Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Owens.
Benjamin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m blessed to serve the church in which I grew up. In fact, it was growing up under my Dad’s pastoral ministry that first attracted me to ministry. I loved and admired what my Dad did. It wasn’t glamorous or lucrative, but it was real. It was about helping people by pointing them to the timeless truth of the Bible. I got to see that the Gospel really works. I saw people from every background become joy-filled members of our church family, united in Christ.
I started playing the guitar at twelve and by high-school I was obsessed. So in addition to playing solo guitar gigs, I’ve had the privilege of serving in our church’s worship team for over twenty years now. After high-school, I knew I wanted ministerial training but I also knew I wanted more music education. So I earned a music degree before transferring to Bob Jones University to complete my BA in humanities. I earned my MA in Christian ministry from Southern California Seminary in 2013 and have been on staff here since.
The month after graduating seminary, I met my beautiful wife, Rosie. We were married a year and a half later. The Lord has blessed us with three wonderful children for whom we are beyond grateful. I’ve been the lead pastor since 2022. I love our church family. Getting to serve such sincere, loving, godly people is a privilege. We’ve got a good mix of seniors, middle-aged professionals, and young families and singles. One of the joys of Christianity is its universal appeal. It’s not restricted to a particular demographic. Young or old, black or white, rich or poor–the Gospel is for you. Jesus died for you. That’s tremendously unifying. And I get to see that unity play out daily in practical, relational ways. It’s a bright light in a dark world.
Our main service is on Sunday at 10:45. I preach verse-by-verse through books of the Bible. Currently, we’re working through the Gospel according to Luke. Luke was a physician by trade and a traveling companion of the apostle Paul. As he recounts the historical facts of the Jesus story, his scholarly eye for detail is unmistakable. He demonstrates that it’s all true. Jesus really was God in human flesh. He really did come to die for our sins, as the Old Testament prophets predicted. And He really did prove it all by rising from the dead.
While most of our services take place on our campus here in Santee, we also love to get out and enjoy all of the beauty San Diego has to offer. Last week, we held a baptism at Mission Bay. This weekend, we’ll host an evening service in the beautiful pines of Mt. Laguna. In a world increasingly dominated by anxiety and uncertainty, these get-togethers are a true joy. We talk, we laugh, we eat together, sing together–all united by Jesus and what He has done.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Things have not always been easy. Some challenges are specific to our area. San Diego is a military town. That provides us with a wonderful opportunity to serve these families who make such sacrifices for our nation. We love that. But that has also meant learning to say goodbye to folks who have become dear friends when they are re-stationed elsewhere. That’s tough.
Then there are broader cultural challenges. The Bible describes God as immutable. That is, He is unchanging and unchangeable. The God of reality has revealed Himself to us in the authoritative record of the Bible. The central message of the Bible is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the incredibly good news that Jesus came to die for our sins, then triumphed over death in His resurrection. All who trust in Him find full and free forgiveness.
It’s a pastor’s responsibility to faithfully preserve and transmit that message–it’s good news for everyone everywhere! But we live in a time when many people have not formed their opinion from actually reading the Bible but from what they have heard second or third hand. This has resulted in a tragic situation in which many believe the Bible is outdated or, even worse, hateful and oppressive.
I think this confusion lies behind much of the ugly celebration of the death of Charlie Kirk. If you believe that Kirk was a mouthpiece for hate, bitterness, and oppression, then the celebration makes sense. But a closer look at Kirk’s public life reveals that this simply wasn’t the case. Fundamentally, Charlie Kirk was a proponent of the Biblical Gospel. And the Gospel is a message of hope, light, love, and forgiveness for all. The God who made you loves you. He wants you to know forgiveness and new life. He wants you to experience the joy of family. He wants you know the blessing of true community.
So one of our key challenges is attempting to overcome these misunderstandings. We attempt to do this with kindness, service, and genuine conversation. We want to help people read the Bible for themselves. Form your own opinions. The Gospel is good news and we want everyone to know it.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
We want to see unbelieving people become committed followers of Jesus Christ. We are all sinners by nature. Our world is broken. Our nation is awash with hostility, alienation, shame, and anxiety. But there is freedom in Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. You can be a part of the family of God. We want to help people experience this glorious reality by pointing them to faith in Jesus. Internally, we want to be a community of people whose lives of love, joy, and harmony demonstrate that the Gospel is true.
Pricing:
- NA — We’re a church, so all of our services are freely open to all who would like to attend. Welcome!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.prospectbaptistsantee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prospectavenuebaptistchurch/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProspectBaptistSantee/
- Twitter: https://x.com/PABCofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@prospectavenuebaptist
Image Credits
Scott McCarty
Scott Koenig
