Pastor James E. Dycus

Jim Dycus’ Life Story

 Jim’s early years were spent in Tennessee. In his early teens, he started using drugs, which began a 17 year addiction to heroin. After several trips to jails and institutions, in 1972, he was sent to Teen Challenge in Chicago, IL. On January 21, 1972, he accepted Jesus as his Savior and his life was miraculously transformed.

 Jim met his wife Barbara, who was a Salvation Army officer, and they were married on June 2, 1973. Their first baby was Jimmy, born in October 1978. That same year the opportunity to enter the ministry was given to Jim and he became an associate pastor at Belmont Evangelical Church in Chicago. In 1981, their daughter Jackie was born and in 1984, the family became complete with Dinah.

 In 1984, Pastor Alex Clattenburg asked Jim to become Singles Pastor at Calvary Assembly in Orlando. Jim served at Calvary Assembly, where he served a variety of positions for 26 years.

 In Jim’s own words he had a call to missions which he fulfilled for the remainder of his life. “One night while on sabbatical in Belize, God told me to go to Thailand, climb a mountain, and look out and see the people. When I went to Thailand and climbed the mountain, I saw hundreds of people walking like ants below me. I saw young women trapped in prostitution and God said, ‘This is who I’m going to use you with as a blessing.’”

 Jim was faithful in his mission, both at Calvary and in his mission’s work, right up to the day he died on November 6, 2024.

Jim is survived by his wife Barbara, 7 children (one preceded in death), 20 grandchildren, and 16.5 great-grandchildren and 2 nieces.

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