After five years in the staffing industry, three in health care and two working exclusively with churches while on staff at MinisterSearch, I (Jim Nutt) launched my own effort to be a church staffing resource in June of 2005. The original name of the company was 'Church Staff Solutions'. A year and a half later I concluded that while 'Church Staff Solutions' communicated what I did, no one was remembering the name! I was repeatedly & mistakenly associated with other firms within the church world like... 'ChurchStaffing.com' for instance. Wanting to brand my efforts in a way that would ‘stick’ in your mind, I eventually settled on the name 'The Shepherd’s Staf'.

Right in the middle of re-branding including developing this website, I was blessed beyond my imagination when Greg Allen asked to join me which he did in June of this year (’07). Greg and I had worked together the two years I was at MinisterSearch. I starting hoping that we would work together again the day I left...but my best guess was that the opportunity to do so was still a year or two away! Greg brings eight years of experience in the staffing industry five of which have been working only with churches. But beyond his experience with the art and craft of 'search', he brings serious spiritual depth, significant church leadership experience, and a sincere commitment to best interest of you and your church.

And then Ryan English joined us! Ryan spent the last two years working as Greg’s ‘right hand’. Consequently you know he has as strong a foundation in our endeavors as anyone can have. In addition to his degree in ministry and his two years of experience in church staffing, Ryan brings a very mature dedication to both the local church as well as the entire body of Christ. Far sooner than I had imagined, The Shepherd's Staf was three strong!

And then Darrell Whipple joined us! Greg and I both worked with Darrell at MininsterSearch while Darrell’s wife Shelly pursued her chiropractic degree. We both saw first hand how gifted he is at discovering the best possible fit for your open staff positions. When Greg and I asked each other who we wanted to invite to make us a foursome, Darrell was at the top of both of our lists. When we caught up with Darrell he was back home in Georgia and Shelly’s practice was thriving...and the timing was right for him to open our Atlanta office which he did in September of this year (’07). One of the many reasons Darrell is so good at what we do, is that he is one of you! He was a full-time associate pastor at 21 and has a total of eleven years of full-time worship pastor experience. So yet again, we were blessed with far more far sooner than I could have imagined.

I am more excited about this team that The Shepherd is enabling us to build than I have ever been about a team I have been a part of...and there have been a few. Each of us is committed, individually and as a team, to being as useful and unique a tool as a staff in The Shepherd’s hand so that He is able to empower you and your church through our services. We would all agree that we are just getting started, but what a start! The four of us have over eighteen years of experience in the staffing industry. Twelve of those have been spent working with churches exclusively. Between us we have two degrees in ministry, a degree and a minor in music, a degree in psychology and a graduate degree in counseling. We are all actively serving our respective churches in leadership roles that include/have included: ministry leader, teacher, deacon, elder, interim, part time & full time staff. In addition we have each been prepared for this time and place through an assortment of experiences that only God could make sense of...and so He has.

We are having a great deal of fun following where He is leading. We know that one of the ways that God will continue to lead us is through your ideas, suggestions and requests. So give us a ‘click’. We love ideas and know that even a silly one straight out of nowhere can lead to the one that makes the biggest difference. We want to journey with you and you with us and to anticipate together the next time (and the next time, and the time after that...) God chooses to bless us with more than we are asking or imagining as He confirms our efforts to follow His lead.