The Redeemer Leadership Team |
At Redeemer, we believe that God intends for the local church to be led by a plurality of qualified, servant-minded elders, and served by a plurality of capable, compassionate deacons.
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The Elder Team
The Elder Team provides pastoral leadership for the church, exercising general oversight and spiritual authority as a plurality of leaders (this means there is no one ruling elder or senior pastor here). The elders together articulate the central vision, mission, values, & goals of church. They are available for services of prayer, counseling, discipline, and spiritual guidance.
They are responsible for evaluating, developing, and training leaders & ministries. The elders are ceremonial officiants (weddings, funerals, baptism, family dedications) and legal officers of the church. They are ultimately responsible & accountable for the health of the church.
They are responsible for evaluating, developing, and training leaders & ministries. The elders are ceremonial officiants (weddings, funerals, baptism, family dedications) and legal officers of the church. They are ultimately responsible & accountable for the health of the church.
Who they are:
(listed in alphabetical order)
Mark makin
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Mark was born and raised in suburban Mission Viejo, CA. Growing up, he attended a non-denominational church with his parents and came to follow Christ at a young age. Out of desire to integrate his faith with his learning, Mark headed to Biola University for college to study philosophy and read great books in the Torrey Honors Institute. His college years were an intense season of spiritual growth in which he cultivated lifelong friendships and deepened his love and knowledge of God in lifechanging ways. Mark holds an M.A.R. in philosophical theology and philosophy of religion from Yale University and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of California, Irvine. He works as a professor in Biola’s Torrey Honors Institute, where he enjoys mentoring and discipling college students.
Mark met his beloved wife, Carri, at Biola, and they’ve been married since 2008. They live in La Mirada with their two children, Micah and Elena, who share their love of baking and exploring America’s national parks. The Makins joined Redeemer in 2016. Together Mark and Carri co-chair Redeemer’s Missions Council and lead a community group. |
Greg Stump
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Greg was raised in Cerritos, California, and obtained a B.A. in English Literature from Cal State Long Beach, followed by an M.A. in English Literature from Chapman University and later an M.A. in Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to Redeemer, Greg worked at Grace Brethren Church of Long Beach, where he served with the youth, college, and worship teams, as well as working on staff in the arts department and as an elder overseeing cultural renewal. Later, Greg worked as a Resident Director at Biola University for seven years.
He has been married to Michele since 1999 and they live in La Mirada with their three children: Katrina, Nathaniel, and Elisabeth. They have attended Redeemer since 2006, where Greg has served as an elder, college pastor, worship coordinator, and internship coordinator, working part-time at the church before joining the staff full-time at Redeemer in August 2012. He currently oversees a number of ministries (community groups, arts, liturgy, administration, etc.), as well as working to develop new ministry teams and leaders. He also serves as the director of the church staff, as well as helping to plan the worship services each week. Greg also helped to create Gospel-centered Churches for La Mirada, a collaborative network of local ministers and churches in the area, as well as founding Love La Mirada, an organization which brings the community, schools, city government, businesses, non-profits and houses of worship together for the good of our city. |
Dom Vincent
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Dom is a southern California native being born in Montebello and raised in Whittier. He grew up in a devout Catholic family who went to church every Sunday. He heard the Gospel faithfully preached in Christian school and chose to follow Christ at an early age (6 or 7). Church and the things of Christ have been central to his life from very early on having had humble, faithful role models to look up to (not least of which are his parents).
He is happily married to Diane (married since 2003) and gets to be daddy to Alison and Audrey (who really are the most delightful and joyful people Dom knows despite what the picture may convey). The Vincents have been a part of Redeemer since early 2009. Dom cares most that people remain on the long road of faithful discipleship to Jesus. Faithfully following Jesus; nothing else really matters. |
The Deacon Team
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The Deacons provide the church with servant leadership, focused upon practical service to those in need, physical caretaking and stewardship of the church, and oversight of particular areas. The deacons oversee collection and distribution of funds to those in need through the deacon's fund (a special collection made once a month during our Sunday Morning Worship). They help and encourage the poor, jobless, sick, widowed or grieving, elderly, disabled, or otherwise needy as the representatives of Christ.
They are available for giving wise counsel to those in need of practical advice & providing examples of deep faith for those in crisis (turning to and trusting in God’s provision, hopeful in despair, etc.). The deacons lead out in taking care of the practical, physical needs of the gathered church (e.g. preparing for worship services, organizing group meals, & looking for needs at group activities). |
Who they are:
(listed in alphabetical order)
Jessica Dagen
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Born in Orange County but having grown up in the Czech Republic as a missionary kid, Jessica returned to Southern California to attend Biola. After feeling a deep desire to pursue full time ministry, she studied Christian Ministries at Biola. She began attending Redeemer in 2012 during her freshman year, excited to have found a church that tenaciously held to the hope of Christ while acknowledging the brokenness of the world as it is. She began serving in the nursery and the servant team and has enjoyed the rich community of fellow churchgoers in church events, community groups, and the sharing of everyday life.
She had hoped to do missions work internationally after graduating in 2015, but God showed her He has more for her planned here in Southern California for the present. She is currently studying at Talbot's Institute for Spiritual Formation, meaning she spends a lot of money learning to be quiet and listen to people. She enjoys getting lost in old books, exploring new foods (bonus points if you don't know how to pronounce the names), and listening to people share their stories and watching God working in them. |
Noelle Delacruz
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Although born and raised in New York, Noelle Delacruz considers California home. With plans of becoming a doctor, Noelle graduated with a degree in Biology in Northern California, but God had other plans. She wished to attend Biola as an undergraduate student, and God unexpectedly answered the desire of her heart by bringing her back for the Science and Religion program. It was during this time that Noelle was introduced to spiritual formation and switched programs. She graduated from Talbot's Institute of Spiritual Formation in 2015 and has served as a spiritual director at Biola since.
Noelle has been part of the Redeemer community since 2013. It has been a safe and healing space to bring wounds and brokenness to the light. The church's intentionality to foster a family in which to be seen, known and loved well has been such a gift. She loves chocolate, sushi, exploring, and discovering good music that is new to her. |
Chris Hughen
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Chris was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he grew up skateboarding & playing in punk bands. He was introduced to The Savior his senior year in high school & has been a follower of Jesus ever since. He attended Cal State LA, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
He currently works as a Program Assistant for a community Integration/behavior modification program servicing individuals with Developmental Disabilities in Whittier. Chris and his wife Nicole have been attending Redeemer for four years. His favorite thing to do is spend time with his wife & daughter Maria. |
Donna Ostrom
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Donna was raised in Ohio by her parents, Fran and Bill, along with three siblings (Dave, Carolyn & Phil). She went to Miami University (Miami of Ohio) for my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Elementary Education. Hungry for adventure, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona for her first teaching job (where she knew no one), then after 12 years, she decided to move to California where her brother David, his wife and two kids live (Torrance).
Donna was saved and baptized at Saddleback Church in 1998, and has served in children’s ministry in a number of different churches over the years. She moved back to Ohio in 2012 to help with her father, who was ill and passed away in 2014. While there, she went to Journey Church and led a women’s group, served in youth ministry, freedom ministry and tech team. She now works as the ISF Program Administrator at Biola University and is excited to call Redeemer her church home, where she serves in various areas including the Servant Team, A/V Team, and Women’s Ministries planning. Outside church you will find her on the golf course, walking the beach, or on a long bike ride. |
Stephanie Wilkerson
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Stephanie was raised in beautiful Pinedale, Wyoming and came to La Mirada to attend Torrey Honors Institute and to study Biblical Studies at Biola University. She briefly returned to Wyoming but missed her friends and the city (and let's be real, the weather) so she moved back permanently a little over eight years ago. Stephanie worked for a company that did Jesus Film translation in India and over the course of eight trips to India fell more in love with linguistics and translation, leading her to get her Masters in Linguistics and Biblical Languages from Biola.
Stephanie came to Redeemer in the fall of 2017 and was drawn to the thoughtful, welcoming community who is concerned about the whole of the person. The unique combination of liturgy, prayers of the people, songs as a response to the message, and weekly communion helped to heal some spiritual wounds and cement that this was the place for her. She joined a community group in Fall 2018 and they have become like family. Stephanie has served on a number of different teams at Redeemer and enjoys being in the nursery with the wee ones. She currently works as a grant specialist for Biola University and maid to her cat, Diana Marie. |
Erin Whitlow
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Without ever having set foot in the state of California, Erin Whitlow moved from New Orleans to La Mirada in 2010 to attend Biola University and the Torrey Honors Institute. After a brief stint of church-hopping and ride-bumming, she decided she wanted to find a church within walking distance of her dorm, so that her involvement wouldn’t be dependent on having a car, or an available chauffeur. She’s been at Redeemer ever since, drawn by the intentional liturgy, thoughtful worship and teaching, and incredible community. She currently facilitates a community group, coordinates the Hospitality Team, and ideates with the Arts Council, but has also worked in the office, and participated in a smattering of other ministries, such as Scripture reading, Children’s Ministry, and Servant Team.
After graduating from Biola with a Bachelors in the Humanities, Erin is principally concerned with having eyes to see the beauty and joy of the everyday, and with cultivating honest, loving, laughter-filled relationships. For the last two and a half years, she has worked at a specialty coffee shop in Pasadena. She loves getting to create a space in which people feel at home, and pretending to be a coffee scientist. She has found her long commute to be an unexpected grace—an opportunity for solitude, silence, podcasts, phone calls, music, and killer views of the mountains. |
Redeemer Staff
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Jessica Dagen - Administration and Finance Assistant
Tim Gauci - Facilities Lead Phil Glenn - Technical Coordinator Greg Stump - Executive Pastor / Staff Elder Bryant Stone - Youth Director |