church in ventura

Jon Field

Lead Pastor

Bio

A foundation of faith that launched him into a life of fruitful ministry

Jon’s ministry life began in Calvary Church where he grew up in Los Gatos, CA. God used the ministries and people of Calvary to lay a foundation of faith that launched him into a life of fruitful ministry.

After graduating from Biola University, Jon served as the Middle School Director for Calvary. He then was called to Hawaii to launch a youth ministry from the ground up at a church plant on the island of Oahu, before transitioning to become the Pastor of Ministry Development. Jon received both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Western Seminary in Portland, OR. Over two hundred people helped support his extended ministry preparation during his seminary years. Following seminary, Jon became the Lead Pastor of Grace Church where he served for 16 years. Under Jon’s leadership, the church transitioned from a small traditional church to a thriving modern church reaching a diverse community for Christ. With decades of ministry experience in diverse contexts, we are grateful to have Jon serving as our lead pastor since August 2022.

Faith Journey

I grew up in a strong Christian home and my mom led me to Christ at the age of seven. During my junior and senior year of high school, I went through a season of significant questioning of my faith. God met me in a very personal and powerful way which launched me into a great season of growth in Christ as a young adult.
During my childhood, my father suffered from severe medical challenges which left him disabled for the remainder of his life. Seeing Christ lead our family through many challenges helped me develop a strong dependence on Christ and a compassion for people. God has used all of my experiences to shape me as a pastor and as a follower of Christ. The mountains I have had to climb and valleys I have had to walk through have all caused me to look back and rejoice in God’s faithfulness.

Getting to Know Jon

Our members and staff at ENCOUNTER describe me as loving, faith-filled, loyal and adventurous. I believe God has called me to be a visionary, shepherd-leader who guides a church into new areas of discipleship and Kingdom expansion. My love for people and my love for Christ are two driving forces in my life.
I enjoy spending time with people in the great outdoors whether it’s yearly backpack trips with my kids, fly fishing with friends, ocean kayaking or traveling to explore new places.

My love language is time spent whether a quick meal or a spontaneous hike. My door is always open and I welcome drop ins at the office. I always feel like I have capacity for one more friend.

Ongoing Vision for ENCOUNTER

My pastoral heart is closely aligned with the vision that ENCOUNTER was founded on. Our desire to have teaching that reaches the unchurched and inspires Christ followers is reflective of my fundamental view of Biblical teaching. ENCOUNTER's heart for world and local missions that reaches the nations both here and abroad is a deep commitment in my life.
I strongly believe that the vision for a church is birthed in productive conversations and deep prayer among leaders and committed believers within a church family. The foundation for ENCOUNTER lies in its heart for world and local missions that reach the nations both here and abroad. Reaching the unchurched and inspiring believers is at the core of what ENCOUNTER does. I know God is leading us to discover together His path as we ENCOUNTER GOD, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, AND ENGAGE THE WORLD.
Meet

The Field Family

My wife Amy is my greatest encourager, friend and ministry partner. She loves to open up her life and our home to help point people to Christ. Amy is truly an amazing woman of God and has the unique ability to connect with just about anyone. She thrives in an authentic community where she is able to experience deep friendships. We have been married for over two decades.

Katie is a recent graduate at Westmont University, where she received her degree in business. She has never met a dog she doesn’t think is cute no matter how many people might disagree. Jessica is a recent graduate at Biola University and is preparing to become a Social Worker. The only thing that can wake her up to her alarm in the morning is the promise of a great adventure. Josh recently graduated from high school and will be attending Biola University Fall 2024. He loves participating in all kinds of sports, like pickle ball and hanging out with friends. He has been known to randomly improvise contemporary dance moves. Anytime. Anywhere. As a family, we love to go to the beach, camp, backpack, go to Lake Tahoe and hang out with friends.

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JULY 10 - WITH JON-19
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We have ASL interpretation available for the 9 AM service

CONTACT ADDRESS 6950 Ralston Street, Ventura, CA 93003

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@encounterlife.org

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