ABOUT
Short bio
I was born in Los Angeles but grew up on the East Coast in Clearwater, FL where I met my wife. We have two children. I have 27 years of ministry experience, serving outside several major cities across North America (Tampa, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Sacramento, Phoenix, and San Francisco). I am an ordained Pastor in the Presbyterian tradition, where I have led weekly worship for congregations with upwards of 4 services, with attendance as large as 1100 to 1300 in weekly in-person worship. I have also served in solo pastor settings with congregations between 75 and 150 people.
My most recent Installed Pastor role was from 2018-2021. I served as the Senior Pastor/Head of Staff at Christ Presbyterian Church located in the West Valley of Phoenix, AZ. In 2021 our family relocated back to Northern California for my wife’s job advancement. Our move gave me the opportunity to complete my PhD studies at the University of Aberdeen while I served as Pulpit Supply for churches in the North Central California Presbytery. I submitted my PhD thesis in April 2022, and successfully defended the thesis in August, 2022 receiving the title of “Dr.”
Over the years I have chaired national theology committees and served on several Presbytery committees that include ministerial care committees and finance committees. I am an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Redwods Presbytery located in Marin County, CA. From 2023-2025 I served as the Interim Pastor for Northminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento. From August 2025 to the present I have served as the Interim Pastor for the Presbyterian Church of Novato. Located north of San Francisco in Marin County.
In addition to my life in ministry, I completed a PhD in Disability Theology at the University of Aberdeen. I worked under Professor John Swinton who was my doctoral Advisor. I also have a Doctor of Ministry degree from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI where I worked under Professor Chuck DeGroat as my doctoral Advisor. I completed my DMin in July, 2017. In addition to these two doctoral degrees, I have an Masters of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia in the area of Urban Missiology and Church Planting. I have a BA from Clearwater Christian College in Pastoral Studies.
Over the years I have presented theological papers in North America at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA; Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI; and Azusa Pacific University, CA. I also have presented theological papers in the U.K. and EU at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland; Westminster College, Cambridge, England; the University of St. Andrews, Scotland; Durham University, England, and at the European Academy of Religion (to see my CV you can visit my Academia.edu page by clicking here). I regularly publish original theological research articles and book reviews in peer-review academic journals in North America and the U.K.
“Pastor Tony's compassion for the churched, unchurched, and those on the margins of society shines through in the way he preaches, teaches, and conducts himself. In his preaching, Pastor Tony combines an energetic presence with sound theology, resonating with multigenerational and multicultural audiences.”
— PhD Candidate, Brandin Francabandera, University of Aberdeen
