About Jim

Greetings in the name of Jesus!

Jeremiah 6:16-17 says, “Thus says the LORD:  ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.’  But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’  Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’  But they said, ‘We will not listen.'”

On July 22, 1972, I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Previous to being born-again, I had been reared in a loving home, but with a religious background that was devoid of the reality of the risen Christ.  From age fifteen to my conversion at age twenty-two, my goal and god was to become a famous folk rock singer.  In the Philadelphia area at the time, I had gained some notoriety and performed in places where Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Pete Seeger, and other notables had performed.

After several difficult years of searching for truth, I heard the Gospel for the first time.  God gave me understanding of justification by faith, and I cried out for mercy at the Cross and for the blood of Jesus to make me clean.  My life was transformed, and the Lord changed my heart’s desire in a profound and dramatic way.  Instead of striving for fame, I began to use music to lift up Christ, and had opportunities to perform with Lamb and Steve & Annie Chapman.

In 1978, during a season of struggling with a call from God for full time service, I presented myself as a living sacrifice in response to an appeal from a missionary to Trinidad.  The following week, the Lord led me to the Elohim Bible Institute in Castile, New York, which was suited for married couples to train together.  My girlfriend, Bev, and I visited the school, became engaged, and married six weeks later in time to begin classes together.  Upon graduating, my first place of service was with Genesee Valley Area Youth for Christ as the Club and Music Director.

Even as a young believer, I had been burdened with the backslidden state of the Church and the easy-believism in the modern gospel.  After three years as a youth missionary and exposure to various denominations and church situations, my wife and I sensed the Lord directing us to begin ‘Hand to the Plow Ministries’ as an outreach to the local churches in North America.  During this time, I searched out the message of the old time gospel preachers, and was able to communicate with Leonard Ravenhill, who discipled and enlightened me over a ten year period.  In recent years I have been privileged to fellowship with Dr. Wesley Duewel, the former president of Oriental Missionary Society, Int.’l and author of blessed books on prayer, revival, and the Christian life.  (See book page)

After eighteen years of itinerant preaching and five children later, there came a “down” time in the ministry.  In 1996, my health was sorely threatened, causing support to decrease.  Through months of illness, God provided the means of healing and guided me to a position at Kingdom Company where I spoke to thousands of people in ministry over an 8 1/2 year period.  Once again God burdened me to reach out to churches and call them to refocus their attention on “God’s program” and not their own.  By the Lord’s leading, I left Kingdom to pursue what God had laid on my heart — revival for the churches in America and abroad through the Spirit of God moving in, on, and through God’s people to touch a lost and dying world.  Since that time, I have preached in various churches and fellowships, ministered through concerts in churches and homes, conducted weekly Bible studies in my home and others’ and a teen/young adult Bible study since January 2006, and remain active in jail ministry in Elmira, NY.

My heart’s desire is to encourage, exhort, rebuke and admonish Christians around our country to live what the Lord has commanded us to live in our everyday lives.  While there are some pockets of believers truly seeking the Lord, by and large the Church has been lulled to sleep through humanism, pragmatism, materialism, and dead theology.  True theology will cause the heart to burn in living adoration to our God and His Christ.  The Laodicean church boasted, “I have need of nothing,” and the Church today in America cannot see that she is poor, blind, and naked.  This has been my message from Texas to New Hampshire, even as far as India.  The Lord’s love and mercy has touched many lives, and God is answering the prayers of the faithful!  I pray for open doors for the ministry of preaching and music with the message of repentance, self-sacrifice, and a focus on the Cross.  I will go wherever Christ leads and makes a way.

We are in a huge battle–these are the last days.  Human souls are being weighed in the balance.  The stakes are high.  In the Lord we have the victory!  Praise His name!  Join in prayer, fight the good fight of faith, and redeem the time.  God bless you!

Brother Jim