Jim Brunner was raised in a Methodist Parsonage and came to the Lord at a Methodist Junior High Summer Camp when he was thirteen.   In his senior year of high school, he surrendered to the ministry under his father's ministry and preached his first sermon in his father's pulpit in the little town of Lordsburg, New Mexico.   It was there he met Barbara White, the church organist, and during their college years they married. On December 26th 2014 they celebrated their 60th anniversary. They raised four children.  Their family continues to grow with grandchildren and great grandchildren.

   Jim earned a BA degree from McMurry College in Abilene, Texas and a graduate degree in theology from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.  He and Barbe pastored small churches in Texas while in school and after graduation pioneered a Methodist Church in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.  In 1962 they moved to Tucson, Arizona where Jim became the youth pastor at Catalina United Methodist Church.

   During the winter of 1962-63 both Jim and Barbe came into the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  In the summer of 1965 they felt the call to step out of the formal ministry of the pastorate and move into a complete life of faith in God's provision.  The opportunity and pressure from others to form a new charismatic Church in Tucson was present and tempting, but they felt lead to spend a time apart in order to learn to listen to the voice of the Lord and obey.  After a time in Nogales, Arizona, which included a short time of communal living with other Christian families, Jim and Barbe returned to Tucson in 1970 to help with the establishment of Grace Chapel, now Grace To The Nations. This is their home Church today. Link www.gttn.org.

In 1976 they formed Jim Brunner Ministries and traveled full time as evangelists preaching and teaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.  Openings came for ministry in many places through local Churches and organizations like the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowships, Camps Farthest Out and Ashrams.  In some locations Jim worked as an apostolic expression helping new Churches to form.  Their ministry also took them overseas, primarily into Africa, where they began new works.  They lead tours into Europe and the Middle East, especially to Israel, where new contacts were made that quickened their interest in the whole wonderful way in which God has brought the Jewish people back to the promised land.  This modern miracle of the rebirth of Israel after two millennium speaks of the soon end of this age as we know it.  There is no question that the prophetic word of scripture indicates that our Lord's return is soon to come upon the whole world.

In 1985 a cardiac arrest almost ended Jim's life on earth.  But the Lord assured him that it was not the time when Jesus would personally come to escort him to glory.  The ministry continued at a slower pace.

Then after spinal surgeries in 2000 and again in 2002, he became physically unable to travel for some time.  But God raises up that which was struck down.  Now, new opportunities are presenting themselves for ministry and life continues to be exciting as the Lord Jesus proves himself to be forever faithful in daily strength, provision and anointing for life and sharing of the kingdom of our God.