The Rev. Mr. James Eby is the son of Eric E. and Ila Fern Eby, of Checotah, OK, James R. Eby is the founder and president of Mission Catalyst International, a global and interdenominational missionary training ministry located in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area. Jim, as he is known to family and friends, has been involved in training leaders, both nationally and internationally, for more than 40 years and in more than 60 countries of the world. He, together with his wife Peggy, has served as a pastor, church-planter, denominational executive, missionary, conference superintendent, and director of an international training center in London, England.
Prior to founding Mission Catalyst, Jim served as Superintendent of New Horizons Ministries (IPHC) where he had oversight of more than 100 churches and 300 ministers. Both Jim & Peggy have been ordained IPHC ministers for over 50 years. The majority of Jim’s ministry has been as part of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church family, of which he is a third-generation member on both sides of his family. He has served the denomination in the following capacities:
In 2002, Jim resigned as Superintendent of New Horizons Ministries and he and Peggy founded Mission Catalyst International, an international and interdenominational missionary training organization which trains national missionary church planters from the Two-Thirds World for ministry among the world’s least-reached peoples. Jim’s passion is to help get the Gospel to the two billion people who have yet to hear of the love of Jesus Christ for the first time and to help reach the world’s more than 7,000 Unreached People Groups. Through their 50-plus National Master Trainers, Mission Catalyst has trained more than 120,000 national workers and missionary church planters in countries like India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and many others. The ministry is concentrated on countries with the most Unreached People Groups. The organization strives to see men and women in leadership released into the fullness of God’s plan for their lives as they learn to more effectively win lost people to Christ, disciple them to win and disciple others, and to plant new churches, especially where Christ’s name is not known. Jim’s excellent leadership training materials have now been adopted by World Missions Ministries of the IPHC and are currently being used in the 100 countries of the world where WMM works.
Jim is the author of two books, World Impacting Churches (10 Essential Characteristics for Impacting the World and Finishing The Great Commission) and The Pathway to Knowing and Loving God (How Effective Leaders Develop Genuine Spirituality). Some of his past accomplishments include Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America), Salutatorian (Checotah High School, 1963), and being voted the Outstanding Freshman in University Housing at the University of Oklahoma (1964), despite OU having an abysmal football team that year. He holds both a Bachelors’ and Masters’ degree from Southwestern Christian University.
Married for 54 years (and counting), Jim & Peggy have three children (Ellen, David, and Jonathan), 13 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. An interesting side-note is that all three of their children married the children of long-time friends and fellow IPHC ministers. Ellen married Phillip Moore, the son of Ron & Doris Moore; David married Andrea Bachelor, daughter of Glynn & Michelle Bachelor; and Jonathan married LaNita McGraw, daughter of Joel & Janelle McGraw. Jim affirms that he could never have accomplished any of these things without Peggy, the beautiful, gifted, and talented wife whom he considers God’s greatest gift to him. Peggy has stood faithfully by his side through success and failure, through joy and sorrow, and through blessing and anguish. Jim & Peggy happily reside at their home in Conroe, Texas, on the northern outskirts of Houston, Texas.
Prior to founding Mission Catalyst, Jim served as Superintendent of New Horizons Ministries (IPHC) where he had oversight of more than 100 churches and 300 ministers. Both Jim & Peggy have been ordained IPHC ministers for over 50 years. The majority of Jim’s ministry has been as part of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church family, of which he is a third-generation member on both sides of his family. He has served the denomination in the following capacities:
- Pastor, Edmond PHC, Edmond, OK (1966-71)
- Oklahoma Conference Youth Director, now the Heartland Conference (1970-71)
- Oklahoma Conference C. E. Director (1971-73)
- Executive Director, Lifeliners International (1973-79)
- Member, General Board of Administration (GBA), IPHC (1973-79)
- Church Planter/Pastor, Christ Community PHC, Spring, TX (1979-86)
- Director, School of Urban Evangelism, London, England (1984-86)
- Director, Centre for Int’l Christian Ministry (CICM), London, England (1986-1992)
- Pastor, Stilwell PHC, Stilwell, OK (1993-98)
- Superintendent, East Oklahoma Conference, now New Horizons Ministries (1999-2002)
In 2002, Jim resigned as Superintendent of New Horizons Ministries and he and Peggy founded Mission Catalyst International, an international and interdenominational missionary training organization which trains national missionary church planters from the Two-Thirds World for ministry among the world’s least-reached peoples. Jim’s passion is to help get the Gospel to the two billion people who have yet to hear of the love of Jesus Christ for the first time and to help reach the world’s more than 7,000 Unreached People Groups. Through their 50-plus National Master Trainers, Mission Catalyst has trained more than 120,000 national workers and missionary church planters in countries like India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and many others. The ministry is concentrated on countries with the most Unreached People Groups. The organization strives to see men and women in leadership released into the fullness of God’s plan for their lives as they learn to more effectively win lost people to Christ, disciple them to win and disciple others, and to plant new churches, especially where Christ’s name is not known. Jim’s excellent leadership training materials have now been adopted by World Missions Ministries of the IPHC and are currently being used in the 100 countries of the world where WMM works.
Jim is the author of two books, World Impacting Churches (10 Essential Characteristics for Impacting the World and Finishing The Great Commission) and The Pathway to Knowing and Loving God (How Effective Leaders Develop Genuine Spirituality). Some of his past accomplishments include Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America), Salutatorian (Checotah High School, 1963), and being voted the Outstanding Freshman in University Housing at the University of Oklahoma (1964), despite OU having an abysmal football team that year. He holds both a Bachelors’ and Masters’ degree from Southwestern Christian University.
Married for 54 years (and counting), Jim & Peggy have three children (Ellen, David, and Jonathan), 13 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. An interesting side-note is that all three of their children married the children of long-time friends and fellow IPHC ministers. Ellen married Phillip Moore, the son of Ron & Doris Moore; David married Andrea Bachelor, daughter of Glynn & Michelle Bachelor; and Jonathan married LaNita McGraw, daughter of Joel & Janelle McGraw. Jim affirms that he could never have accomplished any of these things without Peggy, the beautiful, gifted, and talented wife whom he considers God’s greatest gift to him. Peggy has stood faithfully by his side through success and failure, through joy and sorrow, and through blessing and anguish. Jim & Peggy happily reside at their home in Conroe, Texas, on the northern outskirts of Houston, Texas.