Pastor Jim Hantz was saved at 9 years old while attending a Nicky Cruz crusade in 1968. He attended College for 4 years, served 7 years in the US Air Force, and 36 years with the Federal Aviation Administration in Air Traffic Control. Jim surrendered to preach in 1988, and has served in and pastored several church’s Bi Vocationally since his calling in New Mexico, South Dakota, Alaska, Michigan, Virginia, and Montana.   

Open Door Baptist Church was planted by Pastor Hantz in Thompson Falls in 2016, after his retirement from the FAA. The first two years we met for Sunday morning worship at the Thompson Falls Senior Citizen’s Center. It was truly the answered prayers of a small group of God centered church members as we watched the hand of God move to purchase the building and property we now inhabit, largely through the gracious help of three sister churches.  Jim and Esther Hantz have 3 sons, and 6 grandchildren, all living in Montana.     

Pastor Jim’s passion for Christs’ Church is to “Equip the saints for the work of the ministry” Ephesians 4:12-16