About

Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission, Pastor at River Corner Church, Doctor of Ministry student at Kairos University, husband, dad, and author of Lead a Quiet Life on Patheos.

Jeff McLain writes the Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos, exploring Christian spiritual formation, the Lord’s Prayer, and the call of 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 to lead a quiet life in a noisy world.

Jeff is a pastor, writer, and spiritual sojourner seeking to follow Jesus through simple faith and everyday discipleship. His writing reflects on how ordinary practices—prayer, Scripture, hospitality, and community—form resilient followers of Jesus in a culture often shaped by hurry, platform-building, and excess. Through Lead a Quiet Life, Jeff invites readers to rediscover a slower, deeper way of faith rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the everyday rhythms of Christian life.

About the Lead a Quiet Life Blog

This blog 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. Jeff returns often to the invitation found in 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 as a framework for living and writing, believing that the quiet life is a resistant and faithful way of being present to God and others—and perhaps even a vision of renewal for those who are disillusioned but still hopeful about what Christianity could look like in this chaotic world.

Ministry and Work

Jeff serves as the Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he walks alongside individuals experiencing homelessness and helps cultivate communities of care, prayer, and restoration. He also pastors River Corner Church, a simple community of Jesus followers rooted in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, committed to the Scriptures, shared life, and prayer.

Jeff McLain teaching and exploring the way of Jesus in ordinary spaces.

Jeff McLain exploring the way of Jesus.

Education and Writing

Jeff is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Kairos University, researching the theological, historical, and practical implications of the Lord’s Prayer for the Church. He previously completed a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry and a Master of Arts in Global Leadership from Fuller Seminary, as well as an MBA in Executive Leadership from City Vision University. He also co-hosts the Discovering God Podcast, which helps people encounter God through Scripture and thoughtful theological conversation.

Life Outside the Work

Jeff lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with his wife Katie and their three daughters. Though the punk and hardcore scenes and seasons of wandering shaped his youth, and theology and contemplation have shaped his middle years, his dream is to grow old drinking coffee by the beach, selling T-shirts on the boardwalk, and spending more time in a hammock than he probably should—ideally with reggae playing in the background.

Some days Jeff still feels like a kid figuring out what he wants to be when he grows up. He is 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. He enjoys encouraging others along the way and is always glad to have a conversation over coffee.

You can find more of Jeff’s writing and story at jeffmclain.com.

Katie & Jeff McLain enjoy a quiet moment by the water.