John, Lamar, Charles, Jimmie

Evangelist Jimmie Clark is a former football star, Vietnam War Air Force Veteran, and since 1978 a seasoned itinerant Baptist Evangelist impacting the lives of both saint and sinner through old fashioned, Spirit-led, revival meeting campaigns.

With global influence of over 1.6 million miles traveled delivering over 11,600 sermons to date, "Brother Jimmie", and wife Karla, experience a thriving and fruitful ministry today. Relatable to parents, grandparents, and youth, Brother Jimmie is a favorite preacher among churches, youth rallies, mission conferences, banquets, and civic organizations.

Born 3rd out of four brothers in 1947 to Hugh and Christine Clark, Jimmie's "barefoot childhood" was of humble yet happy beginnings in Pendleton, SC. The Clark family moved to Lexington, NC, in 1958, so his dad could find work in a textile mill. At age 10, Jimmie was advised by a church usher three Sundays in a row to sit in the balcony at the local First Baptist Church. Being treated as an unwanted social class, Jimmie decided to never return to church again, a promise he kept for 12 years until age 22. As he grew older, Jimmie became a notably fearless football star, following in his brothers footsteps.

My Values

Jimmie Clark, Mel Walter Jr, 2007

His senior year at Lexington Senior High School, Jimmie started the first 5 games of the football season missing the remaining 5 games due to a bout of appendicitis. However, in just 5 games, he amassed 1,500 total yards rushing, made all-Conference, all-State, was invited to play in the 1964 NC-SC Shrine Bowl Game, also accepting a full scholarship to play football at Lenoir-Rhyne University - - all at tender ages 16-17.

As the Vietnam War beleaguered the country midway through his college career, Jimmie joined the U.S. Air Force to serve as an E3 flight line crew chief in the Philippines preparing F4 Phantom fighter jets for combat. While stationed in Michigan for training, Jimmie fell for his wife of 50 years, Karla. They married August 1967. Prior to his service in the Philippines, Karla became pregnant with twin sons, Todd and Troy. Jimmie did not see the twins, until he arrived home when they were 16 months of age.

Settling in Goldsboro, NC, after completing military service, Jimmie became a Kraft Foods Company "Salesman of the Year." Still, he felt there was something missing deep in his life and soul. Being continuously invited an visited by church members on several Thursdays nights Jimmie soon attended Calvary Baptist Church with his family in tow, where, for the first time, he saw people who were real, and who genuinely cared for him and his young family. "If you'll get saved, Jimmie, you can have peace," one gentleman explained. This so impressed Jimmie that he shortly thereafter walked the aisle of the church to receive Jesus Christ as a personal Saviour on November 30, 1969. A 180-degree transformation took hold in Jimmie's heart.

Returning to his hometown of Lexington, NC, Jimmie and Karla joined Sheets Memorial Baptist Church pastored by Mel Walters Jr., where Jimmie soon surrendered his life to Christian service and Bible College in 1975. Off to Tennessee Temple University went the Jimmie Clark family. Jimmie absorbed steadfast faithfulness to God from the great example of a spiritual "Moses," Dr. Lee Roberson. Working 3 jobs while maintaining a "B" grade point average, Jimmie earned a 4-year Bachelor of Arts degree within 3 years in 1978 - adding a new daughter, Kerry, into the family circle. In his senior year, Jimmie committed to being an Evangelist of Christ's Gospel. This answered a specific prayer by Jimmie's saintly SC grandmother "Granny Swaney", who prayed religiously for years for all 4 Clark brothers to be saved - and for one to be a Preacher.

Evangelist Jimmie Clark emerged onto a circuit of perennial multi-state church revival meeting campaigns with the same tenacity that made him a gridiron great, preaching hell hot, Heaven sweet, and America's sins in the church inexcusable. While Jimmie was away conducting Spirit-led revivals, Karla maintained the home front as a devoted, godly wife, leading all three children to Christ Jesus as their Savior at a young age by virtue of teaching the Scriptures daily with sensitivity to Holy Spirit conviction.

In revivals where Jimmie preaches (and sometimes withdraws from preaching when "Big Preacher" - God the Holy Spirit - overtakes a church service), hardened sinners melt under heavy conviction, lost souls prayed over for years rush to receive Christ's salvation, grudges pestering church members and leaders are expunged, families draw closer together deeply renewing marital commitments, thieves return stolen goods, teenagers repent of ungratefulness and disrespect toward parents, relationships are deeply restored, lives are surrendered to Christian service, and people get right with God upgrading societal norms through organic spiritual decisions within individuals.

In 1995, Jimmie Clark was bestowed a honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree by Reidsville Bible College in Reidsville, NC.

Burden For America meetings hosted annually from 1988-2002 by Jimmie Clark featured morning and evening services of the best ole-time religion preachers in America. Organized with his son, Troy, Brother Jimmie also hosts "9-11 Remembrance" events at the Lexington Civic Center in Lexington, NC, in 2011 and 2016 on the 10th & 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks, honoring all 9-11 victims and their families, survivors, all local first responder departments, and U.S. Military.

After 25 years of relentless travel schedule, in 2003, God impressed Jimmie Clark to slow down a bit and purchase, in a whopping leap of faith, an 18-acre public school campus in Farmer, NC, to convert it into a residential ministry home for underpriviledged and troubled teenagers. Without accepting government funds, bank loans, nor financial aid from a denominational headquarters, Farmer Christian Academy (FCA) was opened autonomously in 2009, debt free, thanks to many (miraculous) charitable donations from churches, business leaders, and contributions from school groups. Currently, there are approximately 20+ students and 10+ full and part time staff members who travel with Jimmie Clark adding a blend of singing, quoting Scripture, and giving personal testimony of God's amazing grace in their lives in meetings where "Brother Jimmie" preaches. FCA provides complete schooling through grade 12, gardening, canning, sports, sewing, cooking, exercising, and church attendance, within a secure, gated facility. FCA students who remain in the program earn their high school diploma with a high percentage of graduates currently enrolled in college, some having earned 2 or 4 year college degrees. Several approved church volunteers with specialty skills assist FCA in beautifying the facility grounds as well as handle maintenance repairs and building projects. Carrying the mantle of the late Evangelist Lester Roloff, Jimmie M. Clark enjoys seeing many lives transformed who receive Jesus Christ as Saviour, or get revived to a new walk of faith in their relationship with God.

Serving their Lord Jesus in "retirement years" of life (within a slowed down schedule), Jimmie and Karla Clark (Pop & Gramma) immensely enjoy sharing as much time as humanly possible with their 6 grandchildren - Luke, Elise, Braeden, Caleb, Esther, Mia.