Introducing John Laffoon

John Laffoon joined our staff as the new Minister to Youth and Families on February 1. When you see him on Sunday, please make him feel welcome!

Imagine a simple little country church building in Kentucky and you’ll probably have a good image of where I grew up. From infancy, the church and my family taught me and showed me that Jesus loved me and the whole world. I thank our God for this great kindness and blessing.

The Lord also placed a fantastic youth minister in my life who walked with me spiritually as a Christian teenager. He suggested that I consider studying at Kentucky Christian University, which I did and enjoyed very much. I majored in Middle Grades Education and Biblical Studies.

After college, I taught World History to sixth graders for one year in Charlotte, North Carolina. I enjoyed teaching, but I discovered an exciting opportunity to serve as a youth minister in central California that I couldn’t resist. I served a wonderful congregation there for three years before the Lord provided me with another life-changing opportunity.

One of my best friends from college, and his wife, moved to Chile as missionaries to unchurched youth in the capital city, Santiago. They invited me to join them, so with the blessing of the California congregation, I packed up and headed south. I served there for three wonderful years before sensing a need and a desire for further theological studies.

In 2013, I began working on a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. The thinking, reading, studying, and praying that were required to complete the degree have been of inestimable worth to me. I also became particularly fascinated with Early Church studies (Patristics). Therefore, I stayed one additional year to complete a Master of Theology (Th.M.) in Historical Theology.

Now our God has given me this new opportunity to serve here at Christ Church as the Youth and Families Minister. I am so thankful and excited to see how the Holy Spirit works through me as I seek to serve Him and his Church.

Hobbies:
Tennis, pickleball, hiking, reading, basketball, soccer, guitar, piano, board games, running, traveling, language learning, and skateboarding.