Jim began serving at Living Word in 1991, joining the staff in full-time maintenance at Maranatha Christian Academy. Over the next 29 years, he coached boys’ and girls’ basketball for 27 seasons, investing in the lives of hundreds of student-athletes.

Living Word transitioned Jim into the accounting department in 1993 to develop a comprehensive understanding of ministry finances and church operations. From 1994 to 2001, he served as Athletic Director for Maranatha Christian Academy while also serving as Head Coach of the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team (1994–1996) and later the Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team (1996–2003).

In 2002, Jim became Executive Assistant to Pastor Mac Hammond, where he gained firsthand experience in executive leadership by participating in weekly departmental leadership meetings and learning every facet of church administration and ministry operations.

From 2003 to 2005, Jim and his family relocated to Singapore, where he attended and graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center, completing advanced pastoral and hermeneutics training that further prepared him for pastoral leadership.

Upon returning to Minnesota in 2005, Jim was ordained as an Associate Pastor at Living Word Christian Center. In this executive leadership role, he was entrusted with oversight of numerous ministries and operational departments, including Nursery, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Young Adults, the Young Adult Internship, Missions, the Spanish Church, and Facility Maintenance. He also became Pastor Mac Hammond’s primary substitute for weekend services, a responsibility that has continued for nearly two decades.

Jim has also demonstrated a deep commitment to global ministry. Since 2005, he has led more than 25 mission trips to Indonesia and helped plant five churches on the island of Batam, investing in long-term leadership development and church expansion.

Alongside his pastoral responsibilities, Jim resumed coaching the Maranatha Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team. In 2009, he was voted the Minnesota Girls’ Varsity Coach of the Year. He then led the program to back-to-back Minnesota State High School League Championships in 2010 and 2011. During his varsity coaching career, Jim compiled an outstanding record of 344 wins and 165 losses, establishing one of the premier girls’ basketball programs in the state.

Jim has delivered more than 850 sermons since 2005, becoming one of the church’s primary teaching voices. Jim was promoted to Executive teaching pastor at Living Word until 2020.

On January 10, 2026, Jim was appointed Senior Pastor of Living Word Christian Center, culminating decades of faithful service, leadership development, and ministry experience.

In addition to his pastoral ministry, Jim hosts The Final Hour Podcast, producing weekly biblical teaching and cultural commentary. Having recorded more than 226 episodes, the podcast reaches approximately 30,000 monthly views and listens across podcast and social media platforms. The ministry has expanded beyond digital content, leading to hosted tours of Israel attended by listeners from across the United States, with plans to continue offering annual trips.

Pastor Jim’s leadership is characterized by a passion for biblical teaching, organizational excellence, leadership development, and raising the next generation of believers. His diverse background in executive leadership, pastoral ministry, education, athletics, and international missions uniquely equips him to lead Living Word Christian Center into its next season of ministry.