Meet Jim Hays, New Church Planting Catalyst
As the Lord continues to grow our ministry opportunities in the Heartland, our need to identify, develop, and send out church planters increases! The harvest is plentiful, and workers are vital! Our district utilizes Church Planting Catalysts to build relationships with individuals, churches, and educational institutions as part of our endeavors to partner with and support ministers in the Heartland.
Our newest Church Planting Catalyst Jim Hays pastors The Fount, a Converge Heartland church in Kansas City, MO. Take this opportunity to get to know Jim a little bit, and please pray for all our Catalysts and their important work!
What’s your educational background?
I’m a proud Kangaroo—mascot and all! I graduated from UMKC with a degree in criminal justice. Over the past 13 years, I’ve been serving in full-time ministry, and I’m currently pursuing my Master of Divinity at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary here in Kansas City.
Tell us a little about your family – how you met your wife, a little about your children.
Have you heard of FarmersOnly.com? Just kidding! We love making up funny stories about how we met, but the real story is that Laura and I connected at a church I visited while preparing to plant The Fount. We’ve been married for nine years this February and are blessed with four amazing kids:
Andie (6): Our little leader who’s started reading the Bible and loves socializing with neighbors.
James (4): A sweet boy with a heart of gold who loves wrestling.
Calvin (4): A joyful, people-loving kiddo; our sweet son with special needs.
Naomi (2): Full of spunk and always ready to be the life of the party.
Laura is the rock of our family. She leads our home with grace, disciples women in our church, and supports local pastors’ wives. I couldn’t do what I do without her!
What does your current ministry look like?
I’m the planting pastor of The Fount Church, which just celebrated seven years of ministry. We’re based in the heart of Kansas City, serving a diverse and dynamic community of young professionals, many of whom are transient and navigating a rapidly changing culture.
God has been so faithful—we’ve reached hundreds of people with the gospel, sent out pastors and missionaries, and formed a long-term partnership with churches in Zambia, Africa. We’re also actively involved in church planting there.
Currently, The Fount has about 40 adults and 20 kids, and we’re excited about what’s next. In early March, we’ll be relocating to a local school gymnasium and hosting a “Re-Grand Opening” in April. This new space will allow us to serve the school’s staff, students, and families in fresh, missional ways.
We’re also equipping the next generation of leaders. Right now, we have four pastoral residents, one of whom is preparing to plant a church in the near future!
What are your goals as a Church Planting Catalyst?
My primary focus will be the KC Metro area, where I’ll work to connect with seminaries and churches to identify potential church planters. I’ll also help existing churches develop a vision for becoming church-planting churches.
My goal is to establish a strong pipeline for raising up church planters and to recruit like-minded, independent churches who might consider affiliating with Converge Heartland to work together in planting churches across our region.
What’s a Scripture passage that encourages you?
Hebrews 12:1-2 has been deeply shaping my heart and ministry lately. It’s also the foundation for The Fount’s 2025 vision: Everyday Faith, Everywhere Mission. This passage reminds us to run with perseverance, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
What book(s) would you recommend, whether for pleasure or ministry?
Right now, our family is reading through The Chronicles of Narnia series, and it’s been such a joy! The kids are absolutely captivated by the stories, and it’s become a special time for us to snuggle up in the living room and journey together into C.S. Lewis’s fantastic fictional world.