Meet Jonathan Schaeffer, the New President of the U.S. Alliance

With a deep legacy of pastoral ministry and a life marked by spiritual devotion and global vision, Rev. Jonathan Schaeffer has been elected as the new President of the U.S. Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA).

Rev. Schaeffer’s four-year term will officially begin on August 1, 2025, ushering in a season of renewed commitment to the Alliance’s calling: “All of Jesus for All the World.”

“My hope,” Schaeffer shares, “is that we continue to expand our compassion for people who are marginalized from gospel impact.” As president, he envisions equipping and launching Kingdom workers of all generations, strengthening a culture of faithful prayer, joyful generosity, and global collaboration. “We didn’t invent the mission; we inherited it,” he adds. “It’s our turn to be faithful.”

Schaeffer’s journey into leadership is rooted in decades of faithful ministry and personal surrender. Born on February 18, 1965, Jonathan was the sixth of nine children raised in a Christ-centered home where prayer, authenticity, and global mission were daily realities. “My parents showed us what it looks like to ‘breathe in’ the Lord’s presence each day,” he recalls. That early spiritual environment shaped his heart for ministry and ignited a lifelong passion for Jesus and his mission.

That passion was tested and refined early in life. At the age of seven, after the tragic loss of a childhood friend, Jonathan placed his trust in Jesus—an experience that would become the cornerstone of his life. Years later, he and his wife Mary—his partner in ministry since 1988—felt a call to serve among unreached people groups. Yet, God redirected their steps when their newborn son faced serious cardiac issues. Through that season, the Lord opened new doors of local church ministry.

Jonathan and Mary have served faithfully in churches across New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. For over two decades, Jonathan led a lively church-planting and sending movement in Ohio, mobilizing dozens into vocational ministry and launching new campuses across the region.

Earning degrees from institutions such as Columbia International University, Alliance Theological Seminary, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Schaeffer’s theological and intercultural training has equipped him for national leadership. His heart, however, remains focused not on platforms, but on people—especially those on the margins of gospel access.

As they prepare to step into national leadership, the Schaeffer’s ask for our prayers for discernment, spiritual vitality, and unity in the U.S. Alliance church. “We long for a spiritual harvest that brings great glory to Jesus,” Jonathan says. “And we pray to remain deeply rooted in his Spirit’s guidance and power.”

The Alliance family both in the United States and around the world welcomes this new chapter with hope and anticipation, confident that God will continue to use Jonathan Schaeffer to advance his Kingdom purpose across nations and generations.

Jonathan and Mary are delighted in their growing family: five adult children, Lauren, Nathan, Joy, Anna, and Andrew, along with their spouses and three grandchildren, with more on the way. Their family life reflects their ministry values: hospitality, authenticity, and joy in the Lord.