Editor's Note: This story originally appeared in the 2025 Beeson magazine, which can be read in its entirety here.

After 25 years of service to Samford’s Beeson Divinity School, Jim Pounds retired in mid-July.

Pounds first came to the school as a student in 1997, following careers first in aerospace engineering and then in insurance in Vestavia Hills.

“I thought it’d be interesting to go to seminary,” he said.

In 1997, Pounds enrolled at Beeson and earned a Master of Divinity in 2000. “Coming back to school at 36 years old for a divinity degree—with a very technical background… it was a new kind of writing,” Pounds said.

Pounds said learning from professors such as Frank Thielman, Robert Smith Jr. and Ken Mathews was a joy. After graduating, Pounds went to work at Beeson, hired by founding dean Timothy George. In 2013, Pounds took on the role of director of operations.

Pounds’ duties at Beeson were numerous, including the oversight of the school’s budget and finances, managing facility maintenance, supervising renovations and improvements, managing Hodges Chapel, serving as the point of contact for the school’s HR and payroll functions and participating in the admission and scholarship process.

“My gifts are in business decision-making and analysis. The school needs at least one person to sit in this role to support the dean and other leaders,” Pounds said. “If I can use my primary gifting to help the dean and the rest of the faculty not have to worry about non-academic tasks, then I’ve made a small contribution to what the mission of the school is about.”

In addition to his role as director of operations, Pounds also founded and directed the school’s Lay Academy of Theology, which offers courses to the general public, covering a wide array of theological topics, all taught by Beeson professors.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Pounds said. “It’s gotten Beeson Divinity School in front of people who didn’t see a way to connect with us.”

Years after graduating, Pounds said he can still reach out to faculty for questions if he’s preparing to preach. “Faculty remain available to their students after they’re gone,” Pounds said. “That is the part of the Beeson education you can’t put a price on.”

Beeson has “always been a great place to work,” Pounds said. “It is an opportunity to work with other folks who know their gifts and are serious about applying them to further the mission of the school. When we all take on what it is we’re great at or what it is we’re called to do, the mission gets advanced.”

In retirement, Pounds said he’ll work on some long-put-off chores and spend time with his grandchild, as well as travel with his wife, Debra.

“Jim Pounds was my student before he became my colleague, a dear friend I have known and cherished now for many years,” George said. “Through it all, I have found Jim to be a person of unquestioned integrity, loyalty, resilience, unwavering Christian commitment and good cheer. The contributions he has made to Beeson are too deep and abiding to put into words.”

Thielman, who, like George, knows Pounds as both student and staff member, said he will be missed greatly. “Jim has been an indispensable part of Beeson Divinity School for many years, working quietly behind the scenes to keep our operations running smoothly,” Thielman said. “He is a humble servant of the Lord who has never wanted attention focused on himself, but who all of us have learned to appreciate for his gifts of friendship, accounting and engineering skills, wonderful sense of humor, commitment to Christ and willingness to interrupt his very busy days to help others.”

Dean Douglas A. Sweeney said Pounds is “one of the most loyal people I have ever known.”

“Beeson has been blessed by his loyal service to us for almost 25 years,” Sweeney said. “I have relied on him heavily for help with the physical plant and budget, in particular. Jim has also done marvelous work with our Lay Academy program. We will miss him and his faithful service in so many ways. We will miss his steady care for our faculty and staff. Most importantly of all, we will miss his steady witness to the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Pounds is a longtime friend of retired professor Robert Smith Jr. “I read somewhere that a friend is someone who knows the song that is in your heart and can sing the song back to you when you have forgotten the words. Jim Pounds is that kind of friend,” Smith said. “He knows the song that’s in my heart, whether the song is played in the major chord of hope, happiness and harmony or the minor chord in doom, gloom and despair. He knows my heart. He knows my face. He knows my moods. He knows my temperament. He knows my disposition. He knows my mindset. He knows me. We have journeyed together for many years... I appreciate Jim for his authenticity, for his humor and for his wife Deb for the way she has accepted me into their family.”