About

Hello. I’m Jeff McLain, and I am grateful you’re here. Thanks for taking time to explore the Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos.

I serve as the Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where I walk alongside those experiencing homelessness. I also pastor at River Corner Church, a simple community of Jesus followers committed to Scripture, breaking bread, prayer, and fellowship.

My academic journey has taken me through Fuller Seminary (M.A. in Theology and Ministry, M.A. in Global Leadership) and City Vision University (MBA in Executive Leadership, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management). I’m currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Kairos University, researching the theological and practical implications of the Lord’s Prayer for spiritual formation and the life of the Church.

Along the way, I’ve moved from spiritual searching and chasing adventure to encountering Jesus, becoming a pastor, and learning how to follow Jesus with more intention, simplicity, and faithfulness. Each step of the way, I’ve grown deeply committed to leading a quiet life at a slower pace, embracing simplicity and faith in a chaotic world and a church culture often driven by excess. I try to live at a slower pace these days, anchored in a desire to be fully present to God, others, and my own soul.

Outside of ministry and studies, I create resources on prayer and formation, co-host the Discovering God Podcast Podcast, coach through Quiet Way Co., and make coastal-inspired art through Right Coastline. I’m happily married to Katie McLain, and we have three incredible, wonder-filled daughters. Though the punk and hardcore scenes shaped my youth, theology and contemplation my middle years, my dream is to grow old drinking coffee by the beach, selling t-shirts on the boardwalk, and spending more time in a hammock than I probably should—ideally with reggae playing in the background.

Some days, I still feel like a kid figuring out what I want to be when I grow up. I’m still learning what it means to follow Jesus—not always getting it right, but trying to say yes to Jesus a little more each day.  I love encouraging others along the way and would be glad to have a conversation over coffee.

You can find more of my work and story at jeffmclain.com.

About Lead a Quiet Life (on Patheos)

Lead a Quiet Life explores what it means to lead a quieter life at a slower pace, discovering a simple life and faith that embraces downward mobility in a chaotic world and a church often obsessed with excess.

Though my background includes Fundamental and Calvinistic roots, my journey has been shaped by Vineyard, Anabaptist, and contemplative expressions. I’ve come to deeply value the beautiful, wide mosaic of the Church and the many faithful ways of following Jesus.

This blog is written from a spiritual sojourner’s perspective—with humility, grounding, and simplicity. It reflects on life’s struggles, spiritual formation, and how to live out Jesus’ ways in the places we live, work, worship, and play. My writing draws from missional, evangelical, poetic, charismatic, historic, and contemplative streams, always rooted in Scripture and practical theology.

At the core of this blog is a quiet but subversive invitation from 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12:

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” (NIV)

I return to that verse often as a framework for living and writing. I believe that the quiet life is a resistant, faithful way of being present to God and others—and maybe even a vision of renewal for those who are disillusioned but still hopeful for what Christianity could look like in this chaotic world.

Let’s stay connected.

I’m currently pursuing a three-year Doctor of Ministry program at Kairos University (total cost: $10,800). Due to recent family and medical challenges, I’m inviting support through the Kairos Payment Form (Student: Jeffrey McLain, ID 6760), with more details available at jeffmclain.com.