About Pastor Steven Sorensen

Growing Up

I was raised in Orange County in Southern California.  I grew up attending church, but would have followed many of my friends out of high school and out of church except the Lord Jesus arranged for my personal conversion just before my senior year of high school.  After graduating from high school I attended Biola University in Los Angeles County and graduated from Biola with a B.A. in Social Science – Missions.  After taking a year off school, I attended Talbot Seminary, now a graduate school of Biola, and graduated with an M.Div and a M.A.C.E (Master of divinity and a Masters of Christian Education).  While I attended seminary I worked as a youth pastor in my church.  Marty and I were married after I graduated from seminary.  We both took some additional classes in Islamic theology and practice at Fuller Seminary before going to France and then to Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa over the next three years.  We returned the U.S. with plans to return to Cote d’Ivoire, but found out the Lord had other ideas.  We have lived in the Coachella Valley since 1989. 

Arriving in the Coachella Valley

From 1989 to 1999 I worked in various jobs and volunteered in my church (Indio Vineyard, which merged with Palm Desert Vineyard.  That pastor ended up having serious problems and was expelled from the denomination, but not before the church was destroyed.  Some of us regrouped to form the Desert Christian Community Church with Pastor Albie Pearson.  We later hired a new pastor, who renamed the church Desert Springs Church.  I volunteered at that church as well until I was hired as an Associate Pastor in 1999.  I felt the Lord lead me to leave that church, but where?  We nearly moved to Denver, then thought we would be moving to San Clemente, until at the last moment the Lord made it very clear to me that we were to stay right here, so we began JPL Bible Church in January 2002. 

The Sorensen family

Marty and I have been married since 1984.  Marty was also raised in Southern California, raised in a Reformed Church (same denomination, different church) and also attended Biola University, though we did not meet at Biola.  Marty and I met each other on a blind date about 5 years later!   Marty graduated with a B.A. in Christian Education and has taught at Christian School of the Desert since 1998.  She has always been very active in church ministry and currently leads the very active Women’s Ministry at JPL!   Our son Matthew was born in 1989 and is graduating from Vanguard University.  Michael was born in 1992 and is finishing at Desert Christian Academy and very active leading worship at JPL.