Pastor Jeff Branaman and his wife Deanna moved from Sedona, Arizona to Newport, Oregon in August of 2009. He is passionate about sharing God’s Word and encouraging others in their daily walk with Jesus Christ, as well as adoring his beautiful wife Deanna as she leads worship at Newport Naz. Jeff is currently serving as an associate pastor, leading the Sunday evening service and teaching a Wednesday night Bible study. He is exited to live on the Oregon coast, and looks forward to experiencing the mighty storms and ocean waves!
Jeff was most recently the senior pastor at the Nazarene church in Sedona, Arizona, where he lived since 1990. He is honored to be a part of the amazing team at Newport as he completes ordination classes with Nazarene Bible College. He was saved in 1995 and called to full time ministry in 2001. He graduated from Master’s School of Divinity in Evansville, Indiana in 2006. While taking classes, he served as a lay leader in Northern Arizona. He was a trustee, served as the vice chairman of a local church board, and assisted with youth programs. Jeff has owned two businesses, and has actively participated in various sports. He began racing quarter midget cars when he was seven years old, and continued racing throughout his life, under the guidance of his father Bill. He retired from racing sprint cars in 2004.
Jeff and Deanna have three adult children. The two boys, Mag (and his wife Lindsey) and Joshua, are currently serving in the Navy, and their daughter Sara currently resides in Aztec, New Mexico. They have three grandsons; Karson, Collin and Jordan; and one granddaughter on the way! (Check out Deanna’s bio for more information on their family.)
“I strive to live an open book life and desire to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength," he states. "My favorite verses lately involve loving my neighbor as myself, and grasping how wide, long, high and deep the love of Christ is. But the verse that has stuck with me since day one in the Lord is Proverbs 3:5&6: "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”