Pastor Tim had the wonderful blessing of being raised in a God-honoring Christian home by parents that truly loved the Lord. He is married to Patricia Fran Powers of Macon, Georgia and  they have been blessed with four great children - Kristin, Elicia, Josiah, and Nathan. His secular training is in Electrical Engineering with 12 years of diverse experience from the electro-mechanical design of medium voltage switchgear to the design of turn key rapid transit systems and massive mining projects to the facility design for the new Lockheed F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter Composite Manufacturing Center.
 

In 1986 God began moving in Tim's heart to follow Him instead of his own dreams, so he began searching for a mission agency that would help in sending him and his family to the mission field. Due to the lack of theological training, they found themselves living in a cabin without electricity in the remote parts of the North Carolina mountains. Here they labored a year through intensive specialized mission training to prepare them for full time service as missionaries.

In 1992 Tim and his family moved to Michigan to assist in planting a new church with the hopes of this new church sending them to the remote parts of Kenya. As the Lord would have it, His plans sent Tim back to school at the age of 38 with a wife and four children, to begin work on a degree in Theology. Near the end of graduation Tim was called to his first pastorate where he strived to make an impact for Holy living rather than a compromising church life that conforms to a lost world around it.

After much prayer and in obedience to the Lord's leading, Tim and a few other families stepped out in faith and began Grace Community Church in February of 2002. Tim feels extremely blessed to pastor a dynamic and growing new church which recently purchased 10 acres in Walton County near the Okaloosa County line. With new buildings on the drawing board and a vision for reaching a lost and hopeless world with the hope of Jesus Christ, Grace Community Church continues to focus on "Learning God's will one verse at a time."

Jim graduated from Greenville High School, Greenville AL and completed several electronic schools during four years of enlistment in the Navy as an Electronics Tech where he served on the first nuclear powered missile sub.
During later studies at Okaloosa-Walton Community College, he took courses in architectural drafting and design. These early years helped lay the foundation and build the character of a man whom God would use for many years.

Jim spent several years in commercial construction before starting his own building  contracting business in the Okaloosa County area. He was a member of the Home Builder's Association and served on the Board of Directors for the Home Owners Warranty Corp. Jim received first place awards for homes built in annual home shows for years 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1983.  One home Jim built was featured in the "Professional Builder," a national publication. 

Later Jim served as Executive Director of the Ft Walton Beach Housing Authority where he oversaw the operation of public housing and its modernization projects. Later Jim was employed by several architectural and construction firms like St. Joe Hospitality who develops and builds hotels and restaurants within the communities being developed by St. Joe/Arvida. Jim had the responsibility of being the Construction Manager for a five star hotel in one of those projects.  

Jim became a Christian in September of 1968 and has been involved in church ministry since. He has served as Deacon in three different churches and believes God has gifted him to teach.  He is active in outreach ministries and it has long been his heart's desire to be involved in establishing a new church work. He believes it is these new churches that seem to be most effective in reaching people for Christ and less hindered by the traditions of man. Jim and his wife Malinda have been instrumental in the hard work of birthing a new church - Grace Community Church - where he serves as an Elder.