Eric Geiger
Eric is married to Kaye, and they have two daughters: Eden and Evie. Eric is the Senior Pastor of Mariners Church. He is still in awe of God’s grace and grateful to get to teach God’s Word and serve Mariners Church. Eric received his doctorate in leadership and church ministry from Southern Seminary and has also authored or co-authored several books, including the best-selling church leadership book, Simple Church, and a kids’ book with his favorite co-author—his youngest daughter Evie. During his free time, Eric enjoys leading his high school guys’ Life Group, exploring new places to eat in Southern California with Kaye, taking his daughters to the beach, mountain biking, and playing basketball.
Teaching Team
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Eric Geiger
Senior Pastor -
Kenton Beshore
Pastor Emeritus -
Christine Caine
Women’s Leadership & Teaching Pastor -
Doug Fields
Marriage, Family & Youth Pastor -
Ines Franklin
Teaching Pastor -
Steve Bang Lee
Lead Pastor | North Irvine
Eric Geiger
Eric is married to Kaye, and they have two daughters: Eden and Evie. Eric is the Senior Pastor of Mariners Church. He is still in awe of God’s grace and grateful to get to teach God’s Word and serve Mariners Church. Eric received his doctorate in leadership and church ministry from Southern Seminary and has also authored or co-authored several books, including the best-selling church leadership book, Simple Church, and a kids’ book with his favorite co-author—his youngest daughter Evie. During his free time, Eric enjoys leading his high school guys’ Life Group, exploring new places to eat in Southern California with Kaye, taking his daughters to the beach, mountain biking, and playing basketball.
Kenton Beshore
Kenton Beshore is the Pastor Emeritus of Mariners Church. He loves the privilege of being a pastor and his greatest joy is being with people at defining moments of their lives. He received his master’s degree from Talbot Seminary and the Institute of London where he studied with Dr. John Stott. Kenton lives in Corona del Mar, California with his wife, Laurie. Together they have have four sons, four daughters-in-law, and eleven grandchildren.
Christine Caine
Christine Caine is the Women’s Leadership Pastor and also serves as a Teaching Pastor at Mariners Church. She’s an Australian born, Greek blooded, lover of Jesus, and a sought-after international speaker, author, and activist. Known for her ability to effectively communicate a message of hope, Christine has a heart for reaching the lost, strengthening leadership, and championing the cause of justice. Together with her husband, Nick, she founded the anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign. They also founded Propel Women, an organization designed to celebrate every woman’s passion, purpose, and potential. Christine and Nick enjoy spending time with their daughters, Catherine and Sophia, drinking coffee, and hiking.
Doug Fields
Doug Fields is a Marriage, Family & Youth Pastor at Mariners Church. His primary roles in life are husband, dad, and grandfather… as his family is everything to him! Vocationally, Doug has committed his life to helping people through his speaking and writing (author of 50+ books) and has been a youth pastor for 30+ years as well as the co-Founder of DownloadYouthMinistry.com. He has his Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. Doug loves spending time with his wife Cathy, his three grown kids, and his three grandchildren.
Ines Franklin
Ines is a Teaching Pastor at Mariners Church. She received her masters of divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and is passionate about helping others understand the Bible and how to apply it to their lives. Ines and her husband Jim have been married for more than 17 years and enjoy spending time with their blended family of five married children, nine grandchildren, and their black lab, Noelle.
Steve Bang Lee
Steve is the Lead Pastor of Mariners North Irvine and a Teaching Pastor for Mariners Church. Steve is a graduate of Talbot School of Theology and has served in pastoral ministry for 16 years. He is happily married to Angela and is a proud father to Isaiah, Elizabeth, Aaron, and Ezra. Bang (as some call him) enjoys reading, writing, being outdoors with his wife, and any occasion when the kids are napping giving him a moment of peace and quiet.
Leadership Team
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Eric Geiger
Senior Pastor -
Beth Ganem
Executive Pastor -
Earl Roberson
Chief Operating Officer -
DK Kim
Lead Worship Pastor -
Jared Kirkwood
Discipleship Pastor -
Brandon Hiltibidal
Multiplication Pastor -
Tammy Kanei
Youth Pastor -
Liz Powers
Content Pastor -
Roddy Garcia
Outreach and People Development Pastor -
Catherine Hwang-Jin
Pastor of Kids Ministry
Eric Geiger
Eric is married to Kaye, and they have two daughters: Eden and Evie. Eric is the Senior Pastor of Mariners Church. He is still in awe of God’s grace and grateful to get to teach God’s Word and serve Mariners Church. Eric received his doctorate in leadership and church ministry from Southern Seminary and has also authored or co-authored several books, including the best-selling church leadership book, Simple Church, and a kids’ book with his favorite co-author—his youngest daughter Evie. During his free time, Eric enjoys leading his high school guys’ Life Group, exploring new places to eat in Southern California with Kaye, taking his daughters to the beach, mountain biking, and playing basketball.
Beth Ganem
Beth is the Executive Pastor at Mariners Church. As a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of organizational and leadership experience with Fortune 100 companies, Beth is passionate about helping individuals, organizations, and boards function more effectively through improved executive leadership, teamwork, and overall organizational health. Now as an executive pastor, Beth uses her experience to support the mission and ministries of Mariners. Beth is married to Tony and together they are the proud parents of Gabriella and Antonio. She enjoys travel adventures, outdoor activities, and helping others develop their personal passions.
Earl Roberson
Earl is the Chief Operating Officer of Mariners Church. A graduate of Baylor University, Earl is an accomplished strategy and people development executive who enjoys building teams to conceive and execute mission, vision, and goals. As a senior leader at Mariners, Earl helps create organizational capabilities that lend support to the ministry of the church. Earl is married to Missy and together they are the proud parents of Addison and their yellow lab, Major. He enjoys a wide range of outdoor activities, teaching Bible studies, and mentoring emerging leaders.
DK Kim
Upon graduating from UC Irvine with a degree in Sociology, DK dove right into full-time ministry as a worship leader and pastor. DK has been married to Sadie for more than 16 years. They began their marriage overseas in Bangkok, Thailand and also spent several years in Mexico City, Mexico. Together they are proud parents of Micah (13) and Isla (11). DK loves dating his wife, going on trips with his family, and staying active by playing basketball and pickleball. He has been a lifelong fanatic of the Lakers and all Los Angeles area sports. DK enjoys time with friends around a fire pit and still remembers all 50 state capitals from when he was forced to memorize them in 5th grade.
Jared Kirkwood
Jared Kirkwood is the Lead Pastor of Mariners Irvine and the Discipleship Pastor. He has been at Mariners Church for 16 years and has served as the Junior High and High School Pastor, Lead Pastor for the Rooted Network, and as a Teaching Pastor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Vanguard University and a master’s degree in global leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Jared is married to his wife Kim, and they have two ridiculously awesome kids, Asher and Ellie. Jared enjoys a round of golf with friends where he spends more time in the sand than he does at the beach.
Brandon Hiltibidal
Brandon is the Pastor of Multiplication and the Lead Pastor at Mariners Huntington Beach. Prior to moving to Southern California, Brandon served as Director of Adult Publishing for Lifeway Christian Resources and as a church planter and teaching pastor. His wife, Scarlet, is a Christian author and native Californian, and together they have three daughters: Ever, Dewy, and Joy. Brandon’s favorite hobbies are reading, hiking, and remembering when he played basketball.
Tammy Kanei
Tammy is the Youth Pastor at Mariners Church. In her role, she works to empower teenagers (6-12th grade) to follow Jesus and fearlessly change the world. Tammy, a Hawaii native, graduated from Vanguard University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Leadership. On her days off, Tammy enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, outdoor adventures, a great cup of coffee and playing the violin!
Liz Powers
Liz is the Content Pastor at Mariners Church. In her role, she works to ensure continuity and alignment of all communications, language, and teaching with the mission and values of Mariners. Liz graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. On her days off, Liz will spend any free moment with her friends or at the beach. She enjoys art museums, reading, and writing.
Roddy Garcia
Roderick “Roddy” serves as the Outreach and People Development Pastor of Mariners Church. He provides leadership and strategy to the teams responsible for serving vulnerable populations, strengthening city relationships and developing global partnerships. He also serves as curator and architect across all ministry practices and systems related to volunteer mobilization, guest assimilation, and the Mariners Leadership Development Pipeline. Roddy received his bachelor’s degree from Biola University, where he studied a hodgepodge of disciplines including international development, psychology, business, biblical studies, and biochemistry. His latest fascinations include bio hacking, virtual reality, and his dog, Sushi–“who is perfect.”
Catherine Hwang-Jin
Catherine Hwang-Jin is the Pastor of Kids Ministry at Mariners Church. She received her master’s degree in Christian Education from Talbot Seminary and has 20 years of ministry experience in kid’s ministry, most recently as Children’s Pastor at Bayside Church in Roseville, CA. Catherine loves to travel the world writing, speaking, and training kids ministry leaders. In her free time, she enjoys dancing to Kpop music, eating yummy food, and having fun with her “total opposite” husband Steve, their three daughters, Evelyn (11), Charlotte (8), Adaline (3), and their puppy, Mookie Betts (#gododgers)!
Congregational Pastors
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Jared Kirkwood
Lead Pastor | Irvine -
Brandon Hiltibidal
Lead Pastor | Huntington Beach -
Erin Kerr
Lead Pastor | Mission Viejo -
Steve Bang Lee
Lead Pastor | North Irvine -
Van Ibasan
Lead Pastor | Oceanside -
Guillermo Gonzalez
Lead Pastor | Santa Ana -
Jorge Molina
Lead Pastor | Tustin
Jared Kirkwood
Jared Kirkwood is the Lead Pastor of Mariners Irvine and the Discipleship Pastor. He has been at Mariners Church for 16 years and has served as the Junior High and High School Pastor, Lead Pastor for the Rooted Network, and as a Teaching Pastor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Vanguard University and a master’s degree in global leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Jared is married to his wife Kim, and they have two ridiculously awesome kids, Asher and Ellie. Jared enjoys a round of golf with friends where he spends more time in the sand than he does at the beach.
Brandon Hiltibidal
Brandon is the Pastor of Multiplication and the Lead Pastor at Mariners Huntington Beach. Prior to moving to Southern California, Brandon served as Director of Adult Publishing for Lifeway Christian Resources and as a church planter and teaching pastor. His wife, Scarlet, is a Christian author and native Californian, and together they have three daughters: Ever, Dewy, and Joy. Brandon’s favorite hobbies are reading, hiking, and remembering when he played basketball.
Erin Kerr
Erin is the Lead Pastor of Mariners Mission Viejo. Erin has served for the last 20 years in small and large church contexts, launching and leading ministries and church startups to reach more people for Christ. Erin graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in graphic design and later completed his master’s degree in Theological Studies from North Park Theological Seminary. Erin is married to Joy and has three girls, Autumn, Eden, and Phoebe. Erin enjoys date nights with Joy, getting schooled by his girls in Mario Kart, reading, coffee, praying a little too hard for his Dallas Cowboys, and squeezing in a Crossfit WOD.
Steve Bang Lee
Steve is the Lead Pastor of Mariners North Irvine and a Teaching Pastor for Mariners Church. Steve is a graduate of Talbot School of Theology and has served in pastoral ministry for 16 years. He is happily married to Angela and is a proud father to Isaiah, Elizabeth, Aaron, and Ezra. Bang (as some call him) enjoys reading, writing, being outdoors with his wife, and any occasion when the kids are napping giving him a moment of peace and quiet.
Van Ibasan
Van is the Lead Pastor of Mariners Oceanside. Born in the Philippines and raised in Miami, FL, Van has followed Jesus since his high school years. He is a Southeastern University graduate and holds a bachelor’s degree in Church Ministries. Before joining the Mariners team, Van served as a Campus Pastor in Miami, FL, and a Creative Pastor in Cape Coral, FL. An avid reader, Van also enjoys shooting hoops and spending time with his wife Jenny and their two children, Luke and Leia, and trying out new restaurants with friends.
Guillermo Gonzalez
Guillermo is the Lead Pastor of Mariners Santa Ana. He received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Westwood College and worked in the technical industry before he began serving in different churches as a Youth Pastor and Executive Pastor. Guillermo is married to Nidia and has two children: Samuel and Nia. In his free time, Guillermo likes spending time with family, reading, and training in Jiu-Jitsu.
Jorge Molina
Jorge is the Lead Pastor at Mariners Tustin. He is passionate about helping believers take steps of obedience as they follow Jesus and seeing the church and the city thrive. Jorge was born and raised in El Salvador—a country that remains dear to his heart. He graduated from Liberty University and has been a pastor in the local church for the past 20 years. Jorge lives in the great city of Tustin with his wonderful wife Jessica and their four children: Gabriela, Nadia, Selah, and Elias. Since moving to Orange County from Miami, FL, the Molina kids have mostly enjoyed the cold ocean water while Jorge and Jessica have enjoyed their weekly dates as they eat around the county.