Young Adults Director

I was born and raised in Glendale, Arizona, and became a pastor’s kid when I entered 8th grade. I moved to Costa Mesa to attended Vanguard University and graduated in 2016 with my Bachelor’s in Religion with an emphasis in Pastoral Leadership.  I’ve been coaching cross country and track and field at Pacifica Christian High School since 2019 and have been attending Lighthouse Community Church since 2018.  I’ve been happily married to my wife, Jenna, since December of 2022!

Youth Director

Hi there, I am Chris Johnson. I have been an attendee at Lighthouse Community Church for over 15 years now so you probably have at least seen me around. I have primarily been involved in the Preschool, Student Ministry and Young Adults programs for the duration of my attendance as a volunteer and I am happy to step forward in this role with the Student Ministry. I was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California and work primarily as a software developer.

Lil’ Lighthouse Preschool Director

Marge was born on a dairy farm in the great state of Wisconsin. Therefore, she is a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan. She moved to Southern California in the fall of 1977 where she began her teaching career at a Christian school near Disneyland. She and her husband, Nissim, have a daughter Gloria who keeps them busy and young!! Marge is passionate about sharing the love of God with the preschoolers and their families. She also loves Bible studies, walking, biking, and cheering on the Packers.

Worship Leader & Outreach Director

Pastor Bill Nelson has been in Christian ministry for 40+ years, serving as Youth Minister, Worship Arts Pastor, Associate Pastor, and Lead Pastor. He graduated from Hope International University with a B.S. degree in Ministry Leadership and a M.A. degree in Pastoral Care Counseling. He and his wife Cathy have been married for forty-two years and have three daughters, three sons-in-law and three grandchildren. Together, Bill and Cathy have served in churches in California and Nevada.

Family Ministry Director

Cheri grew up in Southern California and has been a Costa Mesa resident for most of her life. Cheri and her husband Ben have been married for 15 years, and have two children, Dylan and Sophia. Cheri has worked in children’s ministry for many years and is passionate about bringing kids to know and love Jesus. She has a heart for family ministry and strives to equip parents, grandparents and caregivers with resources to raise the next generation. In her free time, you can find her on the pool deck or gymnastic studio with her kids, BBQing new recipes with her husband, or finding some time to try a new coffee shop.

Finance and Facilities

Robyn has lived in Costa Mesa/Huntington Beach her entire life. She and her husband, Mark, have two grown children, Matthew and Sarah. They recently added another son to the family when Sarah married her high school sweetheart, Michael. Robyn has worked at Lighthouse for over 17 years, starting in the front office. She now oversees the finances for both the church and preschool, as well as coordinating all facility operations. Her passion is singing and she is a diehard fan of the Angels – win or lose!

Family Ministry

Karina is a senior at Biola University majoring in Christian Ministry. She has a passion for teaching children about Jesus and would like to be a children’s ministry director one day. She has been working in children’s ministry since her junior year of high school. Karina has been attending Lighthouse for the past six years and loves playing in the youth worship band. In her free time, Karina enjoys going to Disneyland, playing guitar and painting.

Tech Team

Chris Isom grew up in Orange County and attended Mariners Church, where at 13 years of age he found his love of being an audio engineer. After his time at Mariners ended, Chris found Lighthouse and is currently serving as an intern on the tech team.

Jr. High Youth

Matthew is interning with our Jr. High Youth. He is currently working on his degree in Chemistry at Vanguard University. He has a passion for juggling and playing the piano. He is also the author of “Juggling the Issues: Living with Asperger’s Syndrome,” which provides a firsthand perspective of how autistic people interpret things differently than the rest of the world. Matthew loves teaching and mentoring youth, just as he had others who have invested in him.