Founders Board
TEAM
Convergence was planted by three local Santa Cruz pastors. These leaders come from different Christian expressions (evangelical to charismatic) and are all deeply committed to seeing unity happen in the body of Christ. Ken Cornell, Jesse West, and Brandon Johnson are the three co-founding board members of Convergence and each lead separate church ministries throughout the week to serve the local Santa Cruz area.
3 MISSIONS – 1 VISION
The churches and ministries that meet at Convergence all have their own 501c3 non-profits, theology of mission, bylaws, and ministry visions but they all believe in the greater vision of working together in unity, and loving one another; we believe that we are better together than apart. Convergence leadership places a high value on the Presence of God, unity, equipping, activating, and inspiring people to step into their purpose.
ABOUT THE FOUNDING LEADERS
Ken Cornell
Lead Pastor @ Hilltop
CO - Founder of Santa Cruz Convergence
“The Lord is moving powerfully in Santa Cruz County and we are excited to ride the wave of this new movement.” – Ken Cornell
Hilltop is a kingdom expression of authentic love, acceptance, and encounter, and is a founding partner of Convergence Santa Cruz. Led by Pastors Ken and Shauna Cornell, their mission is to be a community of belonging—facilitating a move of God and incubating ministry through equipping,empowering, and activation. Founded in 1990, Hilltop has a great heritage of bringing revival, healing, and transformation to Santa Cruz. For more information about Hilltop Community,
Jesse West
Lead Pastor @ The Point - A Jesus Community
CO - Founder of Santa Cruz Convergence
“God is moving through the body of Christ and uniting churches, para-churches, ministries, businesses and artist communities for an awakening in our local community unlike anything we have ever seen before.” – Jesse West
The Point — A Jesus Community — was founded in 2015 by Pastor Jesse and Amber West and an awesome group of believers called to a new community expression in the Spirit and the Word. The Point – A Jesus Community is a local Santa Cruz church community committed to awakening people to the reality of loving Jesus and one another.
Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson
Lead Pastor @ Gathering By The Bay
CO-Founder of Santa Cruz Convergence
“The power of community working together is that anything is possible and dreams become reality. God is activating people into their destiny so our city will thrive.” – Brandon Johnson
The Santa Cruz Gathering By The Bay is a network of House Churches consisting of Firestarters, The Soquel Church, and Our Church (Mt. Hermon), and is a founding partner of Convergence Santa Cruz. Their vision is to see personal, regional and global transformation through the manifest presence of God. Currently led by Lead Pastor Brandon Johnson, The Gathering was founded in 2006 by Pastors Dave and Laura Gschwend.