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Shepherd’s Staff Mission Facilitators is a full-service missions ministry that exists
to glorify God by facilitating local churches and their members in fulfilling the
Lord’s commission to His church to make disciples of all nations. We are not a local
church, but a tool, a “staff”, if you will, available for use by the shepherd, (hence
the name, Shepherd’s Staff,) and/or the leadership of a local fellowship. Our God-given
and we believe, biblically based vision is brought into reality through our desire
and ability to assist local churches and their missionaries in one or more of the
following areas: Education, Consultation, Preparation, and Administration.
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In April of 1993, Pastor Jeff Jackson and his family returned to the United States
after more than 5 years pioneering Calvary Chapel of Cebu City in the central Philippines.
During their time serving in Cebu, Jeff and his family received exceptional missionary
care from their "home church," Calvary Chapel of Escondido, (Pastor Pat Kenney.)
This level of missionary care was generally provided to other missionaries by their
sending missions agency, not their home church.
While he was serving in the field, Jeff had numerous discussions with missionaries
from missions agencies, and also missionaries who had been sent directly from their
home churches. In most cases, those sent direct from their home churches received
very little missionary care. Those with agencies did receive care, but it wasn't
coming from those that they had years of relationship with.
Upon returning to the United States, he did extensive research on the relationship
between mission agencies, the home churches of missionaries, and the missionaries
themselves. After pioneering a new church in the San Diego area in 1994 and being
involved at a deep level with missions in general and missions within the Calvary
Chapel movement specificially, the Missionary God began to impart a vision for a
new and different type missions organization.
Convinced that local churches are the primary vehicle through which the living God
desires to reach the world, yet recognizing that mission agencies also serve a crucial
role in accomplishing the task of world evangelization, Pastor Jeff began "fleshing
out" the vision that God had given him to create a unique missions organization.
Moving forward from the concept that rather than having it's own vision of reaching
the world and then potentially being viewed as "exploiting" local churches to fulfill
it's own vision, this organization would exist to "empower" local churches to fulfill
the vision God had given them and their missionaries. This entity would FACILITATE
local churches as they took steps to fulfill the great commission by sending their
own to the mission field.
During a time of intense prayer and thought, God revealed to Jeff that the organization
was to be called Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators. He envisioned that the organization
would be a helpful and practical tool in the hands of a pastor of a local church,
similar to the staff that a real shepherd of sheep would use to care for the sheep
that were his responsibility. The ministry would be a practical expression of a
pastor's love for those members of his flock whom God would call to serve overseas,
facilitating that care at a number of different levels.
In early 1999, while pastoring Calvary International Fellowship in the Poway area
of San Diego, along with teaching the missions courses at the Calvary Chapel Bible
College in Murrieta, California, Pastor Jeff revealed the vision for Shepherd's
Staff to a number of missions knowledgeable pastors and leaders. The consensus response
was positive and he was encouraged to move forward and take the steps to bring the
ministry to life.
In May of 1999, he met with the executive director of Calvary Missions, (formerly
known as Survival ministries,) a missions agency within the Calvary Chapel movement.
Pastor Jeff had scheduled the meeting in order to inform the director of the vision
for Shepherd's Staff and how it was distinctly different than what Calvary Missions
was doing, (which was a more traditional, missions agency philosophy.) Upon hearing
the vision, the executive director of Calvary Missions informed Jeff that he had
been praying for someone to rise up with a fresh vision for missions and to take
the helm of the ministry of Calvary Missions! He then asked Pastor Jeff if he would
pray seriously about stepping in to his role as the executive director of Calvary
Missions. They both agreed to begin praying and seeking counsel and after confirmation
at a number of different levels, on Nov. 1, 1999 Pastor Jeff assumed the role of
executive director of Calvary Missions.
Less than a year later having been asked by Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa to change
the name of the ministry due to a mis-perception within the Calvary Chapel movement
regarding Calvary Missions, and because of the challenge of affecting a complete
philosophical change for the ministry, Pastor Jeff moved forward with incorporating
Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators as a non-profit 501c3 corporation. In late
2000, in accordance with counsel from a key member of ECFA (Evangelical Council
for Financial Accountability), and unanimous agreement from the board of directors,
the assets and the administration of funds of Calvary Missions was transferred over
to Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators and the corporation known as Calvary Missions
was terminated.
Due to increased opportunities for the growth of Shepherd's Staff, Jeff transitioned
out of the senior pastor role at Calvary International Fellowship in early 2003
and began directing Shepherd's Staff full time. As the result of physical problems
he began an arduous time of medical testing beginning in January of 2004 and was
diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, (A.L.S.) in May of that year. He resigned as
the executive director in early 2005, to spend time with his family and Ron Clipp
assumed the role of Executive Director.
In order to be better stewards of the resources provided by God, the U.S. office
was relocated from Southern California to Albuquerque, New Mexico in early 2005.
Ron and his family, along with Angie Weber, the office manager, and her family,
also relocated to Albuquerque which provided incredible stability during the time
of transition. As of this writing, Ron Clipp continues to be the executive director
of the ministry.
After the progression of the disease slowed substantially, Pastor Jeff was re-diagnosed
as having what is known as Kennedy's disease, (Spinal bulbar muscular atrophy,)
in September of 2006. In July of 2007, with his health somewhat stabilized, he stepped
back into a full time role with Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators as the director
of missionary care and church relations for the ministry, while continuing to reside
in Southeastern Nevada.
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