Doug Cooper

Biography

Doug Cooper absolutely loves to show how our everyday work – whatever kind of work we do – is meant to be central to God’s mission of renewing culture and restoring communities.

Doug believes that the best way to show people the Kingdom value of their work is to introduce them to the theology and missiology of work, as it is beautifully portrayed in scripture, and then to lead them through the spiritual formation necessary to represent God purely within any kind of work.

Doug encountered the connection between God’s mission and his everyday work while in the trenches. He has spent more than 30 years in diverse roles within manufacturing, service, professional and design-related business environs. It was there that Doug was amazed to witness and join God at work in places and people untouched by the church.

In 2010, Doug was called upon by Ashland Theological Seminary to combine his ability to share his understanding of theology of work, his knack for creative innovation and his hands-on experience to deepen ATS’ service to people called to, and working in, vocations outside the church. While at ATS, Doug innovated a suite of contextualized learning experiences and formational opportunities called City Gates Initiative, which serves people in all kinds of work, at any organizational level. Since 2017, Doug moved CGI beyond the seminary environment to participants in Ohio, Michigan and Canada.
Doug practices what he preaches as founder of Goldberry Roasting Co. and Coffee Growing Community, linked organizations that build economic, spiritual and social vibrancy in remote Mexican mountain communities reliant on coffee growing and production for their livelihoods. Through these organizations, Doug blends free market incentives with sustainable practices, and encourages healthy Christian leadership to steward positive results.
Doug is also an organizational development consultant, currently working within the insurance industry to put to use the organization experience he’s developed through the years.
Doug lives in Ashland, Ohio and has been married to Debbie for 30-something years. They have four grown children, three children-in-law and ten grandchildren!

To explore more of Doug’s work, feel free to visit these sites:
citygatesinitiative.org
coffeegrowingcommunity.org
goldberryroasting.com