User:Jeffreymclain/Jeff McLain

Jeff is an amalgamation of sorts. Born and raised in the heart of rural Pennsylvania (as a 16th Generation Lancaster Countian), he has always felt called to bigger things, bigger dreams. As a teenager, he hoped those bigger things would include record deals and hit songs, but when his band failed to go anywhere, Jeff didn't quit dreaming.

Over 9 years after his first venture into the music industry, Jeff has seen the Christian music industry from many different sides; as a promoter in central Pennsylvania, as a road pastor for touring bands, as a member of the Pro-Life group Rock for Life, even as a roadie and a sound technician. And after all of these years, he now feels called to a more personal ministry, prompting him to turn again to speaking and serving in what God has placed on his heart.

At the heart of Jeff, he has a desire to lead people to the same hope and purpose that God has for all of us. With a firm belief that if we are not actively planting life in others, then we are destroying life, Jeff has a strong love for community and relationship building. Though peacekeeping and social justice issues are close to his heart, primarily he is concerned with living a life pleasing to God, and emulating Jesus in every way he can, even when that means blessing those that curse me and loving the unlovable.

Jeff tries to live out his convictions, and after feeling called to homeless ministry, spent countless nights living on the streets of Philadelphia, putting names and stories to faces so often overlooked. It is from these experiences with this often over-looked community that The Streets of Hope was written. This collection of stories and essays is a call to arms, a charge for the followers of Christ of this generation to serve and love everyone without showing prejudice or passing judgment.

Many years have passed since he had hoped his band or musical endevors would get him into the music industry. His life time has been full of hope, that over come ups and downs. He has watched his father battle stage four cancer for 2 years and witnessed the breakup of a church family he once belonged to (and seen the consequent disillusionment inherent within). Despite these obstacles, he is still a dreamer.

With a peace loving past and a heart for relevant social issues like abortion, homelessness, peace and the environment, Jeff is ready for the next chapter of his life.

He has endured many difficulties and done his best to persevere, gaining wisdom and a clear vision of how followers of Christ in this generation should be living and serving and loving, and a strong desire to help bring about this change.

After interning for two years at his home church (Lancaster Vineyard) with the sole reason to one day plant and minister in a Church and after a year and a half of overseeing a innercity neighborhood justice intiative (Friends of Crystal Park); Jeff has moved from his home (Downtown Lancaster, PA) to begin work in the Stafford/Fredericksburg Virginia metro.

Besides remaining as a Artist Agent (Booking, Management, Development & Representation) through the North Coast Agency; Jeff will be contining to give action to his voice and vision that all life has the equal right to live and that it is never okay to take a human life by remaining on the Speakers Bureau for Every Church a Peace Church and by taking on the roles of Artist Relations & Tour Manager at American Life League's Rock for Life project.

Jeff's work with Rock for Life and other Organizations has been featured in numerous publications, newspapers as well as a book from Washington Post journalist Lauren Sandler; Righteous: Dispatches from the Evangelical Youth Movement