The Team - Sandals Church

Matt Brown Lead Pastor

I am the Lead Pastor and founder of Sandals Church. I served as youth pastor for 2 years at Shoreline Baptist Church near Huntington Beach, CA. I have been married since 1996 to Tammy and we have three kids. I have a BA in Political Science from California Baptist University and a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate Seminary. Also, I am working on my Doctorate in Ministry from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University.

What I like most about serving as your lead pastor is creatively communicating the ancient truths in a way that people can understand and live out. My job is both simple and challenging. I preach and lead the Management Team. The most important thing for those of us here at Sandals is to learn to be real. I believe the biggest barrier to true Christianity is our false fronts. "I cannot change until I can admit what needs to be changed."

I love surfing and spending time at the beach while watching my kids fight over how they're going to build sand castles. My favorite passage in Scripture is Luke 2:52 where it says that "Jesus grew is wisdom and in favor with God and man." If Jesus needed to grow then so do we. One of the biggest spiritual lessons I've learned is that there is no perfect church even if I start it. My ultimate desire is to live a fully authentic Christian life. I love being your pastor.

I am the Lead Pastor and founder of Sandals Church. I served as youth pastor for 2 years at Shoreline Baptist Church near Huntington Beach, CA. I have been married since 1996 to Tammy and we have three kids. I have a BA in Political Science from California Baptist University and a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate Seminary. Also, I am working on my Doctorate in Ministry from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University.

What I like most about serving as your lead pastor is creatively communicating the ancient truths in a way that people can understand and live out. My job is both simple and challenging. I preach and lead the Management Team. The most important thing for those of us here at Sandals is to learn to be real. I believe the biggest barrier to true Christianity is our false fronts. "I cannot change until I can admit what needs to be changed."

I love surfing and spending time at the beach while watching my kids fight over how they're going to build sand castles. My favorite passage in Scripture is Luke 2:52 where it says that "Jesus grew in wisdom and in favor with God and man." If Jesus needed to grow then so do we. One of the biggest spiritual lessons I've learned is that there is no perfect church even if I start it. My ultimate desire is to live a fully authentic Christian life. I love being your pastor.

I'm the College & Young Adult Minister and work with the team that leads The Co+op at Sandals Church. I have the greatest little family with Lindy and our two boys, Titus and Boaz.

I love reading, Tweeting, Chuck Taylors, Apple products, and listening to bands you've never heard of. I'm at Starbucks almost everyday and spend a potentially unhealthy amount of time on Facebook. My life is the best!

As one of the pastors and the Director of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, I believe that I have been given a unique opportunity to help Sandals Church live-out Jesus' words in John 15:8, "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." That fruit is both the character transformation of our lives and the duplication of disciples that follow Jesus. To that end, I am excited to lead our church in their ability to grow in their intimacy with God.

I am passionate about being a part of transformation in the life of others. Following Jesus is a daily work that takes time and intentionality. God is pleased when we offer ourselves to Him in order to be more like Jesus Christ. My challenge is to lead Sandals Church both as a body and as individuals in taking our next steps in our transformation towards Christ-likeness. To this effort, I receive great joy in knowing I am fulfilling the work that God has given me to do.

I am married to my high school sweetheart, Christina, for over 19 years. Together we have been blessed with three beautiful children ages 10, 14 and 17 and love the joys and challenges that come with parenting and journeying in their spiritual formation process. I have a BS in Organizational Leadership from Biola University and an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Biola's Talbot School of Theology.

I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy listening more than talking, playing games, watching movies, rooting for the San Diego Padres and Chargers in the good seasons and bad, etc. One of my favorite places to hang out and refuel is at the beach while playing and watching the waves pound the shoreline.

I serve as the FRONTSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL Minister and I love it! I remember being in middle school and having the toughest time fitting in and feeling like I was important. Those were the hardest two years of my life. I now spend most of my time trying to make sure no other middle school students feel the same way. Our goal at FRONTSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL is to make every student feel loved, accepted and inspire them with God's truth and plans for their lives!

I have been working at Sandals Church since May 07'. I am married to an amazing woman, Taylor. I am a graduate from California Baptist University with a double major in History and Political Science. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Divinity at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. I love learning and applying God's timeless truths to students in a relevant inspiring way that brings about life change. I love my job. If you have any questions about what we do or how to become involved email me at davidt@sandalschurch.com Looking forward to the plans God has for our church and for you to be a part of Him changing Riverside!

I am the Early Childhood Director (Flip Flops) at Sandals Church. I have been on staff since July 2001. I have a Bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico in Early Childhood Multicultural Education and a Master's degree in Education from California Baptist University. I also spent two years in Tanzania, East Africa as a Kindergarten teacher.

My passion is to offer a safe, loving place for babies through preschoolers to learn about the love of Jesus. My job focuses specifically on all things Flip Flops. The main focus of my job is to oversee the Flip Flops leadership team, and the over 100 volunteers it takes to make Flip Flops happen each week. I oversee the preparation and implementation of the weekly curriculum. I also manage the Flip Flops facility which entails room preparation, supply stocking and cleaning. Periodically throughout the year, I assist with our very special Family Dedication event. I absolutely love being a part of Family Ministries and am so thankful for the team of volunteers that serve every week to love and care for the young children at Sandals Church. I truly believe we are investing in eternity in the lives of our children.

Just a few fun facts about me....I have been married to Matt since October 2005. I love hugs and ice cream. Every week at Flip Flops, I love the hugs, smiles, and waves from the kids. It is a huge joy to hear a child say my name for the first time, and holding the newborns.

Tired of the Façade…

I grew up hyper aware of the fakeness that permeates our world. I found it in the culture, in the church, and in myself. At age 19, I wrote in my journal, pleading with God to show my soon-to-be husband and me what it meant to be real. (Yes, I was a baby when I got married!)

In God's leading, we left the church-saturated Bible Belt to come out to "the land of the fruits and nuts" to start a church for these people whose entire state was about to be broken off into the ocean due to its crazies (ask any Southerner to explain). We came in obedience assuming God would give us the words to teach only to discover that he wanted us to learn.

The concept of being real hits close to home for me personally. I often find that the thing we are least real about is the value God places on us and others. It's easy to be real about our faults, or the flaws we see in others. But we often neglect to acknowledge that we are divine creations, intricately made, purposefully connected, and paid for by the life of our Savior.

This brings me to why I work with families. Kids and youth are real! I cannot tell you how many times I have been inspired by the honest answer of a preschooler, the willing heart of an elementary student, or the passion of a teenager. My heart is to work alongside parents, passing on spiritual tools, prayer, and support as they strive to teach their children about living out the unique, authentic life God has before them. I believe that our children should be our most valued treasure on this planet. One of my favorite authors writes,

"Watch carefully the children around you. In precious moments you will catch a glimpse of your Savior's face. Listen intently and you will hear his voice. Walk gently among them; his footprints are all around you. Embrace them, for you are embracing him. Respect them, because they are sometimes God's agents – exactly the kind of instruments he needs. At such times, only a child will do." -Wess Stafford from his book, Too Small To Ignore

After years of struggling with infertility, God blessed us with our first son, Aidan, in 2008, whom we were told was a girl until the moment he was born! God loves surprises! In contrast to the lack of musical ability Neal and I possess, Aidan began making everything a guitar by age one – from a broom, to his hairbrush, to his bacon! Everything became a guitar, and he's been rocking out ever since! Our second son, Anselm, was born in 2010, and is named after the philosopher/theologian famous for writing the ontological argument for the existence of God. (Ask my husband.) We can't wait to find out all of the uniqueness in store for us in him!

A few things about me that you should know… I love trampolines and hope to be on the show Wipeout some day. I enjoy trying new things, going on adventures, and taking on challenges (spiritual, mental, emotional, & physical). Some things that make me laugh are: my husband, the TV show Big Bang Theory, my children, and my friends. I appreciate: a good book, being in nature, intelligent humor, and people that passionately live out their calling. I enjoy surrounding myself with people who work hard, care more about their identity than their image, and are driven to love God and people.

Summer oversees Pipeline – our elementary children's program, and Abundant Love – Sandals Foster Care Ministry. She has a BA in English from California Baptist University and has been married to Neal since 1997. She has worked as an elementary school teacher, principal, gymnastics teacher, and snow cone maker. She also spent one summer working in the automotive department at Wal*Mart. She has been on staff at Sandals since 2004.

I joined the Sandals staff in 1999. In the past I have served in a variety of positions. I am currently in charge of the Arts and Programing Department, which means I oversee the creation and production of what it takes each week to plan, staff and execute our main services. In addition, I teach and assist our pastoral and ministerial team with care for our church.

The same year I joined Sandals I married my wife Danielle. We have two children that we love very much. Our daughter was born in 2000 and our son in 2002.

One of the most significant spiritual decisions I ever made was in 1994 when I was in Japan as a summer missionary. I was struggling with my calling and whether or not I was going to be real and honest with what was truly transpiring in my life. While I was standing by a rice field complaining to God, He clearly spoke to me and I made a decision to serve Him and His church with my life.

Thanks for letting me serve you.

I love music. Give me a Bach concerto. Give me a Zepplin riff. Give me a hip hop beat. I love it! For as long as I can remember, music has been a driving force in my life. I've had the pleasure of taking part in several bands (symphonic, marching, rock, worship, etc), choirs, musicals, playing all the instruments I can learn (or try).

I've had the privilege of playing guitar on the Sandals Worship Team since 2005, and have been organizing and running rehearsals, planning and leading auditions, and choosing songs for the Main Services since 2007. It is such an amazing privilege to both hit the stage and be behind the scenes, working for God's glory, our joy, and the church's good.

Because I love music so much, I am constantly aware that our musical offering to God should be our best. It's been great to see the ministry grow in number and in excellence, and I look forward to seeing where God takes us as we explore what it means to be real in our music!

My wife, Brittany, and I are passionate about seeing God put on display in our music and in our lives. We married in 2007 and welcomed our precious gift, Costello, into the world in 2009. I enjoy talking comic books, movies (I quote them often), and good food.

You can follow me on Twitter &mattrichey

As part of the Visual Team at Sandals Church, I am responsible for producing, directing, editing, and sometimes acting in our weekly video productions. It's my job to communicate the vision of Sandals, through video, and make it interesting to view.

I grew up in the church, accepting Christ at age 5, but things became stale. After going through the motions for years and years, I wanted to understand what it truly meant to pursue Christ; to push aside my worldly self and let God take control of my life. I rededicated my life to Christ at age 17 and at my senior class retreat heard Pastor Nathan Brown talk about what it meant to be real with ourselves, others, and God. I started attending Sandals Church in 2007 and haven't looked back, quickly joining a small group, helping out at Pipeline and volunteering for the visual team. I was brought on staff in the fall of 2009. Sandals Church has become a home to me, with a family that not only loves me, but challenges me to live out Gods truths.

Growing up in church produced an abundant amount of bible knowledge and learning how to do "church". Unfortunately, in my 10 years of being a "Christian" I didn't look a thing like Christ. It wasn't until I had driven my life into the ground that I realized I just couldn't do it. God came to my rescue. He provided a chance for me to start fresh in Riverside and come work at Sandals Church. God has taken a broken man and brought restoration and beauty. Out of the dirt, life has come.

I believe one of the greatest miracles I witness is the change of hearts. I am blessed to be a part of the process that has so much deep personal connection. Every week I get to see lives healed, changed, and restored by the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church. I consider it a great honor and responsibility to lead our church in praise and singing.

As the overseer of all worship at Sandals, I desire to have one united team that serves every ministry. Knowing that each is important, our team strives to increase in faith and function with eyes fixed on Christ first. We hope to deliver dynamic, relevant music to every venue to allow people to engage quickly and easily with God.

About me: I am half Korean and will take pride in that whenever I can. I married my best friend Cheryl on January 19th, 2008. I became a father in August 2010 to Josiah and have a baby due mid November 2011. I have been playing guitar since I was 15 and love to write music that helps people get a better understanding of who God is.

www.eddieculin.com

I work at Sandals as the Operations Associate. I have been on staff since March 2006. I love working for a place that actually cares for my personal and career growth. Discovering new ways to make my job more efficient and saving money is the best part of my job. I take care of our database, train people to use it and lead the amazing Blue Bucket Crew (Ushers and Counters).

I received my BA in Business Administration from Cal State San Bernardino in 2002. My husband Daniel and I have been married since 2000, and have been attending Sandals since 2005.

I like all sorts of games - card games, board games, video games - and hanging out with friends. Our vacations range from camping to cruising to bed & breakfasts. I love exploring the nature that God created.

I am one of the front desk associates at the Front Office and I also run the Bean Real Cafe on Sundays. Since working here and becoming more involved, I have created real and long lasting relationships.

I came to Sandals in 2006 because I was looking for a church where I could be authentic; a church that would not judge me, but embrace my imperfections and my triumphs. I felt right at home when came to Sandals because even the pastor could admit he was flawed.

My passion is people. I love to understand them, build relationships, and aid them when they are in need. I feel that God has placed me here to do these things within Sandals, and even in the community that surrounds.

I graduated in 2009 from California Baptist University with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and I am returning to school at Cal State San Bernardino to earn my teaching credentials. In my free time I enjoy acting, dance, off-roading, writing, and spending time with my awesome friends.

I produce the majority of the videos seen at Sandals. I started out as a video volunteer in 2004 making many of the early Pipeline and small group videos. My job is a fun way to be creative and artistic. I love that I have the chance to take my gifts to illustrate God's greatness and hopefully convey it in a way so that other people understand.

I go to Sandals because it is the only church that has ever made any sense to me. I've had a hard time dealing with any organized religion, because it was so hypocritical and fake. But when I came to Sandals, it just felt right.

I graduated from UCR with a BA in Film and Visual Culture. I also finished my first documentary in 2006, entitled Cuban Hip Hop: Desde El Principio (From the Beginning) which has won several awards and shown at various film festivals.

I am a really hard person to buy gifts for because I like a little bit of everything, but nothing real specific. Currently, my favorite TV shows are Scrubs and Flight of the Conchords-they're silly and make me laugh. In the way of cinema, I love the movie Shawshank Redemption and other dramas, including foreign films.

My favorite passage is Jesus' commandments to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and second to love your neighbor as yourself, as well as the passage where he saves the adulteress and says, (paraphrasing) "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." What can I say? I love the way Jesus thinks!

I came to Sandals Church in 2007 when I was at a point in my life where I lost all hope and questioned my faith due to the hardships life brought. The first sermon I heard related exactly to what I was experiencing and it was clear that God was speaking to me. It was then that I began my healing process with God by my side and accepting the friendships He placed in my path. Now, it is easy to see how God's hand guided and protected me. I know that if it wasn't for His help, and the help of others, I would not be able to say that through God's grace, I am restored and my faith strengthened.

I joined a ministry group in 2007, although I was nervous and reluctant in the beginning, and discovered there was nothing to be fearful of. Rather I have experienced God's love through friendships made in ministry groups and community groups. Eventually God placed the desire on my heart to want to get more involved in His church. I began volunteering an enjoyed meeting and helping people on Sundays as well as supporting the staff during the week.

June of 2008, God opened the door for me to join the Sandals team. I love many aspects of my job: meeting people, learning about their life and praying with them, and seeing how God transforms them. I am also passionate about supporting Pastor Matt Brown so that he can dedicate his time ministering to people.

My wonderful husband and I have been married since 2004, and we are proud owners of three adorable dogs. My pastime is video games, spending time with my husband and friends. Hiking is always a hobby and adding paintballing to that is a bonus.

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I remember the night I walked into Sandals. It was May of 2006 at the classic 7pm service and it was the first time I ever felt home at a church. Our vision to be real and to live a life in community changed me. No longer was I expected to have everything under control and perfectly manicured. I joined a small group that allowed me to open up and had the patience to walk with me. That is what I do at Sandals Church. I am your Connections Associate. It is my passion and desire to help you discover that Sandals Church is a place you feel welcomed and at home. In a place you are drawn into community and truly feel known and loved. What a beautiful thing it is to be known and accepted.

I also volunteer as a leader for The Co+op. This is a ministry for those who are 18-29 and we focus on experiencing a real God, embracing authentic community, and seriously engage with God's mission in our city and in the world. This is such an important ministry for me because, college was that time where everyone was telling me who I needed to be and what was best for my life. It was a time that I needed to know what and where Christ was calling me to, to allow the Holy Spirit to be my influence and not everything else I was bombarded with. In our ministry we walk with you and help you discover the path God is setting before you.

Before working for Sandals in 2010, I worked at Barnes & Noble for almost 9 years, the later 3 in the children's department, so don't be surprised to find me with a book, because I love to read and usually it is a children's book. I truly love storytime and miss it greatly...so if you have little ones you want read to I have a few favorites I can recommend. I love a good laugh and usually you can find me with friends and family doing exactly that. I delight myself in the Lord and one thing you may notice about me is joy, it is in everything I see and do.

Sandals Church saved my life.

When I was 22 my dad was battling his second bout with lung cancer. I was angry. I was sick of church. I was pretty much done with God. I didn't want any part of Him. So of course He sends me a bunch of people that loved me, even though they didn't know me. The pastoral staff and some small group leaders came to my house to pray for me and my family. I was blown away. People from a church I didn't attend wanted to love on me. When my dad passed away, the anger that I could have had was eliminated. God used that incident to restore my faith in Him and set me on a course I may never have started if it wasn't for Sandals. From then on, I knew that God had bigger plans for me. I began serving at Sandals in Flip Flops, then to Frontside and finally as a staff member. I am so grateful to be able to serve God in the capacity that He has provided for me.

I have been on staff at Sandals Church since summer 2004, and it is the greatest choice I have ever made. As visual director for Sandals, I oversee most of the things you see and touch. If It has the font comic sans or papyrus, chances are it did not get my approval. Needless to say, I love, love, love my job.

Family and Friends are very important to me. My wife Burgundy is my best friend. We are such good friends we made a son named Asher Ramone. We enjoy starting projects together that we will hopefully finsish one day. Screenplays, books and paintings to name a few. We also have a dog named Crash. When he is acting up his name changes to El Crasho, the Diablo Dog

I love Batman, Frankenstein, movies, comic books and good music. It's hard to believe but I hate talking about myself as I prefer to be behind the camera instead. Sometimes I do have interesting things to say, you can read my blog here.

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I cannot thank God enough for Sandals Church and the difference she has made in my life. I have seen God transform my family and the lives of many friends over the years. In 2006 I came here after a couple of friends encouraged me to attend, and from day 1, I knew I was right where God wanted me to be. In 2008, God called me out of the private industry to serve Him in full-time ministry and I have been on staff since then. I am an Executive Director for the church. A big part of what I do is ensuring that the vision God gives Pastor Matt is executed through our team. My areas of responsibility include Operations, Family Ministries, Connections, Production and Visual Arts.

I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Cal State, San Bernardino and my Master's Degree in Business Administration from University of Redlands. I have been married to my fabulous husband Kevin since 1999, and have 2 daughters - Corinne and Khazana. I love being outdoors, prayer walking and kick-boxing. More than anything, my desire is to serve God and follow His leading all the days of my life.

I do groups leadership development at Sandals. This means I look for, interview, and train new group leaders for most of the areas of our church.

I came to Sandals because I knew Carlos (the former worship leader), but stayed because it was the first time I liked going to church. I attended Sandals for five years before coming on staff. I have a BA in Biblical Studies and am most commonly known as Becca's husband. (She's one of the main vocalists you see on stage every week.)

I love talking to people and seeing them grow. I get excited when real spirituality starts to click with people, or seeing others become leaders when they think they couldn't.

1 Corinthians 10:31 is one of my favorites because it is all encompassing, leaving nothing out. It says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Also, I like long walks on the beach.

Derek is our Minister of Education at Sandals Church. He enjoys ultimate frisbee, pre-baby Jim and Pam episodes of The Office and twentytwowords.com. He loves teaching our church and being the husband of Kim and father of his two boys.

There is a famous Gary Comer, the former President of Lands End, a self made millionaire and philanthropist. How very different I am than him. I'm not rich or self-made, but rather "broke" and "broken!" There is a little humor and a lot of truth in that line. When we first came to Sandals, I felt like a half-dead person washing up to the shore. A past failure had slammed me hard. Listening to the messages and taking in the Sandals worship, God's grace poured in and brought me back.

In that renewing time God redirected to a first love. Ever since coming to Christ as a twenty-one year old secularized collegian, I've been impassioned to reach those outside the faith. I am convinced my life is forever bound to that purpose. After meeting with Pastor Matt, I offered my gifts. The church gave me opportunity to develop a number of new ministries. From doctoral research, I wrote a series of materials to improve the disciple making process. They became Steps to Faith and Basic Training.

I love the authenticity vision of Sandals! Over the past years God has revealed how to integrate this key value into faith sharing. I don't know if there is a more natural way to share than to backdrop His perfect light with shades of our darkness. I named it "The Disclosure Window." (Please come through Faith-Sharing Skills to learn more).

My far better half is my wife Robin. Oh do I love her! God has blessed us with two amazing boys, now in high school. We are grateful for how the church has warmly embraced us! As a family, we love Five Guys hamburgers, movies, playing board games, watching sports (Chargers, Suns, Angels). I love the water. Snorkeling. Hoops. Traveling internationally. In recent years God has given me the vision to write. I continue to chase big dreams! I truly enjoy the creativity, chance to innovate, and open eyes to missional living. God's inspiration is relentless!

As part of the Operations Team at Sandals Church I am responsible for supporting our church in the area of accounting. I began work here in November of 2010 with nine years of accounting experience behind me. I am blessed to work alongside a highly talented group of people, each uniquely gifted. I consider it a privilege not only to be a part of this team, but to be able to work for this body of believers.

I first attended Sandals Church in 2007. The events leading up to that first day of attendance were no coincidence. The most significant being a job I started that year where my new boss ended up inviting me to Sandals. I said yes. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't trying to get in good with her. Even though God knew my heart, He used my ulterior motive to bring me to a church I'd soon call home. I wept the day I realized that through the trials of divorce and learning to be a single parent, He was inviting me into a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Four years later, I have the privilege of being on staff and, oddly enough, still work for the same boss, whom I now get to call friend and sister in Christ.

I have an 8 year old son, Andrew, whom I love to pieces. Most other spare time is spent playing with my sister's kids or spending time with the people I love. I love a good book, particularly memoirs. Although I did read the Twilight series and liked it, please don't think less of me, although it may be too late for that. I have an unhealthy love for Starbucks, especially during the fall as that is when I can scarf down pumpkin muffins and latte's at will. I am a mediocre cook at best and love when friends cook for me because those are usually my favorite meals!

Two verses that I hold dear:

James 1:2-5 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. "

Psalm 23:6 "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Truer words have never been spoken.

I have been attending Sandals Church since October 2004. I had just graduated from high school and was looking for a church where I could grow in my faith and mature as an adult. I knew that Sandals was for me when Matt began preaching about the vision of Sandals Church, to be real with ourselves, God and others. Since then I have lead and co-lead women's small groups, volunteered in connections and administratively, and now in addition to being on staff I serve as a leader in our young adult's ministry, The Co+Op.

As the Ministry Assistant here at Sandals, I assist Dan Crowley and Andrew Boganwright, as well as manage and care for our ministry groups and community groups. I love spending time with people and building real relationships. Because of my love and heart for people, I earned a BA in Communication Studies from California Baptist University. My husband Thomas and I have been married since September 2009 and have been blessed to grow in our faith and love through the people at Sandals Church.

Andrew is the master of all graphics that need designing. Down in the design department, in his mighty thinking chair, he works his craft. Vastly creative.

Everything Andrew touches becomes instantly fun. Never has he encountered a design that he did not fun-ifize.

Totally about Jesus, Andrew not only rocks his creative side but walks with the Spirit. Underneath his fun exterior is a guy serious about God.

Rarely is Andrew not practicing aggressive friendship. Either you are currently his friend, or you are his future friend. Turn around, because friendship is right behind you.

Interestingly enough Andrew loves Narwhals. Meats preferred by Andrew include bacon, Canadian bacon and hotdogs. Eventually, he will come to your house for you potluck party.

I am one of the front desk receptionists in the front office. My first visit to Sandals was Easter 2004. The moment I walked in, I felt at home. I knew I had to immediately get involved and began serving as a greeter. I have since been involved with, our college-age ministry, singing worship for them and currently assist in Pipeline on Sundays.I believe that being real with myself, others and God is essential to the success of my relationships and truly strive to seek the most meaningful relationships I can.?

I'm recently married to my husband Blake and enjoy every minute of married life. I graduated in 2009 from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor's Degree in English and I hope to return to school soon to earn my Master's Degree. Some of my hobbies include singing, theatre (both movies and stage), dancing, and spending quality time with my husband, family & friends.

I have been married to my wonderful wife, Brittany, since July, 2006. We met in college and I am extremely blessed to go through life with her. In January, 2011, our son, Elliot was born. God has taught me so much about His love for me through Elliot. Watching him develop brings me joy. I also enjoy games and sports. They don't make it to the same level as my family, but I have fun with them. My favorite sport is soccer, but I will have a blast playing just about any sport you can think of. I really like to play strategic board games. So, if you're ever playing sports or games, let me know!

I'm the Family ministries assistant. For me there is no greater joy than teaching young children about our Lord Jesus Christ and that's why I love working at Sandals in this ministry. In this position, I get to employ the gifts that God has given me which include organizing, planning, and investing in children to name a few. On Sundays you can find me in Pipeline supporting the volunteers and director, greeting the parents, and/or connecting with the kids. There is a good chance you'll find me laughing me with a number of kids because let's face it, kids are tons of fun! For as long as I can remember I've always had a passion to work with children for which I pursued a teaching career. I received my bachelor's degree and teaching credential from Calbaptist University in 2006. Little did I know that God was leading me in a different direction and in 2011 he provided a place for me on the Sandals team. I'm happy to be a part of what God is doing here at Sandals and I'm very excited to see how He continues to reveal Himself to the children of our church.

I came to Sandals in 2002 looking for a community of believers who were my age and who could encourage me in my walk with the Lord. On that first Sunday after engaging in the worship music, the message, and the people that I encountered, it was so apparent that the Holy Spirit was actively moving in this church. The presence of the Lord coupled with an immediate sense of belonging drew me in and it didn't take me long to commit to Sandals as my home church. After 2 years of attending and praying for a college group, the Lord answered my prayer and I was blessed to be part of the breaking ground for what would become Sandals College United. I had the pleasure of being a leader with the college group for 7 years. I never anticipated all that the Lord would teach me during those impressionable years but I'm so grateful for the wisdom and love that He outpoured on me. It was actually at our college group where I met my wonderful husband, Matt in 2007. We've been married since June 2010 and I can happily say that it's been wonderful, exciting, and fruitful. I'm blessed to be married to such an amazing man who honors the Lord, leads me spiritually, and has the ability to make me laugh harder than anyone I know. Marriage is teaching me about God's perfect provision and His desire for me to be sanctified through my spouse.

I absolutely love spending time with family and close friends. I come from a family of intense laughers so laughing is probably my favorite way to connect with someone. I enjoy hiking, camping, swimming, volleyball, playing board games, watching movies, spontaneous trips to the beach, eating Bann Thai, and night games that include a competition with teams, a mission, and a winner! One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." I love the truth that in the Lord, we have nothing to be anxious about for He is in control. This has often been my prayer and the Lord never ceases to amaze me as he provides just enough grace and peace to get me through one situation at a time, deepening my dependence on Him. This passage will continue to be my prayer as long as I battle fear.

It's hard to believe that my lovely wife, Fran and I have been married for 35 years. No, we're not that old we were literally just children when we got married. We have raised three boys, all now adults and attending Sandals with their families. As a family, when it comes to recreation we'll try anything once but we're mostly all about sports. On Saturdays when I'm not in a ministry meeting you can find me at a soccer or baseball field watching my granddaughter play hard. As for me, the older I get the better I was.

I am very excited to be serving on staff at such a wonderful, God honoring church. Let's work together to make our marriages exceptional. We don't want to just, "make it", as couples but we want to have marriages that please God and are a good representation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With the help of God's Spirit and a hard working and dedicated marriage team, I hope and pray that I will be able to lead the charge in developing these types of healthy marriages that give back to the community here at Sandals.

I am a geek. And nerd. With a splash of dork and goofball as well. That's why I love what I get to do: oversee the technical teams and the gear that is used to create the environment you see when you come into our building. God has given me an amazing gift of being able to understand technology. I love using that gift to build into others and to train them how to use the tools we've been blessed with. The real fun comes when we as a team get to use technology to help share the Gospel and teach the story of Jesus. That's what makes my job awesome!

I started volunteering in January of 2010 and helped Justin develop and implement the Online Campus. I had come to Sandals to find healing after going through one of the worst and darkest periods of my life. Sandals' vision to be real was fresh and extremely freeing.

I have a beautiful daughter who was born in 2008. I'll be honest: I didn't accept this position just to work at Sandals. I had a job I loved in Orange County. The problem was that I was too far away from my little girl. I accepted this position so that I could be closer to her. I'm just fortunate enough to be able to get to do what I love and be able to live close to her.

Things that make me happy: My daughter. Star Wars. Android. Mac. Twitter. Pepsi. Halo. Movies. Cooking. Rock music. Film scores. Video games. Family. Steak. Geeking out. Call of Duty. Cheesecake. Shufflin'.

My blog: http://isaiahfran.co

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HI, I'm Rudy and I'm the facilities director here at Sandals. I have been attending Sandals for about six years now. My wife and I were searching for a new church to call "home" and a friend suggested Sandals. We left the service feeling a sense of peace; finally a church that stripped away the "religious facade" and actually preached about being real AND loving Jesus! If you know me, then you know that I am ALL ABOUT being real. I had finally found a new church home!

I have been married to "Kelly", the love of my life for almost 25 years and yes I really do call her that! God blessed us with three kids, two beautiful daughters and one really tall son (6'8")and two amazing grandbabies.

I love construction and have had an extensive career in the building industry. Although my career afforded me the opportunity to provide a great lifestyle for my family, what it didn't do was allow me the time I needed to focus on God and REALLY put him first in my life! My favorite saying and one that I try to live by is, "God ALWAYS wins"! At the lowest point in my life, God brought me on staff at Sandals as the facilities director! God took my passion to construct and brought me to a place where HE is my focus and everything I do is to give God the glory! My job is to facilitate and oversee all aspects of our beautiful new home. In addition, I lead the Levites (construction ministry) and the parking ministry.

My hobbies are fast boats, fast cars, thrilling roller coaster rides and ALL water sports. I enjoy meeting new people, giving my staff members a hard time and most practical jokes. Don't let my stern face fool you, I'm really just a big kid at heart ! Seriously, I am grateful to be a part of a group of people with open loving hearts and a burning desire to worship Jesus.

I love Sandals Church. It's my home, my family, my community. In 2004, my husband David and I were welcomed and encouraged to be "us" with no false pretenses in a time when I thought churches were just playing a game of love. We have learned so much about living and loving authentically in this season of our lives, I am forever grateful for this community.

I work with the Operations Team handling the internal business and Human Resources of Sandals Church as well as supporting the Executive Director. I love bringing order to the chaos! I also serve in Women's Ministry teaching and leading women's small groups, it's a whole lotta estrogen, but a great place to be.

My husband and I have two children, Delaney and Deacon, who have taught me so much about myself, God's love and his grace in the past four years than my entire life up to this point. I have an unhealthy attachment to my Keurig and all the joy that it brings early Saturday morning when my kids are up before the sun. I love coffee dates with good friends, Disneyland with my family, baking chocolate chip cookies, and, at the risk of sounding like a Hallmark commercial, a good book on a rainy day (which rarely ever happens . . ).

I love having the privilege of serving this church, hope to see you around!

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