Leadership Team
Lead Pastors
Forrest & Christina Beiser
Raised in a minister’s home in Santa Cruz, California, Forrest graduated Bethany University [formerly Glad Tidings Bible Institute – founded/housed here in SF on our current campus]. It was there that he met Christina, his wife. He then continued his education at Wheaton Graduate School near Chicago. Christina, a San Francisco native, spent 2 ½ years at Bethany before transferring to Fresno State. In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Christina uses her gifts at GT in coordination of small groups, counseling, & organizing fundraising for under resourced groups and people.
After Forrest and Christina served on the staff of Vallejo’s Church on the Hill, they invested 6 ½ years as foreign missionaries in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), West Africa. They primarily supported refugees displaced by the Liberian Civil War.During this time they were also instrumental in planting 5 churches, training new believers, establishing relief ministries, as well as founding a Christian School.
In 1994 Forrest and Christina moved home to San Francisco.
Their favorites:
*Just being in SF [they call it the most beautiful city in the world]
*Walks on SF’s great beaches or Golden Gate Park
*Discovering new restaurants for great food
*Movies [both of us love PBS “period movies”]
*Time with family and friends.Forrest & Christina have a style that is open, caring, & passionate. In their work in SF they are committed to:
*Calling people to life
*Sharing the message that GOD loves you no matter what
*A pursuit of GOD that leads us into our best life
*Establishing an enduring, powerful, & encouraging churchTogether GT is learning how to find relevant ways to make a difference in SF by living the “life to the fullest” Jesus spoke about in John 10:10.
Worship Leaders & Minister of Fine Arts
Pastor Tim and Katie Gavigan
Timothy & Katie Gavigan
Tim and Katie were both born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Catholic families. Tim had trouble reconciling life’s realities with the God of his upbringing, and so turned to other world religions, hoping to find a spiritual match for the longing in his soul. It wasn’t until his mid-twenties that he slowly became convinced that the God of the Bible was the fulfillment of all his heart’s longings. It was during this time that he met Katie, who was also looking to make God a more central part of her life.
Tim joined the Glad Tidings staff in 2001. Tim and Katie can’t imagine living anywhere else in the United States. Tim loves all San Francisco trivia (ask him and he’ll tell you where the oldest buildings in the City are located!). He especially loves the Presidio, cherry blossoms, and Victorian architecture. Katie loves the year-round flowers, the sunny days, and the Bay Area’s breathtaking views. He and Katie never cease to be thankful for the diversity of culture, lifestyle, and cuisine (Thai food, anyone?) that the Fillmore, Hayes Valley, Pacific Heights, and yes, the Tenderloin has to offer.
They are so thrilled about the quality of relationships that are forming within the Glad Tidings community, and passionately convinced that through these relationships, San Franciscans will get a glimpse of the truth that God has designed each one of them for a life of purpose, meaning, and hope. Their imaginations are bursting with wonder at what San Francisco might begin to look like as more and more people begin to live in these life-giving relationships.
Katie and Tim love to wrestle out life’s most important questions with people who are looking to live the fullest kind of lives. Together we keep finding that people are most fulfilled when they live their lives for God’s purposes – to see His dreams come true for the world.
Some of Tim and Katie’s favorites:
*Store: Borders Books, World Market
*Movie: International-themed, Pride and Prejudice
*Food: Tawan’s (Thai), Rotee (Indian)
*SF District: North Beach, Noe Valley
Student Ministries
Pastor Nathan Jines
Nathan Jines
Nate was born in Sacramento, California, but spent his childhood in Utah and Idaho. As an adolescent he began to experiment with things he thought would satisfy him. He tried rebellion, drugs, and immorality. After running away from GOD [very successfully for several years], he found the answers to his life questions were in GOD. He enrolled in Teen Challenge and went on to graduate from the Teen Challenge Ministry Institute in Los Angeles. For the first time in his life he no longer felt the need to run because he’d found what his heart was longing for.
During a powerful conference in Washington DC Nate felt an impression that his next step was to work with a spiritual mentor. In joining the GT Staff he feels like he’s found this. Nathan has finished his Biblical Studies, & is continuing his education at a local college and at Central Bible College in Missouri.
Nathan is gifted with energy. He manages the children’s programs: Power Kidz Choir, Power Kidz Team Leadership, and Power Kidz Clubz.
Since his arrival these groups have gone through an explosion of growth. In response to this GT has built state-of-the-art rooms as tools to facilitate this growth. Nathan’s favorite stuff:
*San Francisco spot: Ocean Beach
*Food: Nathan likes super-spicy Thai food
*Activities: Running, hiking, skydiving, sports, & trying new things
*Hobbies: Drinking fine teas, trick kiting, working out, and hikes
Nathan’s dream is that GT would be a place where children grow healthy and strong and live life to the max-reaching their fullest potential as individuals discovering their life-purpose in God and developing their gifts to benefit others
Chinese Ministries
Pastor Timothy Yip
Timothy Yip
Timothy was born in Hong Kong. Timothy was educated here in the USA and became a Lutheran Pastor.
In 1998 his spiritual life went through a dramatic advancement when he had a powerful experience with the Holy Spirit at a conference. He says that, “I experienced power like electricity entering me, and I felt great love overwhelming me. My life was transformed totally after that.”
He has been at GT since 2004 and has pulled together a growing group of young Chinese people who meet on Sundays. They have a time of singing and sharing, but the greatest growth tool for this ministry has been small groups. This allows each participant to play an active role in the group and to grow in their Christian faith.
Pastor Timothy reaches out in various ways by-
- Teaching English
- Giving free piano, drum, & guitar lessons
- Training students in ping-pong
Pastor Timothy is also a chaplain at the Chinese Hospital here in SF. He is a man with a single focus, and that’s to bring people into the joy he has experienced in GOD.
Youth Ministries
Isaiah Beiser
Son of pastors Forrest and Christina, Isaiah was raised in a healthy home and watched his parents work in Africa and San Francisco. Isaiah was not born in west Africa but was raised there. During Isaiah’s third year in high school, he received a calling from God to be a youth pastor and to follow God with all of his heart. After finishing high school in California, Isaiah began attending Central Bible College in Missouri in order to become a youth minister.
Fresh off of the learning field, Isaiah brings a current, relevant, and real message of Jesus to San Francisco’s youth. Isaiah loves to hang out with youth and build relationships with them. Here are some of Isaiah’s favorite things to do:
- Food: anything and everything!
- San Francisco Spot: Westfield/Union Square
- Activities: movies, playing soccer and basketball, skiing, shopping, music, whatever youth are up to!
- Favorite “chill” Spots: Dome of Westfield, Catacombs, Ocean beach, Stonestown
Isaiah’s dream is that San Francisco’s youth come to know the love of Jesus, and his purpose for their lives. He hopes that GT would be the epicenter for a great and powerful youth movement, and a place that youth will always want to come too.
Calvin Price
Calvin was saved in January of 2007, and quickly was drawn into the calling of the Lord. That same year he decided to attend Central Bible College to further his calling, and is now taking a brief break from CBC and is interning again at GT. Calvin is a bright, loving young man, and always greets people with a smile. He is helping GT on many levels and he continues to prepare for full-time church leadership.
Senior Adult Ministries
Pastor Catherine Avenel
Catherine Avenel
Catherine was born in Canada and raised in a large family who remain close to this day. As an adult she moved to the warmer climate of California and began raising her 2 boys. Although she began helping at GT in 2000, she later join the GT Leadership Team.
She has played an active role in Senior’s Ministry. The primary component of this is a weekly study at a local Senior Care Facility.
This is currently expanding to another facility due to the success she is experiencing.
She also helps with Visitation Work and discipleship at GT, and teaches at the adult level training believers in their faith. She is a great Bible communicator and has an active role in walking people through their painful pasts and into full life in Christ.
Mike Fondanova
A Southern California native and graduate of UC Santa Barbara, Mike left his career in finance to pursue a life-long call to the ministry. He has become a valuable asset to Pastor Forrest’s restructure of our administration process.
He also helps lead Energize, our Junior High ministry.
Mike is a servant and loves to worship.
He enjoys walking in The City, movies, friends and family.
Enrique Rosales
Enrique moved to the US from El Salvador 8 years ago. No matter how difficult the challenge, Enrique’s attitude is ‘let me try’. As a result, he has quickly become irreplaceable in our ongoing facility upgrades and modification projects.
He also helps lead PowerKids, our children’s community.
He has a soft heart and enjoys working outside.
He enjoys swimming, the TV series “Westwing,” and on his days off loves to drive along the local coastlines.
Joshua Azucena
A Native San Franciscan Joshua comes to GT from a Bible School Training Center in El Salvador. He’s excited about the growth in the youth and children’s departments and spends his days keeping GT moving forward.
He loves to laugh, can be seen often at GT connecting with youth, and has a heart to see people find their chief delight in GOD.
His favorite foods: Carne Asada, Pupusas
His favorite San Francisco Spot: The Golden Gate Bridge
Jesse Lolli
Jesse was born in the Bronx and raised in Florida. Saved since 2007, he has found a home at GT following his recent graduation from Teen Challenge. Jesse is going after God on many levels in this new adventure called internship. He helps out around GT and has found a passion in w working with the GT Youth Group.
Food: Chicken Marsalles, Southern dishes, breakfast foods.
San Francisco Spot: Twin Peaks
Activities: Playing Sports, Outdoor action, video games.
Glad Tidings San Francisco 1280 WEBSTER STREET San Francisco, CA 94115 Glad Tidings San Francisco Christian Church 1280 Webster Street san Francisco, CA 94115
