Jim Petersen Tribute
Jim Petersen (1932 – 2022)
Recording of the International Memorial Webinar: Click Here
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Questions can be directed to Glenn at: glenn@globalcommercenetwork.com
To send personal messages and photos to Jim’s family, please use this email address: familiapetersen90@gmail.com
Known around the world for his dedication to advancing the Gospel among those distant from Christ, Jim Petersen (89) died in his Colorado Springs home on February 14, 2022 with the close support of his family.
Jim served as an international vice president of The Navigators alongside Jerry White for about 17 years. Prior to that role, he and his friend Ken Lottis pioneered the Navigator work in Brazil and, more broadly, in Latin America.
“I could never have led the Navigator worldwide ministry without him,” said Jerry White. “He brought personal godliness, relational integrity, and scriptural depth to us all. . . . He was an encourager of our staff who ministered ‘on the edges,’ creating new avenues of outreach. . . . Jim left a legacy for eternity with me personally and with The Navigators.”
His relational qualities were perhaps most experienced within his family. A dedicated husband, father, and grandfather, he was married to his wife, Marge, for 58 years. Together they moved to Brazil in 1963 during a military coup when their daughter, Michelle, was age two and when Marge was six months pregnant with their son, Todd. Their twin daughters, Raquel and Rochelle, were also born in Brazil.
Jim and Marge never separated family life from their involvement with Brazilians. They made their house and family the platform for serving hundreds of people. They soon gained support from close Brazilian friends, such as Osvaldo Simões and Aldo Berndt—to name a few.
“Jim was the person who God most used to help me understand my calling and to walk in it,” said Aldo shortly after Jim’s death. “He became one of my best friends, a true brother in the faith. We traveled together throughout southern Brazil to make disciples. His attitude toward the Scriptures and his faith in the unlimited power of prayer helped to establish strong foundations for my own faith. Jim’s influence in my life continues to this day.”
The lessons Jim learned from God and his Brazilian friends proved to be pivotal for pioneering Navigators throughout the world. While serving as a member of the Navigator International Executive Team, Jim traveled extensively around the world to mentor many people with whom he formed authentic and lasting friendships.
Jim also wrote numerous books that have helped thousands of people be influential for Christ among their friends, colleagues, and family networks. They include Living Proof, The Insider, and Church Without Walls. He also authored several scriptural studies published by Global Commerce Network designed to help business professionals integrate daily life with God’s purposes.
Jim’s books, and Ken’s book One Another, can be found at these links: Books — GCN Press (globalcommercenetwork.com) or at GCN Press Bookshop.