We Caught One of You Being Like Jesus!
While he was pastoring Monticello United Methodist Church in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, the Lord called Pastor Jeff Bealmear to uniquely sacrifice part of himself for one of his parishioners. A choir member named Elaine Holloway had put out a plea to her congregation because she needed a kidney transplant. The first time Pastor Jeff heard her plea, he did not think anything unusual of it. However, several months later, Elaine put out the plea again and Pastor Jeff heard the Holy Spirit say, “Just throw your hat in the ring.”
Pastor Jeff volunteered to donate a kidney to Elaine and within three months things began to line up. The doctors determined that Jeff’s kidney was a suitable match for Elaine, but there were some serious complications and risks he needed to be aware of. Pastor Jeff was initially denied the chance of being her donor when a possible heart issue emerged, but those concerns were soon alleviated through a heart catherization and he was given the green light to continue in the testing process. Do to being a bit on the heavy side Jeff was required to lose 60-70 pounds in order to be eligible to undergo surgery. Pastor Jeff modified his diet dramatically, eliminating most carbs and sugars, and within six months he had lost the necessary weight.
The surgery was performed on May 3, 2018, about 18 months after Pastor Jeff volunteered his kidney. On this day and throughout the entire process he felt a lot of prayers from his family and from and Elaine’s family, as well as countless friends and their church congregation. Almost immediately after surgery, Elaine’s new kidney was working well. An article from the local News-Gazette states, “One unique aspect of the surgery is that Holloway now has three kidneys, as the two low-functioning ones were not removed. The working ones, both for Holloway and Bealmear, will expand and grow large enough to pick up the slack.” Both Pastor Jeff and Elaine have recovered well and praise God for His guidance though this entire process!
Jeff and Elaine
Pastor Jeff describes his decision to gift his kidney to Elaine as “the most peaceful thing I have ever done.” He reveals that he “never had a doubt and never wavered” about whether he should go through with the surgery. He said, “I don’t think of it as a big deal; you just do what you need to do, and you do the right thing. Part of being a pastor is to stand in the gap and, if necessary, lay your life down for your sheep. Jesus laid down His life for me, so I think I can at least spare a kidney for one of my flock.”
Pastor Jeff became aware of the Lord as a child growing up in a Roman Catholic church family. He first felt called to ministry during his sophomore year of high school, but he did not embrace that calling until the age of thirty. Jeff experienced several encounters with God though as he was running away from his call into ministry. During his college years, Pastor Jeff carried around a Bible to impress girls even though he had never really read the Bible. On one occasion he felt Jesus come into his dorm room and touch him in a powerful way. Finally, in the early 1990’s Jeff found himself with his life in the gutter, lost, desperate to see if God was still near him. He fell upon his knees and cried out to the LORD for forgiveness and deliverance from the evil that had enveloped him. At that very moment he felt the LORD touch his life and a great peace fell upon him. A few months later the LORD said to him, “I’ve got a calling on your life and I’m giving you one more shot.” After this encounter with God, Jeff surrendered completely to the LORD and has followed God’s call ever since.
Pastor Jeff had heard and read about the 1970’s Asbury Revival during his early years as a licensed local pastor at the Bissell United Methodist Church in Springfield, IL. He had hoped when the day came for him to go to seminary, that he would move his family to Kentucky and attend Asbury Seminary. Jeff was excited about the possibility of being touched by the anointing from the revivals at Asbury University (College) and learning from the incredible servants of God in the Asbury family such as Dennis Kinlaw, Maxie Dunham, Robert Mulholland, John Oswalt, etc. Though his wife, Lisa, was at first resistant to move to Kentucky, the Lord touched her heart during a church service and she shared with Jeff that going to Asbury was the right thing to do. So, Jeff and Lisa stepped out in faith, left their newly built home and their jobs to offer Christ to others. Jeff lived on campus for a semester in January 1998 and Lisa and their two young children joined him at his new two-point student appointment in Mason County, Kentucky.
Twenty years have passed since Pastor Jeff first stepped onto the campus of Asbury and he has since been blessed to travel to eight different countries and has been able to help feed and clothe hundreds of children in the Philippines and Brazil. Jeff and Lisa have even sponsored two young ladies in the Philippines to attend and complete college. But the most humbling part of the ministry for the Bealmears is seeing hundreds and thousands come to Christ through the missions and ministries that they have been a part of.
Following his graduation from Asbury, Pastor Jeff has served as a pastor at several United Methodist Churches including Goreville-Creal Springs UMC; associate pastor at Christ Church under Rev. Shane Bishop; Aledo UMC; Metropolis UMC; and Monticello UMC. Jeff is currently the pastor at Olney First United Methodist Church. In August he will make his second trip to Kenya to bring the Gospel of Christ to the people of Makuyu, Kambiti, and Saba Saba. Jeff is passionate about prayer ministry, hospital chaplaincy, street evangelism, seeing people find freedom and holiness in Christ, loving God and loving people. In 2012 Pastor Jeff was awarded the Harry Denman Evangelist Award from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference in Illinois.
Jeff’s family
Jeff has fond memories of his time at Asbury calling it “a beautiful place to go deeper with God,” and he says, “every time I am there, I feel like I am home, a holy home to come back to.” Pastor Jeff and Lisa have been married for thirty-one years and have two grown children and two wonderful granddaughters. Jeff graduated with his Master of Divinity from ATS in 2001.
Pastor Jeff was my pastor at Mretropolis FUMC. I soon learned that I was not where I needed to be in my faith. I learned so much about God & walking in faith through Pastor Jeff’s bible studies & worship services. I believe that God placed him here in Metropolis when my husband & I really needed Him & were ready to receive God’s redeeming love & Holy Spirit’s power.
Congratulations Pastor Jeff, a beautiful article and better yet, happened in my church for real. It has been a blessing to know you, to pray with you, to attend Holy Spirit conferences with you, to walk deeper in faith. Bless your whole family.
Wow!!!-Yo Go !-Pastor Jeff!!- Yes You do Reflect th LORD JESUS!!!
Be Galilee is a style of life ….
Jeff you are in real that example of being home …. being Galilee …. being the change …..
Thank u sir for being real in your life making big difference in others lives….
Blessings
Proud to call you my friend Jeff. Wasn’t aware of the kidney donation, but it doesn’t surprise me. We miss you and wish you nothing but the best. One thing though – try to get on the horse facing forward – it works much better.
Bill Lawrence