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Jeff Gaskin is an influential board of Trustees member at SES. During the 1970’s, Jeff was attending graduate school at Cornell in upstate New York and began questioning his Christian faith. Jeff was raised in a loving; Christian home for his entire life, but he found himself repeatedly asking himself if everything he grew up learning was actually true.
At this time, Jeff was introduced to a book called “More Than a Carpenter” by Josh McDowell. He started to digest other resources like this one and was deeply encouraged. Jeff’s faith was renewed, and he felt emboldened by the evidence-based facts that he could now stand on. He began to take what he was learning in his personal time with God and teach Sunday School classes at church.
Jeff returned to North Carolina in 2008 and discovered the book, “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist” by Dr. Norm Geisler. Over the course of his life, Jeff has returned to this book six times and counting. “I never met Norm Geisler, but this book gave me strong, intellectual arguments. I could help people be open to the Bible through their brain before getting to their heart”, said Jeff.
On his daily commute to work, Jeff would drive past SES twice. He was familiar with the seminary’s work but never stopped in. Jeff admits to wishing that he would have taken the time to meet Dr. Geisler in those years because of the deep impact he had made on his life.
It was not until just two years ago that Jeff decided to attend the annual apologetics conference. He took over sixty pages of notes and hung on every word that he was learning. Jeff met Frank Turek at this time and eventually SES president, Phil Ginn at a ministry event that followed the conference. Jeff and Phil connected on many things, and the two seemed to cross paths on multiple occasions. President Ginn formally asked Jeff if he would like to be considered for the Board of Trustees at SES.
Though Jeff did not take courses at SES, his involvement today is something that has aligned with his passion for apologetics that took root all those years ago while attending Cornell. Jeff has spent over forty years working in the financial services industry. “It is my mission field. I have decided it is a lot easier to talk to people about their faith when I don’t know them. It is more difficult to talk to those in my backyard”, said Jeff. Jeff shared that his understanding of apologetics has made these conversations with stranger’s easier overtime. Providing evidence-based facts about Christianity has reduced his likelihood of getting immediately rejected and allowed people to be more open to hearing what he has to share.
While teaching Sunday School and leading high school students has been a tremendous passion for Jeff, his testimony has been most shaped through parenting his son, Brian. Brian was born in 1983 and has special needs. He is deaf and blind and has lived through many hardships over the span of his life. Though there has been tremendous difficulty, the family has experienced countless miracles pertaining to care and education for Brian. “His whole story is an incredible faith journey for us”, said Jeff.
Jeff reflects often of many stories where God worked miracles on behalf of Brian. When there seemed to be no way, the Lord moved mountains for the Gaskin family. At just four years old, Brian’s needs were growing in complexity, and he was in need of 24/7 care. Jeff and his wife flew to London to tour a prestigious school that served deaf and blind children. Unfortunately, they returned home with the discouraging news that the school could not accept any more students. To the couple’s surprise, they began a conversation with the flight attendant on their plane ride home. They shared about their travels and visiting the school with high hopes for their son, Brian. The flight attendant was compassionate and offered to take their information down in the event that she learns of an availability or connection at the school.
A few months later and the couple heard from the flight attendant. She had posted an advertisement outside of the school on behalf of the family. As a result, a woman who was very trained at working with blind and deaf individuals reached out and offered services as a live-in nanny. After one year of waiting for her Visa, the nanny moved to the United States and lived with the Gaskin family for three years. She cared for Brian with an amazing love and intentionality. Their answer to prayer came in a very unexpected way, but the perfect timing and provision of the Lord was remarkable.
The list of miracles that Jeff has witnessed when it comes to Brian and his care is astounding. The couple has a powerful story, filled with inspiring hope. Jeff is a tremendous asset to the SES family and leadership. We are grateful for his investment in the lives of others through his personal love for apologetics and his testimony as the father of Brian.
