Jesus Christ.