People that have worked with Jeff describe him as a great listener who asks powerful questions. This is rooted in his belief that God is always speaking to us, and that if we would slow down and pay attention to the work He is doing in our lives, that He will guide us. Jeff sees his role in creating a space for people to hear from God.
To help cultivate these listening skills, Jeff obtained his Professional Life Coach certification from the Professional Christian Coaching Institute. He took his training as a Spiritual Director from Sustainable Faith.
Streams that have Influenced Jeff’s Worldview of Ministry
Since 2010, Jeff have been immersed in Life Model Works and ThriveToday. These ministries have been heavily influenced by neurotheologian Jim Wilder, who combines relationships, brain science and the work of the Holy Spirit. Wilder learned of cutting edge research in the field of interpersonal neurobiology from secular researchers like Dan Siegel and Daniel Amen and married it with the Christian perspective to help train people in relational skills.
A game changer for Jeff is learning Immanuel Prayer from Dr. Karl Lehman as a means of hearing God speak to him on a daily basis. The shift from knowing about God—a thinking experience—to a loving relationship with God has been the greatest help in his Christian walk. Jeff guides people in Immanuel Prayer to help them hear from God and do inner healing work.
Attachment Theory has been a very helpful model for Jeff in his personal life and in helping others. God’s primary purpose for creating us is that we attach to Him and others, yet most of us have holes in our ability to attach in healthy ways. Understanding our attachment styles and most importantly, learning over time to attach more securely to God and others is one of most important work we do as humans. Jeff’s redemption story is cooperating with God and learning to attach to Him from his dismissive attachment style.
Another modality that Jeff has found to be very helpful is Internal Family Systems, or Parts Work. The premise is that we have parts of us that are a subsystem, and that sometimes these parts are burdened from painful experiences from our past. Being curious and getting to know these parts can contribute to inner healing, even in areas were we are not aware of in our subconscious. Jeff often mixes Parts Work and Immanuel Prayer in his work with clients.
When Jeff took his Spiritual Direction training, he learned much from the teaching and practices of Ignatius of Loyola, a mystic who is immensely practical on how to live out our faith. Practices such as the daily Examen and Centering Prayer have been extremely helpful to Jeff and others in learning to abide in God.
After working in the marketplace in middle management for 20 years, he founded and grew a financial planning firm for the last 25 years. He is now semi-retired. He leads groups for Christian business owners interested in developing their faith, having a strong family life and growing their business. Jeff wrote the book, Created in God’s Image to Reign as a theological premise for Kingdom Businesses.
Jeff has been active in local churches wherever he has lived, leading small groups and serving in senior leadership. Jeff has been married to Sharon for over 40 years and has two grown children. They live in Iowa near their daughter Rose, married to Willie, with grandkids in middle and high school. Their son Ben lives in Davenport.