Jeffrey Skinner Is Helping Churches Reach the Next Generation

By Robert White, Editor-In-Chief

In an age when spiritual skepticism is high and generational disconnect threatens to widen the gap between tradition and relevance, Dr. Jeffrey Skinner offers a compelling bridge. With over 16 years of experience planting churches and mentoring leaders, Skinner is reshaping how modern ministry reaches those who feel most out of reach.

As the Global Director of Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) Academy and the founder of the nonprofit Missional Leadership Coaching, Skinner brings a unique combination of academic insight and real-world application. “My work is about equipping leaders to meet people where they are,” he says. “It’s not about converting them to your way of thinking—it’s about listening, loving, and walking with them.”

Skinner’s latest book, Reachable: Loving, Mentoring, and Leading. 7 Keys to Building the Church of the Next Generation, cuts through the noise of religious performance and focuses on relationship. It’s not a call to bigger stages or louder messages, but to intentional presence and authentic mentoring. “This generation isn’t looking for slick marketing,” he explains. “They’re looking for someone who actually sees them, hears them, and respects their questions.”

That mindset is central to Skinner’s mission. His work at DCPI centers on training church planters around the world, guiding them through nine core systems every new church must develop—from worship and outreach to discipleship and pastoral care. “We’re not giving people cookie-cutter models,” he says. “We help them listen to the heartbeat of their own community and build something from that soil.”

His approach is deeply rooted in empathy. As someone who came through what he describes as a “dark night of the soul” after 9/11, Skinner doesn’t shy away from faith deconstruction—he embraces it. “People aren’t rejecting God,” he says. “They’re rejecting an incomplete or inauthentic version of faith. If we show up ready to listen rather than lecture, we’ll discover they’re more open than we ever imagined.”

Missional Leadership Coaching, his nonprofit venture, furthers this work by training leaders not just to plant churches, but to lead them with vision, humility, and cultural awareness. “It’s about helping leaders see the church not as a destination, but as a mission field,” he notes. “Jesus didn’t say ‘bring people in’—he said ‘go.’ That changes everything.”

His hit podcast, Echoes Through Eternity, extends these conversations into the digital space, attracting a loyal following of listeners eager for thoughtful, spiritual discourse.

Reachable is more than a book—it’s a blueprint for relational leadership. Built on seven key principles, it calls readers to mentor, love, and lead with grace, especially in an era when so many feel unseen. “We’ve siloed ourselves,” Skinner laments. “Different denominations, different ideologies—we’re all just shouting past one another. Meanwhile, this next generation is standing there, lonely and full of questions. And the Church was built for exactly that.”

Whether you’re a pastor, mentor, or simply someone looking to lead well in your own sphere, Reachable offers a heartfelt, practical path forward. “It starts with presence,” Skinner says. “You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to show up.”

To hear more from Dr. Jeffrey Skinner and experience the full, unedited interview, tune in to The Savoir Faire Audio Experience—a behind-the-scenes conversation you won’t want to miss.