Jim was a PK who's father pastored Bethel Assembly in Lynnwood for many years. During high school, Jim began singing bass with The Crossroads Quartet. In the fall of 1966 Jim enrolled as a freshmen at Northwest College. That first year Jim lived on campus and roomed with Gary Liden. Dave Harrison was instrumental in getting Jim on as yard foreman at Northrup Concrete Products where he continued to work for 4 or 5 years. During the first quarter of the 1967-68 school year Jim transfered to Seattle Bible College at Philadelphia Church.