Hello. My name is Jared Yaple, and I‘m the pastor of Watershed Church. My family started attending Watershed in June of 2014. My installation as pastor took place on October 5th, 2015.

I am married to Jennifer, an artist and graphic designer. We have a son who attends Northwestern Michigan College (Jackson), a daughter who lives with her husband (Dylan) in South Bend, IN, and is a student at Davenport University (Kaitlyn), and a son who lives with his fianceé and dog in Los Angeles, CA (Matthew, Kate, & Spicy).

I grew up a military kid in northern Michigan, graduating from Suttons Bay High School in 1994. I have a B.A. in Youth Ministry (Moody Bible Institute), an M.A. in Communication and Culture (Trinity Graduate School), and a Master of Divinity (Calvin Theological Seminary), with additional study at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Harvard Divinity School. I am a Commissioned Pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. I also have a certificate in narrative-focused trauma care from The Allender Center (‘21).

On a typical day, you'll find me at my office or a coffee shop, reading a book, working on a sermon, or listening to hip-hop. If you’d like to connect over a phone call or coffee, email me.

Favorite Books Read in 2025

Marce Catlett - Wendell Berry

Against the Machine - Paul Kingsnorth

From the Deep Woods of Civilization - Charles Eastman

The Cost of Ambition - Miroslav Volf

Hearing the Message of Ecclesiastes - Christopher J.H. Wright

The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank

The Adversary - Michael Crummey

The Spirit of Hope - Byung-Chul Han

Jayber Crow - Wendell Berry