Allison Park Church, located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, is mourning the loss of its lead pastor, Jeff Leake, after his sudden passing.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Allison Park Church wrote:
It is with broken hearts that we share with you this devastating news. Last night, after our Saturday evening service, Pastor Jeff suffered a massive heart attack. He was taken to the hospital where he later passed away.
We understand how shocking this feels. Pastor Jeff has led our church with a shepherd’s heart for 35 years. He has dedicated our children, baptized us in water, inspired us with vision, and fed our souls with God’s Word week after week. We’ve suffered a monumental loss.
Please keep Pastor Melodie and the entire Leake family in prayer. They have prayed for us through so many seasons of pain. Now we get to pour our faith back out to them.
Since this initial posting, Allison Park announced the upcoming viewing and celebration of life for Pastor Leake.
As we continue to grieve the loss of Pastor Jeff and remember his legacy of faith and Kingdom impact, we have some further information to share:
Viewings will be held at Allison Park Church, Hampton Campus on Friday, February 13th, from 12:00-3:00 PM and 5:00-8:00 PM.
A celebration of life service will take place at Victory Family Church in Cranberry Township on Saturday, February 14th at 10:00 AM.
We welcome you to gather with us to grieve, to remember, and to honor the life and legacy of Pastor Jeff Leake.
Leake’s final social media post discussed how people ask him what the secret is to his longevity in ministry.
“I committed to ministry with no backup plan, no retreat, no fallback. That ‘all-in’ mindset anchors me when ministry gets tough,” Leake wrote.
To order Travis Johnson’s new book, [Un]Embarrassed of Jesus, visit Amazon.com.
Speak faith to myself: I journal Scripture and preach God’s promises to my own heart.
If I have a bad day, I just keep going: One bad week/month/year doesn’t derail God’s purpose.
I seek to please God, not people: His pleasure is my compass.
My best friend is my partner: A strong life partner strengthens my ministry stamina.
Accountability and forgiveness protect the soul. Staying submitted and releasing bitterness keeps the calling healthy.
Longevity in ministry isn’t about hype. It’s about faithfulness, forgiveness, and focus. If you’re feeling tired, discouraged, or stretched: Don’t quit. Re-center your heart. Keep going.
In his final sermon, Leake spoke about seeing people through “eyes of faith” rather than through familiarity, suspicion, or an “us vs. them” lens. Leake explained that in Nazareth, Jesus “could do zero miracles” because “something was wrong with the atmosphere,” while Capernaum was marked by faith and expectation.
The warning is that it’s possible to be close to Jesus in proximity and still miss Him in purpose: “Nazareth didn’t see what Jesus saw… they didn’t understand what was in Jesus’ heart.” Because they “missed the heart of God,” they “missed everything about who He was and what He was trying to do in the world,” Leake said. “The mission of Jesus was to reach and redeem the unacceptable.”
During this time, pray for the Leake family and the entire Allison Park Church community as they deal with this incredible loss.
Prepared by Charisma Media Staff.
