Jim was born in Charleston, West Virginia and is married to Neva Jo Thorn. They have four children and twelve grandchildren.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Religion from Morris Harvey College in Charleston, West Virginia in 1973. In 1977 he received a Master of Divinity degree magna cum laude from Drew Theological School in Madison, New Jersey.

Jim is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, currently a member of the Iowa Conference. In 1994 he was consecrated as a missionary by the General Board of Global Ministries, and in 2001 he was consecrated as a missionary by the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry. He served as a missionary in Argentina from 1994 through 1999 and has served as a National Plan missionary since 2001. He is currently assigned to a partnership between the National Plan and the Desert Southwest Conference as Missionary for Immigration and Border Issues, where he works as Missionary for Immigration and Border Concerns.

Jim lives currently in Phoenix, Arizona. His interests include writing, cooking, listening to Latino jazz and tango, watching comedy and romance movies, and painting.