James Hageman was born on December 14, 1957, in Mexico, Missouri. His family moved to Illinois and then to California, where his father was a teacher. He grew up in Reedley, CA, and he graduated from high school in 1976. He attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska, and in 1980 earned a Bachelor of Science in Education. For a year he toured with The Celebrate Singers out of Seward, and in 1983, he enrolled at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1985, he graduated with a Master of Divinity and accepted his first call to Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Northglenn, Colorado. In 1987, he accepted the call to Hope Lutheran Church in Billings, Montana.

In Billings, he met and married his wife, Stephanie. In 1990, God blessed them with their first son, Eric. In 1992, the family moved to Fort Wayne so that James could study as a graduate assistant at Concordia Theological Seminary. The next year, he accepted a call to serve the dual parishes of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Glendive, Montana, and Grace Lutheran Church in Fallon, Montana.

During his family's years in Glendive, God blessed James and Stephanie with two more children: Josef in 1995 and Jenna in 2001. In August 2014, James marked 21 years in Glendive and 34 years in the Office of Public Ministry.

James accepted the call to serve here at Our Redeemer in August of 2014 and was installed in September of 2014.

Stephanie is a homemaker and a tax preparer for H & R Block. Eric is a graduate of Notre Dame Law School, Josef is currently studying at the University of Notre Dame, and Jenna graduated from Our Redeemer Lutheran School in 2016 and is continuing her studies in high school.

Pastor Hageman and his family fervently pray that his service may be faithful to the Lord of the Church and to His people at Our Redeemer in Overland.