God-centered, Bible-saturated

Tom was born in San Diego, before freeways even existed in the state. After high school, he joined the US Marine Corps and served his country in Vietnam. Upon his military service discharge, he went back to school and earned a B.A. Degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton. He has worked in the real estate and insurance industries for almost four decades.

At the age of 40, after years of living in darkness and “chasing after the wind,” Tom was drawn to seek God out to change his life. “What I learned from hearing and reading God’s Word was that I was a sinner, a God-hater, who desperately needed to get reconciled with my Creator. Now the most important person in my life is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ whom has blessed me with a new and wonderful life in Him.” He has blessed Tom with a wonderful wife, Marcia, for now more than 20 years. They have two sweet girls, Ashley and Lindsey. And have inherited a son-in-law, Tim Rogers, Lindsey’s husband.

Over these many years of being blessed by God, Tom has grown in his knowledge of the Word and in his desire to serve Jesus. Since 2006, Tom has served in the jail ministry for the Riverside County Sheriff Department at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta. “My passion is to share the gospel with the inmates in jail- so they may learn the Truth of our Lord and Savior and know that with Jesus Christ there is forgiveness of sin (1 John 1:9), hope (Titus 2:13) and eternal life (John 3:36).”

Pat and his wife, Andrea, both grew up in the Los Angeles area, where they were high school sweethearts. They each came to saving faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 21 (yep, they’re the same age!) and were married three years later.  They moved to Murrieta in 1992, where they are raising their four kids: Anthony, Cameron, Julia, and Liana.

Pat and his family have been attending Faith Bible Church since 2007 and Pat is joyful to now be a graduate of the FBC Training Center.  After leading college ministry at a former church, Pat now leads FBC’s Singles Ministry.  Pat has a passion to preach the truth of God’s Word (2 Tim 4:2), and is committed to equipping and encouraging the singles in our church.

Pat also enjoys motocross with his sons, cartoons with his daughters, and Laker Championship parades.

Wayne has been a Christian since high school when he went to church with a friend and heard the gospel for the first time. He married his lovely wife Terry, and they have two children, Brett and Tawney. Brett is married to his wonderful wife Nicole, and they have made Wayne a Grandpa with their son Brock. They moved to Temecula in the winter of 1991 and have been growing in God’s grace ever since. They came to FBC in 2008. Wayne has completed the training center, where God has taught Wayne a love for Christ’s church and His people. Wayne is also the head of FBC’s Equipping Hour ministry.

Though born in Southern California, Chris grew up in Colorado then returned home at age 19.   It was here that he met his wife Sally.  They have been married since 1991 and have a daughter, Katie.  The Bauer family enjoys the outdoors and especially boat camping on the Colorado River.  They have been attending FBC since May 2004.  Chris finds his greatest joy in serving God, his family and his extended family at FBC.

Jason Berbaum grew up in Arizona and came to know Christ in 2003 while attending East Valley Bible Church. After a year of dedicated learning about being a man of God, a husband, and a father, he married his wife Tamra. He became a father to her two children, Rick and Sienna.

From the beginning of his relationship with Christ, Jason sought out older men who would teach him how to study and apply God’s word to his everyday life in and out of the home. Today, he and Tamra continue to pursue how to counsel and shepherd others using the sufficient Word of God (2 Tim 3:16). They have a passion for discipleship and mentoring, especially in the areas of marriage and family.

Jason has had the privilege of leading discipleship groups for men and for couples since 2005. He has witnessed firsthand the results of “Iron Sharpening Iron” (Prov 27:17)  and true discipleship (Matt 28:19) in his own life and in the lives of those around him, thus, he is committed to serving the body in this way.

Jake was born in Orange County and was raised in the Temecula Valley. He attended California Baptist University and now teaches at a local public school. Though raised in the church, the message of the Gospel didn’t change Jake’s heart until he was 20 years old.While attending FBC’s college ministry, God changed his heart and gave him a love for Jesus, the Word of God and the Gospel. Jake began attending Faith Bible in 2005. Through the college ministry at FBC, Jake met his beautiful wife, Lauren. They were married in April 2006 and have three children Avary (‘08), Judah (‘09) and Capri (‘11).  Lauren is a licensed Vocational Nurse but now works as a full-time mom. Lauren has served in several medical mission trips to Haiti.  Jake has served on missions trips in Haiti and Uganda.

While dating Jake and Lauren begin leading trips to Grace Children’s Home (GCH) in Rosarito, Mexico.  Over the last 6 years, Jake and other faithful men of FBC have led monthly trips from FBC to serve at GCH. Jake’s prayer is that each trip would support and care for Orphans at GCH and support for the missionaries who have devoted their lives to GCH.

I was born and raised as a Catholic throughout my childhood and early adulthood life, under the teachings of the Jesuit Society of the Catholic Church. During those times, I thought that I was a good person and, because of the good things I did, I felt it was enough for me to go to heaven. When I was 22 years old, I started to have questions about my Catholic faith and was invited by a friend to attend a charismatic Christian church. It was there that I made a profession of my “new found faith” and left the Catholic Church. However, little did I know that for the next 14 years that I was professing to be a Christian, I was a “false convert” (Matthew 7:21-23).

God used my wife to draw me to Him as I realized that, from God’s perspective, I am a wretched sinner desperately needing Jesus Christ to save me from my sins. At that time, I fully understood the gospel and what Christ did on the cross was sufficient to save me. Salvation has nothing to do with me or anything that I do but I am saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). I am thankful to God for giving me a heart of compassion for the lost. It is a privilege to be a slave of Christ knowing that I’ve been bought by His precious blood. It is my desire that God will continue to use me for His purpose and glory of sharing the gospel to a lost and dying world.

Lastly, I praise God for giving me a godly wife, Christine, and for blessing us with 3 beautiful daughters, Kayla, Robyn and Zoe. I have worked in pharmaceutical sales since 1995 and am currently in FBC’s Training Center.

Mark was raised by his mother in Mission Viejo, and brought up in the church since the age of 11. Although he made many professions of faith through the years, there was no real relationship with Jesus Christ. At a home study while attending FBC, God revealed the true meaning of grace to him, and Mark realized that he could never earn his salvation and that he was a spiritually dead man. At that time, he had a realization that God had to “make him alive” (Eph.2:1-6). And God was faithful to do just that! Mark now loves Jesus and sees new evidences of God’s grace in his life each day.

Mark has been married to his beautiful wife Pam since 1988, and they have lived in Murrieta since 1994. They have three children, Joshua, Jessica, and Jacob. Mark has used his God-given gifts by serving in the greeting ministry for the past five years. He enjoys meeting new visitors to the church, and encouraging people in the church to plug in and serve in whatever capacity God has called them (Eph. 4:15-16). Mark and Pam also serve in our Young Marrieds Ministry and love coming alongside recently married couples and investing into them.

Josh Petras has lived in Murrieta since 1st grade. He grew up in a home with great values and attended church, but there was no love for Christ. In the summer before 8th grade, Josh attended church camp where he was exposed to the gospel for the first time. Six months later his heart was changed–he began to treasure Christ and surrender every part of his life to Him.

In May 2010, Josh married his beautiful bride and best friend Katie. Josh and Katie have been serving in Youth ministry for the past four years. Josh’s desire for Jr. High students is not that they would become good moral kids, but that they see Jesus in the Word, treasure Him above all, and in response live a life that glorifies Him in every way.

Jon Stead has been involved in evangelism for over 10 years and has been in Faith Bible Church’s youth ministry & staff from its start. He has a contagious passion to reach the lost and share the gospel so that others might know Christ and then live for Him wholeheartedly.

After graduating from The Master’s College, Jon attended The Master’s Seminary for two years before moving out to the Inland Empire. Jon has been married to his wife, Jill, since 1992 and together they have 4 wonderfully energetic kids: J.T., Sara, Joey and Jackson. Jon is also an ardent USC fan, much to the dismay of many of his friends.

Tony was raised in Texas, but moved to Murrieta in 1994, and has attended FBC since 2005. He and his lovely bride Holly married in 1996, and they have four fun, active boys: Preston, Peyton, Pryce and Parke). Tony and his wife have a passion for people, and they love to find new ways to minister to the body.

Tony graduated the FBC Training Center, which focuses on equipping men of God with the tools they will use in ministry every day. He has been excited and challenged in new ways, and looks forward to using his gifts to serve the Lord. He loves to encourage people to get involved in the church body, using their own gifts.

Born in Orange, CA, Josh was brought to the Murrieta/Temecula area when he was 1 year old. He and his wife Jenny were married in 2006 and have both lived their whole lives in this region. They both have a heart for the lost and are excited to be a part of the music ministry that takes every opportunity to exalt God in the highest.

Josh’s start in worship music was back in 2001 when Erick Cobb asked Josh if he would be willing to lead the music for the Friday night bible study that he was leading. Having little confidence in his 6 months of playing the guitar, Josh said, “No thanks.” Erick was relentless in his pursuit. At some point that year Josh gave in. Since that first time leading worship, he hasn’t stopped. Josh has had training under some very experienced worship leaders who’ve played key roles in shaping him into the man he is today.

In December 2007, Josh was asked to step in and take over the music duties that the departing worship leader had carried. He now leads worship on Sunday mornings. Jenny sings alongside Josh, making the ministry even sweeter as they get to serve together. Josh’s passion is to lead God’s people in undistracted worship through music. To see God exalted is the priority of his ministry.

Steve grew up in Chicago, and moved to the Temecula area in 1987.  He has a passion for flying, and met his wife Amie while working at the airport.  The Lord used the influence of a missionary pilot at the airport to draw him to Christ.  Steve has flown many mission trips to Mexico taking doctors, pastors, and Christmas packages.  He flew for CDF fighting fires for eight years, and now works in the family business farming avocados.  Steve is a flight instructor, and gives flight instruction on the side. He married Amie in 1993, and they have four kids, Madie, Alex, Emily, and Olivia. They have been part of FBC since its inception and are currently serving as leaders in Fusion, our young couples ministry.

A lifetime resident of Southern California, Rod grew up going to Grace Community Church and Los Angeles Baptist high school. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Beth. A graduate of the Master’s College, Rod currently works in the medical arthroscopic field, having lived in the Murrieta area since the early 90′s. Rod and Beth have four boys (Ryan, Reid, Aaron & Andrew) and one daughter (Moriah).

For many years, Rod served in youth ministry at a variety of churches. Yet in the last decade, he and Beth have led many small groups and adult classes. With a continuing heart for students and a burden for their parents, Rod is involved in the youth ministry, particularly shepherding & training parents in the vital task of raising their junior-high and high-schoolers.

After spending more time in community college than high school, Shawn Farrell attended UCLA and graduated with a degree in Physiological Science. During college he married his High School sweet-heart Tracy. Having grown up at Grace Community Church in L.A., Shawn and Tracy moved to this area when Shawn took a job in medical sales. They have been married since 1999 and have 2 daughters—Zoe and Haley.

Shawn is a shepherd who drinks deeply from the Word of God. He has an intense and abiding passion for students to know God and follow hard after Him. When not spending time with his family, Shawn pours his life into our student ministries. Together, he and Josh Petras make a powerful team!

Bob has worked in agriculture most of his life, owning a farming company in Temecula for over 25 years, growing avocados and in the past several years has diversified into the fresh-cut flower business.  God drew Bob and Kathy, his wife, to Christ in 1979 when their two daughters, Amie & Nikki, were quite young.  In God’s grace, those girls both later confessed Christ and have now walked faithfully with Him for many years.

Bob loves to fly, and he  has actively been involved with short-term missions since the 80′s as a pilot, taking groups of pastors, doctors, dentists and workers into remote areas of Mexico to build churches, as well as to the Federal prison to minister and share the gospel.  Kathy and he have been extremely active in discipling and counseling couples since 1989 after receiving training at the Biblical Counseling Foundation and later at the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship.

Since 1979, Chris has been serving in pastoral ministry. At Grace Community Church, he served at various times as a pastor to Junior High, the College pastor, and as pastoral assistant to John MacArthur. In Spokane, Washington, Chris served as a teaching pastor for eleven years. And most recently, he has built, led and overseen a church-based ministry training center in Phoenix, Arizona. In each church, he has manifested a huge passion to see every Christian in the church know God intimately through studying His Word deeply.

Over the years, Chris has also served as an adjunct professor at Talbot, The Master’s and Phoenix Seminaries. That work flows out of his strong passion to train men for ministry. At the core, Chris believes that a healthy local church is the most effective training environment from which to raise up men of God. Like the tension between USC & UCLA, the two pulls of preaching and training continually tug at his heart.

A graduate of Biola College, Chris earned a Master of Divinity in Bible Exposition from Talbot Seminary in 1982. He and his wife, Jean, have two sons, Matthew, who is married to Danielle, and Daniel, all three of whom are active in ministry at FBC. We rejoice that, at the end of 2006, God brought Chris to FBC, to preach, lead and train men.

A native of Southern California, Robert was raised and educated in the L.A. area. It was while in high school that he caught sight of his future wife, Tracy. Married in 1990, they attended Grace Community Church until moving down to the Temecula Valley. Together they are raising five wonderful children (Jessy, Sammy, Nathanael, Daniele and Stephanie). Over that time, God has given Robert a huge heart to train parents to raise their children in a manner that pleases the Lord (as seen in Deut 6:4-9), along with a loving wife who shares his enthusiasm and convictions.

Robert oversaw our children’s ministry for many years and taught the 5-6th grade class. He remains passionate to see our kids love the Lord more than anything else, the Lord’s Word more than any other book and the Lord’s day more than any other day of the week. To the great consternation of Jon Stead (our high school ministry leader), Robert and his whole family are ardent UCLA fans.

Pat and his wife, Eleni, married in 2009, Pat has lived in the Inland Valley for 25 years. While attending the University of California – Riverside, Pat earned his BA in English and Masters in Special Education. He now works as a Special Education Teacher for the Corona-Norco Unified School District.  Pat has previously served in Jr. High and High School ministry for over 9 years. Currently serving as Children’s Pastor here at Faith Bible Church, he and his wife have a passion for young children to hear the word of God and to understand who He is at a young age. They and their staff of over 50 teachers are dedicated to shepherding the students and their families. Their desire is not to see the children learn to follow a set of rules laid out in scripture, but for these children to recognize their need for a Savior, their complete dependence on Him to do any good, and ultimately that their lives would be transformed by the gospel of Christ.