Rev. Jim Reese is Pastor Emeritus of Benton Street Baptist Church in Kitchener, Ontario where he served for 25 years as an Associate and Senior Pastor (1978-2003). Jim grew up in Williamston, Michigan where his father was a pastor of First Baptist Church for 57 years. He is a graduate of Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee and of Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary in Michigan. Following four years as pastor of Moline Baptist Church (1957-1961) in Michigan where he was ordained to the Gospel Ministry, he moved to Canada in 1961 to serve with Evangelist Ken Campbell as soloist and music director.

The Campbell-Reese Evangelistic Association conducted about 500 local church and area-wide evangelistic missions in 17 years (1961-1978) throughout North America and overseas.

As a gospel musician Jim has recorded numerous albums and has written over 100 gospel songs. Jim and his wife Adrienne (married 1957) have five children and fourteen grandchildren. Through the birth of a son with mental and physical challenges in 1963, Jim became the founder of Christian Horizons in 1965, which now operates over 240 programs across Ontario and Saskatchewan to provide residential care and developmental opportunities for about 2,000 persons with exceptional needs. Christian Horizons Global cares for many hundreds of persons with special challenges in Africa, Central America and Haiti. The Governor General’s Caring Canadian award was given to Jim and Adrienne in 2003 in recognition of their many years of voluntary service for founding and developing the ministries of Christian Horizons.

In May 2006, Jim was awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree by McMaster University. His address to the graduands of McMaster Divinity College, "Bringing Displaced Persons Home," may be viewed here, and his convocation address, here.

Jim continues to serve the church at large internationally in preaching, teaching and music ministries. He may be contacted through this website.

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