Our elder team consists of Eric Kowes, David Morris, Lance Nelson, and Joe Segura. To listen to the message preached on the day we affirmed Eric and Joe as elders, click here.
Eric Kowes
David Morris
David was born in South Carolina before his family moved to Pennsylvania so David's dad could become a lead pastor. God was kind to give David Christian parents who loved him and taught him the gospel, which he believed when he was six years old. David has been married to Cathy for 22 years, and God has given them Silas, Raina, Meg, and Luca. David got his Master of Divinity degree at the Master’s Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Counseling at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He moved to Kingsburg, CA, in 2007 to help plant Grace Church of the Valley. After serving there for thirteen years, David moved to Ripon to plant Christ Community Church. David enjoys sports, reading, and family time. His favorite Bible books are Romans and Hebrews and his life goals are to faithfully love his wife, disciple his children, and shepherd Christ’s church until he dies.
Lance Nelson
Lance was born and raised in Modesto, California. He grew up attending La Loma Grace Brethren Church, where he was saved and baptized at a young age. Lance married his wife Randi in 2002, and they have three children, Olivia, Luke and Amelia. Lance received his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Sacramento State in 2012. He began pursuing pastoral and theological studies in 2017, graduating with his M.Div. from The Master's Seminary in 2024. He was ordained to the gospel ministry at Christ Community Church in October of 2024.
Lance doesn’t have a favorite book of the bible, but his favorite book is the Institutes of Christian Religion by John Calvin. He is an avid reader and so spends some of his free time doing that, but he also enjoys running and exercise. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his family, which includes frequent trips to Yogurt Mill. His ministry goals are in one way, or another connected to a fervent desire to see the truth of Christ shared, received and rejoiced in. He loves the simplicity of the gospel found in John 17:3 which says, “this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Joe Segura
Joe was born and raised in Manteca and moved to Ripon in 2008. He married his junior high sweetheart, Erica, and God has blessed them with five wonderful children. God was gracious to Joe and placed several people in his life that taught him who Jesus was and about church, but it wasn’t until his early 20’s that Joe came to truly know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. It was through the reading and studying of God’s word, in particular Joe’s favorite passage of scripture (Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”) that the grace of God truly started to make sense to Joe and gave him an understanding of God’s love and His sovereign choosing. Joe loves God’s church and people and is excited to serve in any area he can but has a particular passion for leadership and marriage and family ministries.
Joe works for a utility company and in his free time he likes to spend time with his wife and kids, cooking and entertaining for friends and family, golfing, and fishing…although he admits he’s a terrible fisherman!