Jerry’s Story
Author- Interfaith Leader- Speaker
The Room Went Quiet
It wasn’t planned that way. Jerry had simply asked a question, one that invited people to speak honestly about faith, fear, and the divisions shaping our world. For a moment, no one said anything. Then someone spoke. And then another.
Soon, a real conversation began.
Moments like that have shaped Jerry Zehr’s life and work. From his roots in an Amish–Mennonite community, where humility and community responsibility were woven into everyday life, to his time in the creative world of entertainment, Jerry has always been fascinated by how we tell our stories and how we treat one another.
A Life of Bridging Divides
Before entering full-time ministry, Jerry spent several years in the entertainment industry. This experience exposed him to both the creative power of storytelling and the darker pressures of ambition. Those experiences later inspired his novel Blurring the Lines, which explores a timeless question: What are you willing to sell your soul to get ahead?
But something was missing. The entertainment world offered opportunity, but it didn't feed his soul. Jerry found himself longing for something more grounded, a life spent in the depths of people's real stories, not performing them. That longing led him to Christian Theological Seminary, where he earned his Master of Divinity and was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
What followed was 35 years of pastoral ministry, first as a solo pastor and later as a co-pastor alongside his wife, Diane. Through that variety of settings, Jerry came to understand that ministry is less about having answers and more about having the courage to stay present in the hardest moments of people's lives. Over the years, that calling extended beyond the pulpit into workshops, retreats, and speaking engagements with faith communities, civic organizations, and dialogue groups exploring themes of peacemaking, spiritual authenticity, and healing division.
Over those decades, that same conviction led him beyond the walls of any single congregation. Jerry founded four interfaith organizations, including the Carmel Interfaith Alliance and the Indiana Multifaith Network, bringing together leaders from diverse religious traditions to build the kind of trust and collaboration our fractured world desperately needs.
That work has been recognized in ways that humbled him. The Center for Interfaith Cooperation named him Interfaith Ambassador of the Year. The Mayor of Carmel honored him with the Range Line Pioneer award for his friendship with the city and its community. And in 2023, the Mayor of Indianapolis proclaimed March 19th as Jerry Zehr Day — a recognition of his decades of interfaith leadership and his profound impact on the region.
But for Jerry, the real measure has never been the recognition. It has been the conversations that changed people, and the friendships that crossed lines others said couldn't be crossed.
The Sacred Rebel
Jerry's work in community dialogue and bridge-building eventually led him to write The Peacemaker's Path: Multifaith Reflections to Deepen Your Spirituality. But as the cultural climate grew increasingly polarized, he felt called to go further.
That calling became his newest book, Sacred Rebel: Fierce Love in a Fearful World.
In it, Jerry invites readers to rediscover a courage rooted in fierce compassion, the kind of love strong enough to confront fear and challenge injustice while still recognizing the humanity in those we disagree with.
At Home in Carmel
Jerry lives in Carmel, Indiana, with his wife Diane, to whom he has been married for over four decades. As fellow ministers, they have shared a lifetime of ministry, family, and friendships, including two children and grandchildren.
Today, Jerry continues to write, speak, and host his Sacred Rebel Voices interviews. He remains convinced that even in a fractured time, something remarkable remains possible:
We can choose curiosity over contempt.
We can build friendships across differences.
We can discover that the courage to love—fiercely and honestly—is the most rebellious act of all.
Books by Jerry Zehr
• The Sacred Rebel: Fierce Love in a Fearful World
• The Peacemaker’s Path: Multifaith Reflections to Deepen Your Spirituality
• Blurring the Lines (A Novel)
• A History of Carmel Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1958–2018
How Jerry Can Help Your Community
Jerry speaks regularly with civic organizations, faith communities, and dialogue groups about bridge-building, spiritual authenticity, and the courage required to engage across deep differences.
