Nathan Jeffords
Mayville,MI
Summary
I am a seasoned Lead Pastor offering 21 years of experience in affective pastoral care in providing spiritual leadership to multiple growing churches. I am committed to creating thriving communities of faith and guiding individuals as they are transformed by gospel. I have a successful background in organizational leadership, ministry program development and kingdom central mission-oriented strategic planning. I am passionate about reaching the unchurched and creating a place where God's people can gather together, grow in their faith through discipleship and be empowered through the Holy Spirit to go out and make an impact in the world.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Pastor
Detroit Confrence UMC
07.2012 - Current
- Enhanced congregation growth by implementing innovative outreach programs and community engagement initiatives.
- Fostered spiritual development through the creation and implementation of dynamic sermon series and small group studies.
- Provided pastoral care to congregation members, offering guidance, support, and counseling when needed.
- Collaborated with church leadership to develop strategic plans for ministry expansion and sustainability.
- Oversaw financial management for the church, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources and budget allocation.
- Recruited trained, and mentored volunteer leaders to assist in various ministries, enhancing overall effectiveness.
- Implemented new discipleship programs aimed at deepening believers'' understanding of their faith journey.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities to maintain relevant knowledge in theology and pastoral leadership practices.
- Communicated effectively with church staff members to ensure efficient coordination of administrative tasks and event planning.
- Assisted families during times of crisis by providing compassionate pastoral care, prayer support, and guidance.
- Promoted interfaith dialogue by engaging in respectful conversations with representatives from other religious traditions.
- Provided premarital counseling and officiated weddings, helping couples establish a strong foundation for their marriages.
- Planned and conducted worship services, wrote sermons, and worked with key church leaders to carry out church mission.
- Supervised associate pastors and staff leading education, youth, pastoral care, and older adult ministry programs.
- Officiated special services such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, and nursing home services.
- Provided spiritual care through visitation, counseling, and prayer.
- Worked with stewardship to promote responsible biblical stewardship.
Youth Pastor
Bethel Assembly Of God
07.2009 - 07.2012
- Revitalized youth ministry by developing engaging programs and activities focused on spiritual growth.
- Enhanced community outreach efforts by organizing mission trips, volunteer projects, and fundraising events.
- Mentored young adults through one-on-one counseling sessions, fostering personal development and spiritual growth.
- Collaborated with church leadership to develop strategies for growing the congregation's youth ministry program.
- Strengthened relationships between families and the church by hosting family-focused events and providing resources for parents.
- Improved communication among youth group members with regular social media updates, newsletters, and announcements about upcoming events.
- Organized successful retreats that provided opportunities for spiritual reflection, personal growth, and fellowship among peers.
- Utilized various teaching techniques to effectively communicate biblical truths to young people in an engaging and relevant manner.
- Conducted regular evaluations of youth ministry programs to ensure continued growth and development, making adjustments as needed based on feedback from participants and church leadership.
- Supported young adults during times of transition by offering guidance, resources, and encouragement for pursuing their faith journey outside the context of formal youth ministry programming.
- Managed budgets responsibly while prioritizing spending on essential materials needed for effective programming in line with church goals.
Military Chaplain
US Army Reserve
01.2006 - 07.2012
- Provided spiritual guidance to soldiers and leadership staff members by conducting regular counseling sessions and ministry of presence.
- Developed relationships with soldiers and their families, resulting in increased trust and rapport during difficult times in their lives.
- Organized and led religious services for diverse groups within the military community, fostering a sense of unity and belonging.
- Served as a trusted resource on religious traditions, customs, practices across various faiths within the units i was providing care fore.
- Assisted military personnel coping with trauma by providing spiritual support during deployment transitions.
- Applied knowledge regarding crisis interventions to assist in emergency situations.
- Provided spiritual care through visitation, counseling, and prayer.
- Led programs such as worship, study, fellowship, and service opportunities.
Youth Pastor
Bethany UMC
07.2005 - 07.2009
- Revitalized youth ministry by developing engaging programs and activities focused on spiritual growth.
- Enhanced community outreach efforts by organizing mission trips, volunteer projects, and fundraising events.
- Mentored young adults through one-on-one counseling sessions, fostering personal development and spiritual growth.
- Increased youth group attendance by creating dynamic worship services tailored to engage a younger audience.
- Collaborated with church leadership in developing strategies, implementation and oversight of an after school program for Middle School and High School aged teenagers.
- Implemented creative solutions for generating excitement about youth ministry events using social media.
- Ensured a safe environment for all participants during activities by adhering to strict safety guidelines and protocols.
- Maintained accurate records of attendance, event details, financial information, and contact information for all youth ministry participants.
- Planned and conducted worship services, wrote sermons, and worked with key church leaders to carry out church mission.
Education
Master of Divinity - Theology
Ashland Theological Seminary
Ashland, OH05.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Missions
Central Bible College
Springfield, MO05.2005
Skills
- Disciple-Making
- Small Group Facilitation
- Mercy Ministry
- Organizational Leadership
- Leadership Development
- Preaching
- Staff Management
- Public Speaking
- Spiritual Leadership
- Biblically Based
- Crisis Intervention
- Spiritual Guidance
- Biblical Knowledge
- Volunteer Management
- Pastoral Counseling
- Operations Management
- Teaching
- Shepherding
- Team building
- Strategic planning
- Hospital visitation
- Conflict resolution
- Pastoral care
- Community outreach
- Event planning
- Worship planning
- Effective communication
- Bible Based
- Marriage counseling
- Vision casting
- Individual Counseling
- Grief Counseling
Timeline
Lead Pastor
Detroit Confrence UMC
07.2012 - Current
Youth Pastor
Bethel Assembly Of God
07.2009 - 07.2012
Military Chaplain
US Army Reserve
01.2006 - 07.2012
Youth Pastor
Bethany UMC
07.2005 - 07.2009
Master of Divinity - Theology
Ashland Theological Seminary
Bachelor of Arts - Missions
Central Bible College