“…away from the body…at home with the Lord.” 2 Cor. 5:8
Just recently my good friend, James “Jim” Lee Zes (1952-2026) lost his life to cancer. Jim and I both served churches in the greater St. Louis area: Jim as the elder of Reformation Christian Assembly, and me as the pastor of Covenant Family Church. Our two families grew close over twelve years of side-by-side service, plus Jim and I were united in our common appreciation of the family-integrated church movement. Jim wasn’t a noted conference speaker; he never authored any books (although he did publish some); nor did he seek public recognition. Instead, he was a loving husband and father, a faithful shepherd to his local flock, and a very successful business man. Jim Zes invested in people; he believed in them. He urged each one he met to come to faith in Jesus Christ, and as a Christian “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10). He lifted people up, rather than tearing people down. In my opinion, that is a noble character quality–and Jim certainly had it.
In particular, Jim encouraged people to live as “free men”–free from excessive debt, free from living beyond their means, and free from enslavement to the enticements of this world. Jim was a wealthy man, but you wouldn’t know it because he lived a very simple and frugal lifestyle. He drove a white single-cab pickup truck. He typically dressed in blue jeans, a polo shirt, and a baseball cap. When it came to his work, he wouldn’t ask any one of his workers to do what he himself would not do. He led by example. And, people loved him for it! Jim was also a dedicated shepherd to his church. He served the people “as unto the Lord,” and stood with them during times of sickness and suffering. He preached the Word of God weekly and prayed for them on a regular basis. In particular, he sought to disciple young men to lead their families, to be students of the Word of God, and to be wise stewards of the resources that God had entrusted them with. He will be greatly missed! But that is not the end of the story. He may be “away from the body,” but he is now “at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). And that is a promise worth remembering and cherishing!
— Dr. Marcus J. Serven