Home Backup

In 2004 Pastor Bryon was touring Israel when he had a life-defining moment by the pools of Bethesda. While his group was taking a break for lunch, they were joined by two other tour groups, one from Nigeria and another from South Korea. He was struck by the reality that people from around the world—people of radically differing backgrounds, cultures, languages, and experiences—were unified in one purpose: to seek out and experience Jesus Christ. Pastor Bryon was impressed by the simple truth that this is what heaven looks like.

Not long after that experience, Bryon became the pastor of Living Hope, in Lakeside, CA. During this time he became convinced that the highest call of the church is to make disciples who see what God sees, love what God loves, and do what God says. After ten years in that capacity, he led the congregation through a merge with a local, thriving church plant: Seven Church. The combination of the maturity of Living Hope and the energy and DNA of Seven created a synergy through which people were now ready to take the cause of Christ to the next place.

In 2016, the merge with Seven was secure, and God released Pastor Bryon to pursue the next step in the vision that had been revealed twelve years earlier. Bryon began praying about where God wanted him next, and the community of Lemon Grove came to the forefront. Ethne is the synthesis of Pastor Bryon’s vision and leadership, a core team from the merged Seven church, and a group of committed supporters, who are dedicated building a unique church that reflects the diverse population of its community.