Jeff Doeringer

Church Background: My growing up years were spent attending Catholic elementary and high schools where I came to understand that God exists and is transcendent. In the mid-90s, I came to know God as personal as He began to speak within my own heart. My journey then took me to the evangelical church where I grew in appreciation of Scripture and conversational prayer. Today, I enjoy a rich combination of liturgical and spontaneous forms of worship, both of which are part of my spiritual life.

Spiritual Journey: I went searching for God “out there” as if He were external to me and lo and behold, I found Him in genuine ways through church community and beautiful services.  But then, I could no longer find him “out there”, so I went searching for God “in here” and lo and behold, as I stepped into the realm of self-understanding, I found Him there also.  But over time that faded and I could no longer find Him “out there” or “in here” though both were monumental parts of my journey.  In many ways, I’ve stopped searching for God and simply chose to be still and know He is God (Ps 46:10).   Now, I seem to find God all the time in all things.

Why Open Space? Open Space for God is the culmination of my life’s work and the passion of my heart. In sitting with all kinds of people over the past 25 years of ministry, from clergy on one end to those who aren’t sure who God is to them on the other, I have found a common denominator, and ironically, it doesn’t matter what a person says they “believe.” The common denominator, deep within the heart, is that we just can’t imagine God personally making Himself known in our everyday life, especially if those places involve pain, suffering, brokenness or failure. These are the places we hide from God, others and most of all ourselves; and yet, they represent ripe places in our lives where we should expect God to show up and lead us into wide open space.  “Under pressure I cried to the Lord. The Lord answered me. He set me in a wide open space.” (Ps 118:5, EHV)

For much of my journey, I navigated those without the companionship of a spiritual director.  Now that I’ve tasted what it’s like to have an extra set of eyes and ears spotting the movements of God in and through my life, I wouldn’t go without it and it makes me want to accompany others as a spiritual director. There is nothing like having the honor of accompanying a person into open space where God shows up and makes Himself known and everyone leaves changed and in awe.

Hobbies: I enjoy nature (especially when I go running), pour-over coffee, a strenuous workout, grilling, fireside conversations, audio books, travel and hospitality.

Personality Profile: I’m a 9 with an 8 wing on the Enneagram, an INFP on the Myers-Briggs and Red-Blue on the Strengths Deployment Indicator.

Family: I’ve been married to Nicole for 25 years. We have two boys and two girls who add more color and personality to our lives than we often know what to do with. The most unique thing about our family is that we are all good conversationalists. Some talk more than others, haha.