After several mission trips and experiencing the fellowship and eagerness of pastors to be equipped for Gospel ministry, it became clear the Lord was calling us to serve Him in this way. So, as we neared completion of our pastoral ministry, we sensed God’s calling and are very excited to serve with ELI in accomplishing this purpose in a structured and Spirit lead environment.

In 2022, Jeff retired from pastoral ministry after 32 years as senior pastor of Evangel Church, P.C.A. in Alabaster, AL., having served in several other capacities prior to that. Jeff received his B.A. from Belhaven College, his M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from RTS/Highlands Theological College, Dingwall, Scotland. Jeff has taught systematic theology and homiletics at Birmingham Theological Seminary. He has also traveled multiple times to train pastors with Evangel’s mission ministry, Mission To The World and Globeworks International Ministry. Sharing ELI’s heart to equip pastors who do not have ready access to Biblical and theological training, he responded to the Lord’s calling to equip national pastors and leaders.

Jeff and Sallie were married after their second year of seminary. Sallie has a counseling degree from RTS, Jackson. Before going to seminary, she served with Campus Crusade for Christ at Texas Tech and Vanderbilt. After raising their children, she returned to counseling and is in private practice as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Jeff and Sallie have three children Sarah, Hughes and Jeffery, who is with the Lord, and three beautiful granddaughters and one handsome grandson

Initially, Jeff will serve as a Faculty Instructor across a number of ELI’s partnerships as a co-teacher both in-person and via Zoom. Eventually, Jeff will partner with one of ELI’s new partners as a “Partnership Coordinator” to develop another leadership development and training program.