My life has been deeply shaped by the faithful presence, care and loving wisdom of Joe, Ken and Roger. They have accompanied me through the many seasons of my soul and stages of maturity and ministry. They loved me more than what I could produce and consistently helped to anchor me in identity as the wellspring of purpose. As a team they are skilled, patient and Spirit-led.

Their contribution goes well beyond my own spiritual formation into the culture of our leadership teams and church. They have helped us form the practice of discernment in a team environment of mutual honor and submission. We have been equipped to navigate challenging relational conflicts and team transitions under their guidance and care. Jesus has beautifully marked our church through this ministry!

– Adam, Team Leader

The discernment process modeled and facilitated by Joe helped me to more fully integrate my personal and pastoral relationship with God in ways that have resulted in a greater degree of peace, clarity, and trust. I find myself personally praying more for the Lord’s provision, guidance, wisdom, and direction in situations, and processing those situations in prayer and reflection afterwards as well. It’s been very helpful to have a framework for understanding how my own feelings about something (“consolation”, “desolation”, “indifference”, etc.) should be weighed alongside what myself and others believe the Holy Spirit might be saying or doing.

It has also shaped the culture of our leadership team, particularly in the way we see our leadership as an expression of our discipleship and growth into maturity. As a result, we are spending unhurried time in prayer at the front end of our leadership meetings, regularly gauging how each person is feeling about decisions being made and potential directions we are sensing, and establishing a habit of having open-ended conversations built around reflection and learning from previous decisions. The process Joe led us through has helped us to take discernment more seriously while also deepening our trust in each other and our willingness to share our perspective more openly along with anything we might be sensing from God. Joe’s input has really cemented our understanding of church leadership as something to be done in community, through consistent interaction with the Holy Spirit.

– Nathan, Pastor

This process with Joe really shaped my personal growth as an elder, by facilitating the space to explore more about what discernment looks like and how I can incorporate different aspects of it. He helped me understand more about the practices such as consolation and desolation and how the act of surrendering interplays with discernment. He also helped me to show more grace to myself in the process, and to understand more about my role as an elder in caring for the church and staff.

This has helped our eldership team understand the nuances of spiritual discernment, and more of an understanding of what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit. It has led us to take time to discern apart from each other and then come together and share with each other and discern that as a group. This orientation has shifted our gaze to want to function as a discerning body together and not just focus on more administrative tasks. Additionally, we have made a commitment to each other, to let each other know if/when there would be a significant event, which would possibly change the dynamics of the team. This has created more of a culture of transparency in our team.

– Rebekah, Elder

Joe served as a pastoral coach to me during my first lead pastorate, and his presence was both stabilizing and deeply formative. He consistently tended to my soul while helping me sort through the weight of leadership, competing voices, and interior pressures that come with shepherding a church. In moments when I felt pulled toward reactivity, frustration, or self-interest, Joe offered a calm, prayerful, and judgment-free space to unburden my heart and be gently realigned with the gospel. His guidance helped me lead with greater clarity, humility, and freedom, and I cannot overstate the personal impact of his care.

At the same time, Joe walked with our elders and helped craft an intentional enrichment and team-building experience that shaped us into a mutually discerning body. He laid a bedrock foundation that continues to support our growth as a leadership community. Through shared practices and thoughtful guidance, he equipped us with tools for communication, conflict resolution, and communal discernment. Because of his work, our elders have been able to navigate tough times that otherwise may have fractured us irreparably. I believe that is the richest testament to Joe’s work, it does not ensure peace, it helps you and your team find peace, and each other, in Jesus when there is none. I recommend Joe without hesitation to any leader or team seeking depth, wisdom, and durable formation.

– Patrick, Lead Pastor