OUR TEAM
Lead Pastor - Grey & Sharon Powell
Pastor Grey and his wife Sharon have been married for over 30 years and they have 5 adult children & one granddaughter. Pastor Grey has served as a Lead Pastor, Youth & Family Minister, Campus Minister, Athletic Director and Coach for over 28 years. Pastor Grey is originally from Louisiana and Sharon is from Houston, TX. Grey & Sharon love Southern California and are excited about loving God and the people of Long Beach.
Grey enjoys music, movies, good food, football, baseball and he bleeds Dodger blue! Grey loves sharing the Good News of Jesus, singing along with Maverick City Music and building relationships with people. Sharon is an educator and enjoys cooking, crocheting & spending time with family..
Director of Worship - Wes & Haley Ruby
Wes is new to Long Beach Church. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University and is completing his Masters from Cal State Fullerton. Wes is a gifted musician and worship leader and was a member of Pepperdine’s Won By One, while an undergraduate student. Wes is a trained classical guitarist and loves using his gifts to worship. Wes is originally from Chicago and he loves the Cubs, Bears & Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
Haley is also a graduate of Pepperdine University and enjoys leading worship when she is not working as an actress or in the theatre with costuming and hair.
Office Administrator & Community Cultivator - Diana Ryan
Diana envisions humankind simply thriving, without excess – nor unmet needs – loving God and each other. In recovery, Diana sheds shame and embraces today’s opportunities. She loves to connect with people. “You’re not alone. We’re with you. Our loving God is for you.” Trained in co-active listening through the Professional Christian Coaching Institute, Diana holds a B.A. in Organizational Studies from Pitzer College, Claremont. She came to Christ in 1998 in the midst of her divorce, and has two adult children. Diana joined us here in 2019 and came on staff in 2021. Living in an intentional household, where all voices are respected, Diana enjoys “healingly” healthy meals and keeping a gratitude journal.
Shepherd - Chris and Stephanie Burrus
Chris has been a Shepherd since 2001. He grew up in Tuskegee, Alabama. He married his wife, Stephanie, in 1990 and has been a Californian ever since. They have four children and a grandson. He served in the US Navy for 8 years and now works as a Business Services Supervisor. Chris holds a B.S. in Organizational Leadership from Biola University. Chris and Stephanie facilitate Financial Peace University classes and have worked with several ministries for our children. Chris' passion is to spread the word about God's mercy and grace.
Shepherd - David and Linda Cron
David has been a Shepherd since 2014. David grew up in Tennessee, but has lived in California since 1981. Married to Linda Cron in 1975, they both have been involved in connecting others and participating in church programs and events. He has worked in a variety of professions including several years in missions and ministry, a long stint as an electrical engineer, and since 2001 as a professor of English as a Second Language. David and Linda enjoy hiking in the mountains and the desert, and they love working with the FriendSpeak ministry.
Shepherd - Bruce Martin
Bruce has been a Shepherd since 2001. He has two adult children that grew up in this church family. We honor his dearly departed wife Wanda (1992-2017), and her powerful legacy at this church.
Bruce has been a High School basketball referee for over 35 years. He loves hiking and going to theatre shows with his daughter. His joys at church include seeing the beauty of a loving God colliding with messy people resulting in an incredible family! He has also taught many Bible classes through the years and is currently a small group leader.