Rev'd Dr. Jonathan L. Jeffords
Senior Minister
901.754.8587 ext. 8142
jjeffords@covenantumc.org
Our Senior Minister, "Johnny" Jeffords, was appointed to Covenant in June, 2009.
The son of a United Methodist pastor, Johnny is a native of Paducah, Kentucky. He has lived throughout West Tennessee and Western Kentucky. However, he calls Memphis home, having attended high school, college, and served as pastor in the city for many years. He was ordained an Elder in The United Methodist Church in 1992.
He earned his
- B.A., Memphis State University, 1987
- M.Div., The Divinity School - Vanderbilt University, 1990
- D.Min., Wesley Theological Seminary, 2000
Johnny's doctoral thesis centered on the unique character of the "method" of Methodism as a means to come closer to the mind of Christ, with particular focus on the spirituality of the clergy. Methodists have, from their Wesleyan beginnings, understood this method through relationship with the poor in their midst.
Johnny has been under bishop's appointment since 1987. He has served the following congregations:
- Associate Pastor, Old Hickory in Nashville; 1987-1988
- Cainsville Circuit, near Murfreesboro; 1988-1990
- Clopton-Macedonia Charge, in Tipton County; 1990-1992
- Associate Pastor, Asbury, Memphis; 1992-1997
- Bemis, in South Jackson, 1997-2001
- Saint John's, Memphis, 2001-2009
Johnny is a professed member of The Order of Saint Luke, a religious order birthed in The United Methodist Church dedicated to liturgical scholarship and practice. He serves as adjunct faculty at Memphis Theological Seminary where has has taught courses on The United Methodist Book of Worship as well as "John Wesley and the Poor."
Johnny has a deep and abiding love for Lakeshore United Methodist Assembly, the camping ministry arm of the Memphis Annual Conference. It was there that the first hints of God's call to ministry was discerned when he was a boy. He served as camper, counselor, dean, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Visit Lakeshore's website, where you can learn more about Lakeshore's ministry, and make a gift to the camp scholarship fund established in memory of Johnny's brother, and longtime Lakeshore friend, Jimmy Jeffords.
Music is an integral part of Johnny's life and ministry. Of the role of integrating music into his practice of ministry, Johnny says, "Music is the language of the heart. It lifts the spirit in ways the spoken word cannot." He is co-founder of the group Glad River - a musical ministry of justice and peace, which toured across the Conference during the 1990's-early 2000's. Their CDs are "Unity", recorded in 1996, and "Peace" recorded in 2003.
Johnny is married to Kristy, and together they have three children.