Pastor Jim Graves and his wife Bette Jean came to the Shelby SDA Church in January 2003.  He began his ministry in Wilson, NC in 1974 after completing his ministerial training at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, TN.  After pastoring for five years in North Carolina, Pastor Graves was called to Texas where he pastored for 23 years before returning to North Carolina and accepting the position in Shelby.  Pastor Graves has developed a special ministry of prayer, counseling, and Bible study, in addition to preaching and visitation.

 

Before entering the pastorate, Pastor Graves was a nuclear submarine veteran where he achieved the rating of Chief Machinist Mate.  He holds degrees in mathematics and physics, as well as his theology degree.  He received his call to ministry while working as an assistant scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, a division of the University of Chicago and home of the Manhattan project during World War II.  His attention was drawn away from experiments in particle physics to follow a new career of ministry to people.  At that time, he began a life-long journey into biblical, theological and archeological studies of the Bible.

 

Pastor and Mrs. Graves have been married for 45 years and have two children and three grandchildren.