Jim grew up in Winter Garden, Florida, where he attended Calvary Christian School and spent his free time water-skiing and playing baseball and football. After high school, he attended Bob Jones University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Music in 1991.
     Jim met his wife, Cheryl, in their first class their freshman year at BJU, but they did not begin dating until three years later. Cheryl graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Music Education, and she and Jim were married on January 3, 1992.
     After graduation, Jim began his full-time ministry by serving on the music and program staff of The WILDS Christian Camp and Conference Center (both in Colorado and North Carolina) for the next year and a half. He and his wife then moved to Sellersville, PA where he served for ten years as the Music Pastor and Fine Arts Department Head of Bethel Baptist Church and Upper Bucks Christian School. He joined the staff at Tri-City Ministries in June 2002.
     In 2005 Jim completed his Master of Ministry degree in Bible from Northland Baptist Bible College in Dunbar, WI. He also had the privilege of studying choral conducting at Westminster Choir College (summer 2006) while under the instruction of Charles Bruffy, Richard Chamberlain, and James Jordan.
     Jim and Cheryl are the parents of four children: Bryce (age 12), Brock (age 10), Blake (age 9), and Jenna (age 7). The many school and church music programs that Jim oversees and the flute and voice lessons taught by his wife fill up their calendar around the year. In addition, their family enjoys boating and attending the kid’s athletic events.
     Jim has an active passion to see Christ exalted and the people of God encouraged through the avenue of excellent, Christ-honoring music.