Jory and Amanda Leeper with children Violet, Sullivan, and Isla
Life Story
I grew up in Southwest Missouri and love wide-open spaces, hunting, fishing and camping. I was raised in a family that attended church on occasion, but never really understood why we went. Through the influence of my grandfather and some friends, I was saved at the age of seven. I understood that my life was missing something essential and Jesus was the answer to my problem. Despite God’s pursuit of me as a young child, it was a long time before I decided to follow Christ wholeheartedly.
By the time I was in high school, I found my identity in being a brawler, pursuer of women and a good-time seeker. I spent years of my life living for the weekend and caring about nothing else. Despite my rebellious heart, the Lord continued to graciously pursue me, working in my heart to help me see that without Christ I was a fool with no hope. I began to see that I was trying to build myself a kingdom with myself as king.
By God’s grace, I started to see the fruit of the Spirit in my life where the fruits of darkness had been so abundant before. As I matured in Christ, my desire to help others out of the chains of sin grew.
My last summer in college I ended up doing an internship at a church in West Plains, Missouri after my plans to work with a major investment firm in St. Louis fell through – This was not what I had planned on doing that summer but I ended up loving my time there and had the privilege of ministering to many that summer and learning about God’s heart for the church. It was that summer that I was called to pastor.
I couldn’t get enough of the Bible and I wanted to learn everything I could about God. I finished up college in Missouri and married my sweetheart Amanda in the summer and then moved to Louisville, Kentucky where I attended Southern Seminary and got involved with Sojourn Community Church, leading community groups and later going through the Pastor’s School under the leadership of the elders.
My wife and I moved back to Springfield after living in Kentucky for 3 ½ years and ended up meeting Greg and Nathan through LifePoint Church in Ozark. We decided to help plant Redeemer Church in North Springfield which has been an amazing journey. It has been such a joy to see God working in our city and redeeming a people to himself. My wife and I have three children: our daughter Violet, our son Sullivan and our daughter Isla.
Hope for Redeemer
My hope for Redeemer Church is that we would bring glory and honor to God by how we allow the Gospel to change all areas of life.