Our Story
We met as freshmen at Purdue University, but we did not experience love at first sight. Initially, we did not find each other interesting. Two years later, we developed a friendship while serving as student leaders in CRU. Our first date (see picture) included 12 friends and a riverboat. We married in 1989.
During our college years, we both gave our vocations to building His Kingdom. After seminary training, Dave worked on staff with Youth for Christ. In the late 1990s, we planted a church. Over the next 25 years, we worked in local churches, non-profit organizations, and the marketplace. Jayne taught high school English in a church-based school. She has also discipled women and led a freedom ministry. Her resume includes two devotional books. Dave has worked with college students, raised money for a national ministry, led international missions, and served as an executive pastor. He has also served as a consultant for ministries and coached leaders in the U.S., India, China, Africa, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Together, we wrote The Seven Essential Conversations: A Guide for Disciples Who Make Disciples.
Dave
Seminary gave me valuable knowledge, but it didn’t prepare me to lead amid the personal expectations of elders, staff, and church members. Therefore, these unmet expectations created unnecessary conflict and frustration. Welcome to vocational ministry!
I understand church ministry from many perspectives. As an executive pastor, I led a multiple-staff team and oversaw a multi-million-dollar budget. While on a church staff team, I have been involved with three capital campaigns and navigated a church through a pandemic. I have earned a Lean Six Sigma black belt and have been a certified Executive Coach through ICF. I even served as an elder at a church that had let me go from full-time staff one year previously!
I can probably relate to your situation.
Jayne
When I was in preschool, I told my mom, “I can’t wait until I can read so I can know what books say.” I fell in love with reading and taught all my stuffed animals how to read. For 13 years, I worked in public and private schools, teaching high school English. After our three children graduated from high school, I retired from teaching and turned to writing a blog and devotional books and leading a freedom ministry.
As a pastor’s wife, I often struggled to find my place in the church. Sensing a call to vocational ministry while in college, I have never really fit the typical profile of a pastor’s wife. Working in my strengths of writing and teaching, I have written devotional books and a blog. I teach Bible studies and speak to women. As a ministry leader, I led a freedom ministry, teaching about our Christ-centered identity and praying with individuals with wounds from their past. I am a certified coach through the National Association of Christian Counselors.
