Jeff Eckert
Teaching Pastor

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Jeff has served as Teaching Pastor at Gracelife Beachside since the church relaunched in January of 2018. This is his second church plant, as he helped plant GraceLife Church in Deltona, Florida in 2015 with his good friend, Tommy Clayton.

Jeff has been married to his wife Lauren for 8 years, and they have 3 sons - Jeremiah (7), Jono (6), and Jude (4). Jeff attended the Master's Seminary in Sun Valley, California where he has two earned masters degress - A Masters of Divinity (2010) and a Masters of Theology in New Testament (2013).

Jeff is also passionate about counseling and walking with people thru their pain and suffering. He is certified with the Association of Biblical Counselors.

Favorite Verse:
Jeff's "life verse" is Ephesians 3:8 - "God's grace was given to me to preach to unbelievers the unsearchable riches of Christ".

Favorite Quote:
“Holiness is nothing but the implanting, writing and living out the Gospel in our souls.” (John Owen)

You can catch Jeff every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM in the "Gathering Place" at Beachside - speaking the hope of the Gospel into the everyday issues of life.

Jason Linkinhoker
Outreach Pastor, Elder in Training

Jason was licensed to preach in the fall of 2019 - and is currently in the eldership ordination process. He has completed Phases 1 & 2 of the 3 step process - and is on track to be ordained to the Gospel Ministry in the spring of 2022.

Brad Gornto
Elder in Training

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Back in 2018, Brad and Cindy were not actively looking for a new church, but while renting a beach home in Ormond by the Sea for a month, they decided to worship at Gracelife Beachside. They fell in love with the Gospel culture that was preached and lived out there, and they felt called to become a part of the small but growing Gracelife family, becoming members in March of that year.

In 2020, Brad accepted Pastor Jeff’s invitation to pursue eldership and has completed the first two phases of his training to be an elder. He is on track to complete the third and final phase of his training in 2022.

Currently, Brad leads the New Members Class, and also serves Gracelife Beachside in various other ways, including providing his legal, administrative, and tax expertise on a pro-bono basis to the church. Cindy regularly serves in Children’s Ministry and together they lead a Gracelife Beachside home group that meets in their home.

Brad is an attorney who has been practicing law in the greater Ormond/Daytona Beach area for over 20 years. He’s been married to his wife, Cindy, for 21 years, and together they have four children – Bryce, Owen, Joel and Daisy.

Favorite Bible Verses:

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” - Matthew 6:33

“(May you be) strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” - Colossians 1:11-14

Favorite Quotes:
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.”
- Augustine of Hippo

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” - C.S. Lewis