After graduating from seminary, Jim served for seven years at a small church in his home state of West Virginia. The next twenty-one years were spent teaching at Western Bible College (Denver) and Western Seminary (Portland) where he headed the divisions of ministerial studies at both schools. Jim received his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at West Virginia Tech, a Masters of Theology in New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and an Masters of Arts in Classics at the University of Colorado.
Jim accepted the responsibilities of Senior Pastor at Lake in 1990 when the church was then meeting in Wilsonville. In September of 2024, Jim stepped down as Senior Pastor after thirty-four years of dedicated service to the church. He was given the honorary position of Pastor Emeritus by the Lake’s elders and continues his writing and radio ministry.
He and his wife, Olsie, have two daughters, Kristi and Juli, both married.