James Hudson Zachary II
January 28, 1929 - April 22, 2004
by Christy K. Robinson and Jeane Zachary
“After more than 50 years of ministry and untold thousands of miles circling the globe, Jim Zachary now awaits the Lifegiver's call,” says Marilyn Senier, vice president and chief operating officer of The Quiet Hour.
Multiple tens of thousands of people around the world mourn the loss of pastor and evangelist James Zachary. Whether they were converts to Christianity, college students, lay evangelists, ministry colleagues, or fans of his storytelling, Pastor Zachary was a popular figure.
Pastor Bill Tucker, president of The Quiet Hour and speaker for its radio and television programs, says, “I was impressed with Jim's tremendous enthusiasm, his ability to get so much done, and his winsome manner in the way he related to people. He did the work of three people in terms of the quantity of what he accomplished and the impact upon the world field. I will miss him greatly for the way he mentored me in world evangelism and gave me a greater appreciation for the potential of reaching the masses of people. His contagious enthusiasm has led hundreds if not thousands of people in North America to participate with The Quiet Hour in hands-on evangelism. We will have a difficult time filling the void that he has left.”
In the December 2000 issue of the Pacific Union Recorder magazine, Pastor Zachary was called “The Quiet Hour's Mr. Evangelism.” He arranged for evangelism meetings in scores of countries around the world, coordinated training seminars for church leaders and lay people, conducted meetings and baptisms, and did follow-up work. In addition, he spoke at camp meetings and ministerial conferences, and motivated ministerial students to think on a global scale.
Just between November 2002 and April 2004, his Quiet Hour evangelism groundwork contributed to more than 23,000 baptisms in the Philippines, Peru, Belize, all over Africa, Mexico, and India! Untold thousands of others dedicated their lives to Christ. Multiply that success by decades in the ministry, and the numbers won't fit on your calculator screen.
James Hudson Zachary, Jr, was born January 28, 1929, in Manitoba, Canada. He died April 22, 2004 in Redlands, California, after a short illness. On August 28, 1949 he married Norma Jeane Rowe at the Battle Creek Tabernacle (Michigan).
He completed a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees at Andrews University, the former Emmanuel Missionary College. He taught Bible classes at Broadview, Lynwood and Monterey Bay Academies and was ordained to the gospel ministry at Hinsdale, Illinois in 1957.
In 1970 he and his family moved to the Philippines, where he taught Bible for six years at Mountain View College, before being called to be ministerial secretary of the Far Eastern Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a position he held for nine years.
After returning to the U.S., he worked for two years in evangelism with The Quiet Hour before being elected associate secretary of the (SDA) General Conference Ministerial Association in 1990.
When he “retired” in 1995 he rejoined The Quiet Hour as director of international evangelism, a position he held until his death. In addition, he assisted the Global Evangelism program of the Carolina Conference and acted as North American Division coordinator for Adventist-Jewish Relations and Adventist-Muslim Relations.
Wherever he traveled, he carried his laptop computer, filled with compelling images of animists, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and other faiths: people he wished with all his heart to introduce to Jesus. Often, when describing scenes from the remote Philippine jungles, the mountaintops of Peru, or the hot plains of India, Pastor Zachary's voice would break with emotion.
In 2003, Pastor Zachary authored a book published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, entitled The Best Amazing True Mission Stories From Around the World.
For years, his inspiring articles about mission experiences have appeared in the quarterly Bible studies published by the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, and disseminated around the world.
Pastor Zachary also was a “tour guide” on Bible lands tours around the Mediterranean.
He is survived by his mother, Viva Zachary of College Place, Washington, who celebrated her 100th birthday this year; his wife Jeane; two children: Vicki King of Appomattox, Virginia, and James Hudson III of Pasadena, California; four sisters: Dorene Yuen, Myrtle Tomczek, Deloris Foote and Arnetta Innocent; and three grandchildren: Jason King, Jennifer Clerval and Alexandra Zachary.
“Pastor Zachary's sudden death has left a huge vacancy at The Quiet Hour that will be difficult to fill. His passion for evangelism was unparalleled. His ability to share this passion with audiences and energize them into action was enormous. He will be greatly missed at The Quiet Hour,” says Marilyn Senier. She continues: “During the last eight years under Jim's leadership and the Lord's blessing, The Quiet Hour's evangelism work has grown substantially.”
Jim had just returned from mission work in Guyana when he was hospitalized for acute leukemia and passed away eleven days later.
One can only guess (and most likely underestimate) the gigantic impact he had on fundraising for overseas evangelism. In fact, as he lay in his hospital bed during his last few days, his urgency was apparent when he told The Quiet Hour's evangelism coordinator, Charlene West, “We need to continue to be aggressive on fundraising! We've got to get that fundraising done!”
Jim Zachary would be pleased to know that his family has requested that in lieu of flowers or other gifts, contributions be sent to The Quiet Hour (Box 3000, Redlands, CA 92373 USA) marked “TQH Evangelism – Zachary Memorial.”
Because of that memorial fund, his ministry and his passion for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ will not end. A passage in Isaiah 40 (NIV) that begins “Comfort, comfort my people” continues with the description of an evangelist like Pastor Zachary: “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.'”
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