Jim Mulkey

Jim Mulkey was a well-respected man. Passionate for the cause of Christ, he gave his life to full-time Christian ministry with the desire to make a difference in our world that is in such need of a Savior. In his own words referring to ministry, Jim said, "I do not want to spend my time trying to convince the unwilling or unavailable, but rather to channel the motivated and available". He was hardworking and unflinching in his pursuit to make a difference. Those who knew him attest to the fact that Jim did not just talk the talk he walked the walk. He never lost sight of his priorities and was a devoted, loving husband and soul mate to Imogene, his wife of over sixty years and a wonderful and loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as a priceless friend to many. Jim was a gifted teacher, full of wisdom and knowledge, and all who knew him well were blessed. A friend recently said the following about him, "He was the most precious, pure-hearted man of God that I have ever known. My family and I have been blessed and impacted by his love, commitment and passion for the Lord, Imogene and all his family". With a deep desire to help, Jim was constantly offering words of encouragement. He was also a generous and compassionate man with a priceless sense of humor. Even in his final days, when asked how he was doing, he would reply, "I'm not doing as well as I would be doing were I to be doing better than I am!".

James Broughton Mulkey died on April 10, 2015 at the age of 84. He was surrounded by loved ones and passed away peacefully at home in McKinney, Texas. Jim was ready to "graduate" to his heavenly home and there is great comfort knowing he is with his Lord and Savior and happily reunited with loved-ones and dear friends who have preceded him in death. We know he was welcomed with these words: "Well done, my good and faithful servant"!

Jim was born in Andalusia, Alabama, on October 5, 1930. He graduated from South Broward High School in Hollywood, Florida in 1949. Some of his honors included being elected president of the senior class, Boy's State and being included in the Who's Who for high school students. He would tell you that the most important decision of his life happened as a senior in high school when he prayed and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. His life began changing the next day as he began to live according to the new purpose for his life. In 1954, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies from Tennessee Temple College in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Upon graduation, he married Imogene Silvey from Macon, Mississippi.

In 1957, Jim received his Master of Divinity degree at Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. Shortly after, Jim and Imogene were accepted as missionary candidates by the Greater Europe Mission and sailed for France in 1958 where Jim taught theology, Christian philosophy and apologetics, Old Testament and New Testament book studies at the European Bible Institute, an interdenominational, bilingual school near Paris, France. He taught all classes in French and English to European students until 1971. During his years at the Bible college, Jim also directed the student ministry outreach which assigned each student to regular and special activities designed to provide practical experience in Christian ministry and was a member of the school administration leadership team. On three different occasions, Jim was elected chairman of the annual Conference of Missionaries in French speaking Europe.

From 1966 to 1972, Jim introduced and participated in leadership of a campaign to mobilize French church members in Paris, Lyon and Grenoble in prayer, training and evangelistic outreach. In 1971, Jim began to help Campus Crusade for Christ-Europe (CCC-E) launch its ministry of evangelistic training for laymen as well as its French ministry. He led French seminars in Brussels, Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

In 1972, the CCC-Europe director invited Jim to join CCC-Europe and help develop ministries throughout Western Europe. From 1972 to 1981, Jim served as Coordinator of Strategy and Planning for Campus Crusade for Christ - Europe and worked as an in-house consultant to the CCC European director and the national directors of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, West Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and Greece. For two years, Jim accepted an additional responsibility as Regional Director of the French-speaking areas of Europe. He continued to teach Bible and theology in national and Europe-wide conferences as well as direct and teach in multi-language conferences on evangelism and church growth during these years. Jim led 162 European delegates to a training conference in Korea in 1974 and led the Campus Crusade delegates to the 1974 Lausanne Conference.

In 1981, Jim became convinced that much of the work he was doing in Europe should be done by the National CCC-Europe directors. Jim and Imogene returned to the United States and Jim began to serve as the Assistant to the President for Strategy and Planning of Campus Crusade's International School of Theology (ISOT) in San Bernardino, California. Jim was excited about Campus Crusade's broader plan and vision to develop a Christian Graduate University. However, a lack of CCC finances made it impossible for the graduate school to make satisfactory progress on the vision that had attracted Jim to accept the ISOT assignment.

During this time, Jim developed a deep burden for the growth of evangelical Christianity in the United States and in 1985, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. His dissertation title was "The Networking of Church and Parachurch Ministry in a Local Area". After a year of earnest praying, Jim felt led of God to relocate to Dallas to launch "City Vision", a ministry focused on seeking growth and health of churches through shared worship, fellowship and mission. He believed God wanted to use his gifts and experiences to mobilize Christians in and through their churches to present the gospel of hope, practice compassion to the needy and hurting and promote significant and positive change in society. In 1986, Jim founded the Evangelical Alliance of Greater Dallas (later renamed "Hope for a Generation") to promote and facilitate the fulfillment of the "great commission" in the Greater Dallas area.

Near the beginning of his years of ministry in Dallas, Jim met with over one hundred pastors to ask what they felt was the area of ministry most needed in the Metroplex and they unanimously agreed that "youth" should be the focus. As a result of this mandate and with a desire to help pastors, Jim was intimately involved in the founding of the Youth Outreach Network (YON) which mobilized over 600 youth leaders to reach DFW youth through organized events. As a result of the YON ministry, hundreds of campus Bible/Prayer clubs were launched, student leadership training conferences and rallies were sponsored, the "See You At The Pole" student prayer ministry was introduced to DFW and "Kans for the Kingdom" food drive for the poor was sponsored. The Youth Outreach Network sponsored and promoted a Carman Concert which filled the Texas Stadium with over 70,000 which was the largest attendance ever for a Christian concert with a single artist in the United States.

In 1995, Jim became the DFW Facilitator of Mission America, a growing coalition of Christian denominations and organizations where he helped to create a network of leaders of prayer ministries and intercessors and a network of Christian Media Ministries. He brought together 190 pastors and leaders to consider how churches can work together in praying for and witnessing to every person in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Jim also sponsored conferences and Pastors Prayer Retreats and introduced "Concerts of Prayer" to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Jim was responsible for launching numerous pastors prayer groups across DFW to pray for their communities. During Easter of 2000, Four hundred and sixty DFW churches from various denominations were mobilized to pray for their neighbors which involved distributing 800,000 door hangers with a gospel presentation and invitation to visit the participating church on Easter Sunday. An estimated population of over two million residents were reached out to during this campaign. Jim also introduced the "lighthouse" movement to DFW churches which trained thousands who agreed to be a "lighthouse" on their street by praying, caring for and sharing the gospel. In addition to these opportunities, Jim had an ongoing ministry of consulting pastors and ministry leaders on church growth and the importance and implications of Christian unity.

In 2009, Jim wrote a book entitled, Making Sense Out of Life - Finding a Satisfying Meaning and Purpose in Life, where he shows what a Christian worldview looks like and how it can contribute positively to one's life. He also shows the powerful and often negative impact that today's culture can have on us. In addition, he shows how the dominant view of the culture has negatively impacted Christian churches as to their purpose and contributions to society in general.

He was married to Imogene Silvey Mulkey from June 2, 1954, until his death. Imogene and Jim had two daughters, Rebecca Joy and Grace Ann, and a son, Robert James.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James Olin Mulkey and Myrtle Cauley Mulkey; his daughter, Rebecca Joy Mulkey; his son-in-law, Thomas Winn Fleming; his brother, William Creed Mulkey; his sister, Patricia Mulkey Byrd; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Paul and Gladys Silvey; his niece, Ruth Elaine Silvey; and his aunts and uncles.

Jim is survived by his wife of 60 years, Imogene Silvey Mulkey; his daughter, Grace Ann Mulkey Harper and son, Robert James Mulkey; his son-in law Larry Harper and daughter-in-law, Cem Elice Mulford Mulkey; his eleven grandchildren, Shannon Rebecca Harper Dorman, Christopher Sean Fleming Harper, Sarah Ann Harper, Laura Ashley Harper, Nolan Thomas Fleming Harper, Brandon Robert Mulkey, Shawn Sterling Harper, Stephen Todd Mulkey, Daniel James Mulkey, Elice Nicole Mulkey and Colton Michael Mulkey; his grandson in-law, Robert Dean Dorman; his granddaughters-in-law, Julia Dzerzhinskaya Harper and Adria Nikolle Menchaca Mulkey; and his four great-grandchildren Robert Sterling Dorman, Roderick Elias Dorman, Audrey Elizabeth Blizzard-Mulkey and Paisley Ann Garcia; his brother-in-law, Hiram Hayes Silvey, and sister-in-law, Mallie Howard Silvey; and his twenty-one nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Celebration of Jim Mulkey's life is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2015 in the sanctuary of Prairie Creek Baptist Church, 3201 W. 15th St., Plano, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, and for any desiring to do so, memorial gifts may be made to Willow Creek Fellowship, 1804 Avenue P, Plano, Texas 75074.