The Best of the Story
About Jim
PASTOR. PIANIST. STORYTELLER.
Meet Jim Mears.
A lifetime of music.
A heart for people.
A story worth sharing.
For more than five decades, Jim has shared his Christian faith through music and ministry. Today, he brings that same purpose to The Best of the Story—one short story at a time.
Your host, Jim Mears
THE MAN BEHIND THE MICROPHONE
The story began long before the podcast.
Jim's path began in Florida, playing piano with the Gospel Travelers as a young teenager. Gospel concerts and preaching led to pastoral ministry, and in 1982, he and his wife, Connie, began their ministry together.
Some of his most meaningful work has been in nursing homes and assisted-living communities. Through familiar hymns and a message of faith, he has sought to reach people who might otherwise feel far from church.
“I have found my greatest pleasure ministering in the nursing homes and assisted living facilities.”
— Jim Mears, on his ministry
A life of sharing faith
1969 · The first notes
An invitation to play piano with the Gospel Travelers takes Jim across Florida.
1979 · A new chapter
Jim begins pastoring his first church after years of preaching and gospel concerts.
Music · A lasting thread
His love of the piano extends beyond performing to the patient craft of tuning and repairing the instrument.
Today · The next story
The Best of the Story brings his voice and encouragement into listeners' everyday lives.
WHY HE TELLS THESE STORIES
A few minutes of listening.
Something to take into your day.
Inspired by the storytelling tradition of Paul Harvey, Jim invites you to stay for the discovery—and the meaning behind it. Each episode pairs a memorable story with a Christian reflection on how we live, love, and keep going.
His invitation is simple: sit back for a few minutes, relax, and leave encouraged. A surprising life, an ordinary act of kindness, or an unexpected turn can become a reason to look at your own day differently.
There is music in the story, too.
Jim's ministry also celebrates the hymns that have comforted generations. Explore his hymn recordings, piano instrumentals, and worship soundtracks.
Explore Jim's music ministry →Now, pull up a chair.
You've met the storyteller. Let Jim share a story with you.