Rev. James W. Tharp, Jr. was born on October 16, 1929, in a tent, in Tichnor, AR where his parents were working picking cotton. He was the second of 10 children. As a teen he often worked with his dad in commercial fishing and assisted him with his hunting and fishing guide business. He sat out one year of high school to go and help his uncle on his ranch in Wichita, KS. Jim and his siblings often got into mischief. One of his greatest joys was to sit around with his siblings and cousins and laugh about their many childhood escapades. Jim graduated from Gillette High School, AR in 1948. He moved to Indiana to attend Bible school and met Maxine McClain on a youth leadership trip to Colorado. The story is that at Pike’s Peak she fainted from the high altitude, and he caught her in his arms and then he fell for her; so, he married her in 1950. He graduated from Union Bible Institute in 1952. Jim took his first pastorate at age 19. He pastored churches in Westfield, IN; Bingham, PA; Havana, Cuba; Beechgrove, Rushville, and Indianapolis, IN. He was ordained in the Church of the Nazarene in 1957. He also pastored in Pasadena, CA; Albuquerque, NM; Seattle, WA; and Bozeman, MT. He and Maxine had four children. Early in his ministry Jim often worked a second job to make ends meet. He painted houses, worked at the gun counter in Sears, and wrote newspaper columns.
In 1979 he began working with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, assisting the evangelist in his telephone counseling ministry. From 1979 to 1991, Jim lectured on the Holy Spirit for the California Graduate School of Theology in their doctorate program. He studied at Olivet Nazarene University in IL and Seattle Pacific University in WA. He has published 4 books: Revival Must Come, 1991, The Spirit of Prayer, 2000, Estelle (An Inspiring Love Story) – a novel based on his mother’s life, 2012, and Our Holy Guest, 2015.
Jim was the founder and president of Christian Renewal Ministries. His daily radio broadcast, “A Word on Revival” was heard on various radio stations for many years. In 1994, Jim began devoting himself to speaking in camp meetings, revivals, pastoral institutes and conducting the School of Prayer, helping thousands to improve their spiritual life and develop their prayer ministry. He was dedicated to preparing the Church through prayer for the next spiritual awakening.
Jim laid Maxine in the arms of God in 2006 and made the move from Dothan, AL back to Bozeman where he headquartered Christian Renewal Ministries. He was lonely and began to pray for a companion. In 2009, Jim met Shirley and the romance began. He knew God had blessed him with love, companionship and a ministry partner. They were soon married and serving God all over the country. He continued to write, preach, and teach. As Alzheimer’s took a toll on Jim, she cared for him with unceasing love and faithfulness and was with him in the Memory Care Center when God called him home.
Jim enjoyed his family, particularly his grandchildren. He also enjoyed hunting and horseback riding but most often when he wasn’t studying or praying you could find him with his nose in a book – he loved to read and learn.
Jim is remembered and loved by his wife Shirley Tharp, his children, J. Stephen Tharp, Priscilla (Ron) Larsen and Timothy (Billie Jo) Tharp, and 8 grandchildren, David, Gregg and Mark (Hannah) Charcas, Timothy (Tara) Tharp, Joseph and Ben (Stephanie) Llanes, Anna Snyder and Jana (Kyle) Candler. His 12 great-grandchildren, Maddie and Bennett Candler, Lukas, Emma, Sadie and Carter Tharp, Greyson and Landon Llanes, Katlyn and Kinsley Llanes, Theo and Weston Snyder will miss him too. Jim has 4 “bonus” children, 12 “bonus” grandchildren and 11 “bonus” great grandchildren who have been a blessing brought into his life through Shirley.
Jim was preceded in death by his first wife, Maxine Tharp, his daughter and her husband, Deborah and Leroy Charcas, his parents, James W. Tharp, Sr. and Maddie Estelle Tharp, his sisters, Francis Jeannette Menard, Shirley Abraham, Alma Anniece Shelburne and brothers Paul, Russell, and Burl Tharp.
Jim blessed our family and his many friends and colleagues with a legacy of prayer and a commitment to listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, October 5 at 2:00 P.M. at Sunset Memorial Gardens on the Frontage Road between Bozeman and Belgrade. Reception to follow at River Rock Church of the Nazarene in Belgrade.
