The Chief Shepherd, Jesus, has vested the oversight in each of His local flocks in a plurality of men called elders, overseers, and pastors (all three terms refer to the same office). And this team of men (the team of elders) is responsible to lead, teach, guard, and pray for the local flock given to them. (See Acts 20:17-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-5; 5:17; Titus 1:5-11; 1 Peter 5:1-4.) Accordingly, Grace Bible Fellowship is an elder-led church. Our team of elders decides issues of general oversight (doctrine, vision, direction, leadership, staff, etc.). Deacons manage our mercy ministries, and other teams (missions, finance, facility, etc.) decide other issues (missions involvement and support, budget, facilities, etc.) all within the general oversight of the elders. However, we value the insight and maturity of the congregation. We do not want to make it difficult for the saints to follow the elders’ lead — that would not be spiritually profitable for the church (Hebrews 13:7, 17). So, the elders’ are open to the congregation’s input—many times their input is requested. Elders are servant-leaders, not self-willed tyrants (1 Peter 5:3). We do not have a Senior Pastor model, rather all the elders/pastors share the responsibility equally.
Administrative Assistant
Click for more details of Dana
Dana has been at Grace Bible Fellowship since 1980 when she was influenced through the youth ministry of GBF as a senior in high school and God opened her heart to Him. She became interested in becoming a missionary through contact with Dick and Nadine Clark, GBF missionaries to Peru.
In college she served as a leader with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on her campus. With IVCF, she served for two summers in Sequoia National Park in an evangelism program reaching out to employees of the park and in summer 1985 served for 9 weeks in Mexico City with the Latin America Mission, living with a Mexican family and serving in a Mexican church.
In 1993-1995, Dana was sent by GBF to Guatemala with Wycliffe Bible Translators to serve as a literacy worker among the Pokomchi people. She has served in various GBF ministries including children’s classes, nursery and the missions team.
Dana retired from 32 years of secondary public-school teaching Spanish/English in 2021. In 2022, she began as GBF’s Administrative Assistant.
She continues to serve as a teacher of English as a Second Language at liberty Adult School.
Dana enjoys being Aunt Dana to her own nephews and her many nieces and nephews of the heart here at GBF and beyond. She lives with her bunny Holly, loves the color purple, and enjoys walking in the forests of the Sierra Nevada.
Pastor/Elder
Click for more details of Pastor Mike
Pastor Mike has been at Grace Bible Fellowship since moving to Oakley in 1988. He became a pastor at Grace in 1991. He oversees pastoral/leadership training, teaches Bible and theology, team leads the church missions’ team and has been on many teaching trips to our mission fields, including India, the Philippines, Uganda, Malaysia and Mexico.
Pastor Mike is involved in visiting shut ins and others who need a visit, as well as other pastoral ministries. His passion is study, learning, and helping others to get to know God’s Word, the Bible.
He and his wife, Pam, are blessed with four grown children, their four spouses, and 13 grandchildren.
Mike worked as a chemist for Chevron for 34 years before retiring in 2015.
He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his kids and grandkids.
Pastor/Elder
Click for more details of Pastor Wes
Pastor Wes has been at Grace Bible Fellowship since 1995, moving to Brentwood with his parents and sister from Alabama, and has been here ever since.
Wes became a pastor at GBF in 2016. He does most of the preaching on Sunday mornings, and he is involved in leading worship, counseling, and teaching. His passion is studying and preaching God’s Word.
Wes graduated from Grace School of Theology and Ministry in 2012 with a BA in Biblical Studies and graduated from The Cornerstone Seminary in 2015 with a M.Div. He now teaches at Cornerstone. He is on staff at GBF.
Wes and his wife, Jennelle, are raising 4 children, two sons and two daughters. Wes enjoys reading, anything Star Trek and flying.
Pastor/Elder
Click for more details of Pastor Deepak
Pastor Deepak has been at Grace Bible Fellowship since 2017. He became a pastor at Grace in 2022. Deepak is in the Timothy Program Training of GBF, studying the Bible and Theology with Pastor Mike, who says that he shows a passion for these studies.
He does some teaching and preaching, team leads the church missions team, and serves on the website team and media ministry. He is gifted at helping GBF to be organized, which is a big job! Deepak and his wife, Nirupa, enjoy hosting our missionaries when they visit.
Deepak works full time as a software engineer. He and his wife, Nirupa, are raising 2 sons.
He enjoys reading, playing video games with his kids and following the Sacramento Kings basketball team.
Deacon
Click for more details of Deacon Tim
Tim has been at Grace Bible Fellowship since 2005. He became a deacon in 2014. As a deacon, Tim is involved in the Caring Ministry, managing the fund, financial counselling and helping people as needed. He is involved in problem solving, working through church facility, church finances and Caring Ministry issues.
While growing up, Tim spent 13 years in Germany with his family, and so he speaks fluent German. He graduated from Pepperdine University, earning a BA in political science and history. Tim has been working for the Brentwood Community Development Department since 2002 and is currently the Development Services Manager.
Tim and his wife, Kristin, are raising three daughters. He enjoys the mountains…camping, hiking, hunting and skiing. He is also a woodworker and enjoys travel.
Deacon
Click for more details of Deacon Scott
Scott has been at Grace Bible Fellowship since 2006. He became a deacon in 2014. As a deacon, Scott is involved in the Caring Ministry, decision-making, counseling and helping people in need. He team leads the Children’s Ministry and teaches grade school children.
Scott earned a BA in Liberal Studies from Pt Loma Nazarene University, and an MA in Specialized Ministry with a focus in Youth from Western Seminary.
He led the youth group at GBF for from October 2006-January 2019 and led a community group for several years.
Scott currently works for SWIMS, a Storm Water Maintenance Company, as a Northern California Project Manager Scott and his wife, Carrie, are raising two children, a daughter and a son. He enjoys spending time with his family!