Pastor Jeff
Pastor Jeff Kahl and wife Cherith
The oldest of three children, Jeff was born and raised in the Roman Catholic Church by parents deeply committed to instilling in their children a reverence for the Lord and His Will. As a teenager, he was active in his church’s youth ministry program, and was encouraged by his parents, to be an avid Bible reader.
As a freshman at Ashland University in Ohio, Jeff came into contact with a group of deeply committed Evangelical Christians. “It was through those associations,” reveals Jeff, “that the grace of God became more real to me and I knew that the Holy Spirit was alive and active in my heart. It was then that I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and acknowledged Him as Lord of my life. The Director of Religious Life and some upperclassmen assisted in my discipleship and challenged me to grow in both knowledge and in likeness of Christ.”
During his junior year, Jeff was involved in campus ministry, led dormitory Bible studies and participated in a worship band, short-term mission teams and as a counselor at a Christian summer camp. By his senior year, Jeff sensed that God was calling him to seminary study, and upon graduating from Ashland University he began pursuing a Master of Theology at Ashland Theological Seminary, earning it in 2003.
Jeff has served for ten years in full-time ministry as Director of Christian Education and Youth Ministries and as a Ministry Associate for United Methodist and Presbyterian churches in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Jeff and Cherith were married in September of 2006. According to Jeff, “Cherith is my greatest source of encouragement, counsel and support and has brought a new depth to my walk with God.”
Jeff enjoys reading, composing music, playing the piano, watching movies, attending family and community activities, traveling to historic sites and occasionally playing golf.
“I have a passionate desire to be in a position of Christian leadership through which I can professionally and personally utilize my spiritual gifts, educational background, extensive experience in youth and music ministry and my genuine love of Christ and His people – to teach, to preach and to reach out to others with the Gospel message.”
“I believe that worship should be Christ-centered, with each service developed around a central theme. Scripture should also be central and purposeful, with the music, whether contemporary or traditional, done well to glorify God.”
Pastor John has been with us since the summer of 2001. He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from North Park Theological Seminary, and was ordained at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church. He is committed to teaching, discipleship, worship, and growing persons into their full identity as God's children.
