Jason Elder
I grew up
in a rural area outside of New Albany, MS. where I spent way too much time
watching G.I. Joe and spent thousands of hours playing basketball and hoping
that we'd one day get cable. When I was in 6th grade I became extremely aware
of my need for Jesus. I didn't fully understand it and spent the next few years
trying to escape his wrath by "only letting myself swear five times a day." Honest.
However, in 8th grade some friends invited to me church, and though I was oblivious
throughout the sermon , I was drawn to Jesus' invitation to
a fully forgiven life that is free from guilt and dread. I talked to someone afterward about my need for God's forgiveness and gave up control of my life to God. I "bowed my knee" to Jesus and verbalized by submission to him and my realization of his grace. A year later I felt a
"calling" to simply study the Scriptures and to communicate it to others in a
way in which they can hear it. Though tempted to do so at times, I've never
regretted it.
I graduated from Blue Mountain College where I majored in Biblical Studies. I then moved to northern California and attended Golden Gate Seminary where I received my Masters and met Robert and Mandy. One of the best things that happened to me during seminary was meeting Barb and getting to marry her. She turned my world upside down, which is what I needed. Our marriage has been filled with laughter and pain, just like life itself. We have logged several thousands of miles in road trips and absolutely love "doing life" together. I love her artwork and how she is so welcoming and inviting to all. I really benefit from her spiritual questions and insights and often steal them and put them in my sermons, though she'd never tell you.
In April of 2007 we celebrated the birth of our daughter, Violet, and have seen the amount of love in our family multiply. Barb is currently teaching art at Memphis Catholic High School and besides pastoring, I work for Farmers Insurance. We enjoy living in Cooper Young and couldn't really ask for better neighbors. We consider ourselves quite fortunate to be able to work along side Robert and Mandy; for it is not so often that you meet someone with whom you share so many common values.
Books: The Scriptures, Knowing God (J.I. Packer), Prayer (Richard Foster), The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Carson McCullers), The Brothers Karamazov, Life After God (Douglas Coupland), A.W. Tozer, Earl Palmer, Noel Tichy, Devotional Classics, The Celebration of Disciplines
Audio: Dave Matthews, Water Deep, Over the Rhine, Jeff Buckley, Miles Davis, The Kindlings Muse, The White Horse Inn
TV & Movies: 24, Dead Like Me, The Office, Hardball, YouTube, The Colbert Report, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, LOTR, Heroes
Sports Teams: Lakers and the Indianapolis Colts
Likes: Playing Basketball or Volleyball, Cards, Reading, Hangin with Fam, Writing, Traveling, Making People Laugh, Cooking Pastries, and the elixir of morning gods, Coffee
Directions to Church 
