Jonathon Clinesmith is a pastor, writer, and well-meaning, slightly confused human who spends way too much time wrestling with life’s big questions. He holds an MDiv from St. Paul School of Theology and has had the privilege (and sometimes the challenge) of serving in nearly every role the church has to offer—senior pastor, youth minister, worship leader, and even full-time foreign missionary. He’s been all over the world trying to love people in the name of Jesus, from rural Oklahomans struggling with poverty to Syrian refugees in Jordan. He’s walked with people in their highest moments of joy and their deepest moments of doubt, and he knows firsthand that faith isn’t always neat, tidy, or easy.

Jonathon is originally from the Oklahoma Panhandle, a sparse and desolate region where the winds whip relentlessly and the sunsets are breathtaking. He co-hosts a podcast about the area, bringing a quirky, honest perspective to life in a region often overlooked. He met his wife, Jamie, while doing mission work in southern Mexico, and he’s well aware that he outkicked his coverage. Together, they’re raising two kids: Jobe, a newly minted teenager with a sharp mind (and a sarcasm streak), and Sadie, a wildflower of a daughter who keeps the household lively and unpredictable. Their two dogs, Lucy and Pauly, are weird but well-loved, like the family they’re part of.

Jonathon loves Jesus and he loves people. He believes the real work of faith isn’t about having everything together—it’s about living honestly in the mess, finding God in the places we least expect, and being okay with not having all the answers... while still holding onto hope.