James H. Diehl, 88, passed away Sunday 2 November 2025. He was a General Superintendent Emeritus, district superintendent, and minister.
“Dr. Diehl was a living example of a Christlike servant,” said Chair of the Board of General Superintendents Gustavo Crocker. “Those of us who served under his leadership were blessed by his passion for Christ, his unshakable joy, his broad view of God’s kingdom, and his contagious sense of humor. We learned from him, we laughed with him, and our hearts were moved by his preaching. We miss him already and we celebrate his life that impacted many others.”
Jim was born on 5 September 1937 to Donald and Della Diehl of Des Moines, Iowa. He grew up attending Des Moines First Church of the Nazarene. He married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Ann Stanley, and the pair moved to Bourbonnais, Illinois, to attend Olivet Nazarene University, an answer to God’s call to full-time pastoral ministry on Jim’s life.
Following graduation, Jim pastored multiple churches in Iowa: Muscatine Church of the Nazarene (1959-1962); Indianola Church of the Nazarene (1962-1967); and Oskaloosa Church of the Nazarene (1967-1973). After a period of serving as the assistant to the president for MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas, he felt led to reduce travel to be at home with his family. He accepted a call to pastor Atlanta First Church of the Nazarene in 1976.
Five years later, Jim was called to lead the Nebraska District as Superintendent. Later, he was called to lead the Colorado District. Four years into his superintendency in Colorado, while leading the pastoral search for Denver First Church of the Nazarene, he answered the church’s call to be their pastor and return to local church ministry.
Then at the 1993 General Assembly and Conventions, in Indianapolis, Indiana, James H. Diehl was elected as a General Superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene. For 16 years, Jim traveled the globe preaching and providing leadership in the Church of the Nazarene. He retired and was awarded emeritus status at the 2009 General Assembly and Conventions in Orlando, Florida.
In retirement, he continued ministering through social media by producing video devotional series and by speaking at revivals, camp meetings, and in churches.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Diehl, who passed away in 2021, and his youngest son, David, who passed away in 2008 after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his sisters, Donna Carlson, Dorothy Cornelison, and Kathy Crichton; brother, Rich Diehl; daughter Jodi Gitt; sons, Jim and Don Diehl; daughter-in-law Lori; and seven grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held on 8 November 2025, at Lakewood Church of the Nazarene in Colorado, at 11 a.m. local time. Visitation with the family will begin at 9:30 a.m.
The service will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. To view, click on the respective links below.