About Us
Pastor Jim and Valerie Knies recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
In 1986 they were appointed with Baptist World Mission to serve as full-time missionary church planters which
they have done on three continents. During the early days of Mukwonago Baptist Church in Mukwonago, Wisconsin,
Jim served as the assistant pastor. The church ordained him as a minister of the gospel in 1988. The next four
years found them in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where they did foundational work to prepare the church for a national
pastor.
After the change of government in Hungary, Jim and Valerie came to Pécs to begin an independent Baptist Church. They worked in Pécs for 15 years and praise God for enabling them to leave a fully indigenous, Hungarian church with a debt-free building, a healthy church membership and a Bible Institute in the care of national leadership. During the summer of 2008, Jim was challenged with the need in Budapest for a center of Biblical truth.
He and Valerie followed the leading of the Lord to begin the Fövárosi Baptista Gyülekezet.
God has provided a location for them to minister in the 11th District of Budapest.
Pastor Jim holds a Bachelor and Master's Degree in Pastoral Studies from Maranatha Baptist Bible College and
Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Sacred Ministries from Northland Baptist Theological Seminary.
He is the adjunct professor of missions at the Baptist College of Ministries in Wisconsin and their satellite
campuses in Ireland and Kenya.
Valerie holds a Bachelor's Degree in Bible and Music Education and a Master's Degree in English Bible from the same institution as her husband. She has worked extensively in the children, women's and music ministries in the churches where she and her husband have served. Valerie is also a vocalist with a ministry of preserving the hymns and spiritual songs of the faith. She has three recordings and has produced one men's quartet recording of hymns in Hungarian. Her website can be found at www.valerieknies.com.
Dr. and Mrs. Knies have three children. James, Jr. is married and studying for his Master's of Divinity degree in preparation to return with his wife, Jamie, to serve the Lord in Hungary. Anna is a sophmore in Bible College in Wisconsin and also wants to return to Hungary. Mary is a senior in High School and still at home in Budapest and helping in many aspects of the new church.