Pastor Ed Sims had the privilege of being raised in a Christian home. Ed is one of five children, born to Mr. Walter and Mrs. Virginia Sims. He heard the Gospel at a young age and was led to Christ by his older brother Kenny.

Kenny is now in heaven, having served his country. While on active service, Kenny was exposed to agent orange. He died from a combination of three different types of cancer at the young age of 49.

Ed came to know more about the Lord during his formative years. One evening during a service at Fairview Baptist Church the Lord dealt heavy on Ed's heart. He was challenged to give God a blank cheque for his life.

Those of you who still know what a cheque is would know that a person writes down the name of the person he wants to pay; the amount he wants to give; signs his name on the dotted line, giving the bank authorization to pay.

On that night at Fairview Baptist Church, Ed told Jehovah God that he would sign his name to a blank cheque. God was to lay down the amount Ed was to give. Ed along with his wife Joyce; moved to Great Bridge, Virginia and began to attend Great Hope Baptist Church.

It was many years later that Jehovah showed Ed, through the preaching and teaching at Great Hope Baptist Church, the amount he wanted written down on that blank cheque. Ed surrendered his life to come to Australia and start a new Baptist church.

Ed and his family have now been in Australia for almost 17 years. His first seven years were spent helping two pastors start new churches. The last 10 years has seen Pastor Ed start another new church named after his sending church: Great Hope Baptist. Today, Ed is serving as Senior Pastor of Great Hope Baptist Church alongside his Associate; Pastor Chris Goldfinch.