Our Leadership

Chad is the founding pastor of Sovereign Grace Church. After completing his M.A. in Theology at Talbot, and being the high school pastor at RiverLakes Community Church, Chad was called to plant a church in Bakersfield. He is also the founding board chairman of Radius International, an organization that trains people to plant churches among unreached language groups. His passion is to know Christ and to make him known. He has been married to Teresa since 1994, and they have two children and one grandson. 

Jason is one of the original four men whom God called to co-plant Sovereign Grace Church of Bakersfield. The son of a pastor and church planter, Jason grew up serving the church. He attended BIOLA University for two years while studying philosophy, biblical studies, and the great books of the western canon. He went on to graduate from Fresno Pacific University in 2006. In 2019 he received his M.A. from Westminster Theological Seminary. His desire is to be used by God to “bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations.” (Romans 1:5). Jason has been married to Christin since 2011 and they have two children. 

Russell is one of our pastors at Sovereign Grace and previously served as the church’s Youth Pastor. Russell received his degree in Biblical Studies from Biola University and is presently pursuing his M.A. in Biblical Studies at Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. Russell’s passion is to “proclaim Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:28-29). He has been married to Ashly since 2005, and they have four children. 

Michael is one of the pastors at Sovereign Grace and is also the Senior Bible Teacher at Bakersfield Christian High School. Michael has been a member at Sovereign Grace since 2017. From 2017 until 2022 he served as the church’s Youth Pastor. He completed his M.A. of Theological Studies in 2022 from Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. Now he serves as one of our teaching elders while he works full time for BCHS. Michael is married to Krissy, and they have two sons. His passion is to point people to “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) 

Seth began his role overseeing the youth at Sovereign Grace in the Fall of 2022. He has been working in the Kern High School District as a Special Education Teacher since 2021. He is currently in the process of obtaining an M.A. at Reformed Theological Seminary. Seth desires to proclaim and rejoice in the Gospel continually, pointing others to the God, “who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Cor. 1:4).” He has been married to his wife Breana since 2019, and they have two sons. 

The Bryant family has been attending Sovereign Grace since 2012. Marlo has served in various roles at the church and is now directing the children’s ministry and helping with administration. John and Marlo have been married since 1990 and have three children.