Jim Peters

April 17, 1956 - September 19, 2021

Jim Peters...our Superman, met his Kryptonite on September 19th, 2021. Jim was born April 17, 1956, in St. Paul, Minnesota to Leroy and Josephine Peters. And from the first, Jim lived his life outside the box. Starting at the age of eight years old, he decided to play drums instead of the trumpet like his brothers, and that set the course for his life. He became a music prodigy and music would become the cornerstone for sharing Christ throughout his life. He began a ministry with his older brother Steve called The Truth About Rock, which touched thousands, taking him across the US, revealing the importance of knowing the lyrics, lifestyle, and intent of the songs and artists of the day. In 1981, Jim felt God calling him to be a “Musicianary,” a term he coined, and GTM Inc. was born. Jim, his wife Debbie, Lavon Reep, and Gary Krueger traveled to 43 countries of the world, planted over 50 churches, smuggled 430,000 Bibles in 13 languages to communist countries, and led hundreds of thousands of people to Christ. As Jim would say, “No wonder I’m so tired!” Through their concert outreach and work with the USO, the team expanded the ministry of GTM, by creating Tee Shirts 4 Troops, which allowed them to meet over 13,000 combat-injured troops. Using his humor and superhero t-shirts, Jim and his team regularly visited Walter Reed Hospital along with other hospitals to bring much-needed laughter and encouragement to the wounded. Because of their dedication and the impact of their efforts, they were granted VIP status at Walter Reed and were invited to be involved with the resiliency programs such as Warrior Games and the Invictus Games. Desiring to do even more to help the wounded, Jim started Mission Plus One. He opened his home, his heart, and used the wisdom God blessed him with to help wounded soldiers repurpose their lives in an effort to put an end to the 22 soldiers who commit suicide each day. One of Jim’s quotes was, “You can’t heal without hope!” And hope is what he offered through Mission Plus One. Jim was married to his late wife, Debbie, for over 38 years. They first met in fourth grade and then reconnected during their Freshman year at North Central Bible College. Little did they know the magic that would take place after that encounter. They traveled the world together and were able to achieve what many only dream of. Their family motto was... "to make our lives a provision for others.” And that’s what they did. Jim often stated that after her passing, he always “walked with a limp.” In 2016 he married Sunny Rae Green and became a stepdad (or bonus dad as Sydney calls him) to her 16-year-old daughter. He brought much-needed love and laughter to their lives, and Sunny brought joy and life back into his. Together they formed a second half of life love that gave them both a renewed passion for life. Jim was larger than life and will leave a large hole in the lives of many. He had the ability to take a profound truth and boil it down to a “Sticker and a Snicker.” He was gifted with a fantastic skill for storytelling and humor, which allowed him to impart great wisdom and the love of Christ to people in a way that forever impacted their lives. Jim often said when you’ve been touched by Christ, “You can’t unknow it.” Until the very end, he never stopped pursuing his dreams or helping others pursue theirs. His belief was that “if your dreams don’t scare you, they aren't big enough.” He was an incredible husband, father, son, brother, Uncle, mentor and friend, and the world will now lack the laughter and wisdom only he could bring. He will be forever missed. We will celebrate his incredible life Saturday, October 16th at 2pm. Due to Covid-19, the service will be a small gathering of invited guests; however, the service will be live-streamed for those wishing to attend virtually. The link will be provided by the day of service here. Jim attended Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, MN, and then graduated from North Central University. He is survived by his devoted wife, Sunny Rae Green; daughter, Sydney Snead; brother, Steve Peters (Julie); and lifelong babysitter, Gloria Zent (Mike), along with numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Leroy and Josephine, his wife, Debbie, and his brothers Lee and Dan. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Jim’s charity, Mission Plus One, at Gtmintl.com The family of Jim Peters invites you to leave a message of condolence on the Tribute Wall created in his memory.