Who We Are
Malibu is a unique and beautiful place to live, but it is not immune from the challenges of life. The Gathering Church exists to build a community in Malibu that is being transformed by the grace of the gospel, creating new life spiritually, relationally, and culturally. We invite you to consider the gospel, the good news that God sent His son Jesus into the world not to condemn the world but to save people through Him. Personally trusting in Christ transforms your identity, your values, your relationships, and your purpose in life. We also invite you to consider visiting the Gathering. The Gathering is a church, a community of believers who honestly follow Christ together. We don't do this by just attending church one day a week but by together seeking to live out the gospel in all of life. We are a community of people transformed by God’s grace in which each individual plays an important role that contributes to the community's life.
The Gathering exists to build a community that is being transformed by the grace of the gospel, creating new life spiritually, relationally, and culturally.
Meet the Team
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Brian Kelly
LEAD TEACHING PASTOR
Brian has been the pastor of the Gathering church since its inception in 2009. He is married to Karen, and they have three college-age boys. Brian and Karen raised their boys locally and love our small-town community of western Malibu. He is a 2004 graduate of Biola Univerity, where he received his Master of Divinity degree in pastoral ministry. He enjoys reading, the ocean, and exploring the local mountains.
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Karen Kelly
WOMEN’S MINISTRY LEADER
Karen Kelly has been a part of the church since its earliest days and has had the joy of participating in many different aspects of church life. Brian and Karen have three sons who had the amazing experience of growing up with/at the Gathering but are all off in college currently. Karen also is a middle school English teacher which keeps her humble and on her toes during the weekdays. Leading the women’s ministry at the Gathering is something that she loves and is deeply grateful to get to do.
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McCartney Baldwin
KID’S MINISTRY LEADER
McCartney Baldwin started attending the Gathering as a student at Pepperdine University. She graduated from Pepperdine with her elementary teaching credential and went into teaching elementary school. After 7 years of teaching, she recently took a step back from the classroom to be home with her two year old daughter. McCartney is excited about coming alongside the church to help serve the kid’s ministries programs.
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Sterling Phillips
SUNDAY SUPPORT
Sterling started attending Malibu Gathering with her family while in school at Pepperdine University. After graduation, Sterling started working for the church in spring of 2022. Sterling helps with various church tasks during the week and on Sunday mornings can usually be found at the back of the tent running the computer.
Church Leadership
The Elders and Deacons (Stewardship team) lead the church through a strategic division of responsibilities. The Elders lead by teaching God's Word, providing prayer and care, protecting theological clarity, inspiring Christ's vision for the future, and training new leaders. The deacons provide servant leadership by meeting the tangible and material needs of the church. Both teams work together to provide essential leadership and health for the church.
Our Elders
The Malibu Gathering Church believes healthy Christ-centered leadership is essential in the life of a church. Our Elders are installed as spiritual leaders over our community, providing the necessary foundation for a Biblically flourishing community. The Elders are called to lead according to the example of Jesus and the apostles' writings. Two passages give clarity to the character and responsibilities of an Elder: 1 Tim 3:1-7 and 1 Peter 5:1-5.
(L-R) Lockwood Holmes, Tony Mark, Brian Kelly, Joel Lopata
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
- 1 Timothy 3:1–7 (ESV)
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
- 1 Peter 5:1-3 (ESV)
Stewardship Team
The Malibu Gathering Church believes healthy Christ-centered leadership is essential in the life of a church. Our Elders are installed as spiritual leaders over our community, providing the necessary foundation for a Biblically flourishing community. The Elders are called to lead according to the example of Jesus and the apostles' writings. Two passages give clarity to the character and responsibilities of an Elder: 1 Tim 3:1-7 and 1 Peter 5:1-5.
(L-R) Tracy Stoker, Gary Wonnacott, Lizzy Baldwin
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
- 1 Timothy 3:1–7 (ESV)
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
- 1 Peter 5:1-3 (ESV)