Meet Our Lead Pastor:

• Our Lead Pastor is Jeff Barbieri was born in Newark, New Jersey and was raised in Middlesex Boro. He graduated from The College of New Jersey with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Upon graduation Jeff worked for several years in the corrections field. It was during this time that Jeff accepted Jesus as his savior. Only two years after coming to faith Jeff felt the leading of the Lord to full time vocational service. God’s call lead Jeff to take a year of pre seminary Bible training at Spurgeon Baptist Bible College in Mulberry, Florida, then go on to Northwest Baptist Seminary in Tacoma Washington. Jeff graduated from Northwest in 1985 with a Masters of Divinity degree and both the senior preaching and theology awards.

  While in Tacoma Jeff began his vocational service as the youth pastor at Southside Baptist Church serving there three and half years. In 1988, Jeff, now married to his wife Lorie, relocated to Indianapolis Indiana where they planted Carmel Bible Church.  The church grew but so did Jeff’s desire to see the message of Jesus shared in his home state of New Jersey. So in 1996, Jeff, Lorie, and their two sons Mike and Tim, stepped out in faith to return to New Jersey to serve Christ.

  The Barbieri family began its ministry in Neptune helping a church plant. That church soon merged with Immanuel Baptist Church in Howell forming Immanuel Bible Church. 

  In November of 2003 the Lord lead the Barbieri family to leave Immanuel. It was during this time that a group of believers approached Jeff about starting a grace driven church in southern Monmouth and Northern Ocean counties. After much prayer and confirmation from the Lord, Pastor Jeff joined in with several leading Christian men to begin laying the foundation for Grace Christian Church. Today Pastor Jeff serves Grace Christian as its lead pastor with a heart of joy!