Pastor Mike Barris
I am married to Debra who is the joy of my life. We have three children – Andrew, Caitlyn, and Christopher who have blessed and filled our lives in amazing ways. Prior to serving here at Centerpointe, I was on staff at Irvine Presbyterian Church and in my early faith years, I was in involved in ministry at University United Methodist Church, also in Irvine.
As a pastor, I am blessed with meaningful work that spans a wide variety of roles that include speaking, teaching, offering loving care to others, vision casting tied to what we believe God is up to with our church, coaching and equipping people for ministry roles, leading the staff team, partnering with the Elders and Deacons of the church, and meeting one to one with people to talk about life or spiritual issues.
What I love most about ministry is the chance to come alongside people and share life in many of its most meaningful moments from weddings and baptisms, to challenging circumstances of life and death that are part of pastoral caregiving. In the same way, it is absolutely a blessing to have the privilege of preaching and teaching for spiritual transformation in the lives of people. It is a gift to me to be able to take God’s Word and share it in ways that bring encouragement, hope, purpose in life, and spiritual vitality.
What fires me up in my spiritual journey is the constant discovery of more of Jesus’ goodness, love and grace. Through Scripture reading, prayer, reflection, and study, I am constantly filled with wonder and awe for what Jesus has done and is doing in me. Learning and growing spiritually is a blast!
For fun, I do all things outdoors from bike riding to swimming to long walks. I also enjoy reading for fun, doing mini “construction” projects at home, and barbecuing. When we are not with our kids, Debra and I love to hike, explore different places (city environments and nature alike), and work on projects together. With our kids mostly out of the house and moving into adulthood, we hope to do more traveling, which has always been fun for us as a couple.
Pastor Mike’s Ministry and Educational Background
Education:
B.A.(Social Ecology) University of California Irvine,
Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary
Ministry:
Staff member, Irvine Presbyterian Church, 1987-1997.
Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) 1997
Senior Pastor, Centerpointe Presbyterian Church in 1997-Present