​​​
Our Story
​
After experiencing the loss of both our spouses (James' wife Rachel in 2023 & Jenny's husband Robb in 2020), God stepped in and surprised us both! We believed that one day God would bring a partner into our lives again, for both of us to walk hand-in-hand with, and to extend further the ministry that still resounded within our hearts. The one that we both dreamed about before with Rachel and Robb and the one that seemed to have gone into the grave with them at moments. BUT GOD!
We had no idea the incredible match that God was preparing! As we began to talk, we discovered that we not only shared the same passion and desire to know Jesus and make Him known, through a John 15 Lifestyle of abiding in Him, but God saw past our expectations for remarriage, and went way beyond the hidden desires of our hearts! Having had deep and healthy previous marriages, we honor Rachel and Robb and the foundations that have been laid in partnership with them in both life and ministry and look ahead with incredible expectation that for "such a time as this," God has brought us together.
Our views of ministry and vision for the future dovetail in beautiful ways that we are just discovering, and we look forward to investing in discipleship, leadership development, teaching, church planting, and sharing the incredible story God has entrusted to us of redemption! God took our ashes and has given us beauty, and for that we are thankful! We celebrate Him and want to see Him glorified through our lives and story!
​
​
Story of Grassroots Beginnings
​
After serving traditional and nontraditional churches for four years in the city of Kilkenny, Ireland, in the areas of worship, pastoral ministry, and children/youth outreach, James and Rachel felt led in 2004, with a small group of people, to plant a church in the rural town of Portlaoise. With a population of nearly 20,000, the town had few evangelical churches, and no real Irish or International Spirit-filled church.
​
In 2009, on the tails of an intense building project for Life Church Portlaoise, James and Rachel, tired but with a sense of completion began to wonder what God had for them next. The church in Portlaoise had established foundations with solid leadership, and by moving into its own building, the icing seemed to be on the cake for these pioneers. For over a year they wrestled with God as to whether they should hand over the church and move on to other fields or continue as senior leaders. In the quiet stillness of God's presence, over and over, they could not escape the fact that their work in Ireland and Europe remained incomplete.
​
Laying down their ideas of how their dreams should be fulfilled, they pursued their relationship with God with fresh determination, longing to minister from a place of "rest" as opposed to "striving."
​
In 2011, they took what felt like a giant step of faith. They resigned from the missions organization that had sent them out (no negative reasons or tensions were in connection to this transition) and started Grassroots Church Planting Ministries, with the vision to support, impart, and multiply new church plants, primarily in unreached and difficult places.
​
During this season, James and Rachel, along with their three children, started to make trips to minister regularly in both Poland and Norway. This was the beginning of a more international flavor to their ministry, which eventually led to traveling to other nations in Europe for prayer and relationship building, as well as the ministry that was taking place as they spent more time in the United States.
​
In September 2012, they launched a second church plant in the town of Carlow, Ireland, and oversaw it as a campus of Life Church Portlaoise. After several years of challenges developing a strong leadership base for the church, it eventually relaunched as a successful house church.
​
In 2016, after much deliberation and prayer, James and Rachel felt it was time to hand over both Portlaoise and Carlow churches to local leadership, in the pursuit of something new. They continued in relationship with the churches, understanding that they needed to transition into developing further the ministry of Grassroots.
​
From 2016-2023, James was involved in a variety type of ministries within the city of Kilkenny, helping to develop a youth outreach & community center, as well as serving on staff for several years at a local church helping to develop a structure for future growth. James was also involved in personal life coaching with several individuals.
​
On October 28, 2023, after years of battle, Rachel passed away. A few months later the family relocated to Colorado, one reason being for the children to fulfill the desire of Rachel that they all attend Charis Bible College. Up-to-date, James had been working to develop the ministry remotely, and now with Jenny, the wheels are turning at a more accelerated race as they are seeking to establish the next steps of Grassroots, putting an updated face on the ministry, and taking steps towards fulfilling the mandate to help people know Jesus more intimately and make Him known throughout the nations!
​
Grassroots International Ministries is a registered non-profit organization within the United States and is made up of a Board with experience in Pastoral Ministry, Administration, and Foreign Missions.