Sports Challenge believes in one-on-one mentorship, and Jim meets weekly with student-athletes so they know that whatever happens during the week in the classroom, on the field, in their living situation or in their relationships, Jim will be there.  Though small groups are important as a venue for sharing our lives, it is rare that a person feels comfortable enough to share the deepest secrets of his life when there are peers present.

Jim’s philosophy of ministry, which can best be described as Relational Ministry, has been derived from his exposure to Young Life, Athletes in Action, Campus Crusade for Christ, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Wes Neal’s Total Release Performance.  Jim believes that all real ministry flows from relationship, first with Jesus and then out of that to others.  In John 17:4-8, Jesus prays to the Father and says, "I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do...I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world…I have passed on to them the message you gave me."(NLT)  Although this is a seemingly impossible task to accomplish, it is Jim’s heart and focus.  He uses materials that center on the foundational principles of our faith, mixing in a strong flavoring of apologetics – knowing WHY we believe what we believe.  After much personal study he is convinced that the evidence for our faith is so strong that it takes more faith to not believe it than it takes to believe it!