OUR teAM



The Church is not a building.  The Church is the people.  

We could not do what we do without the people who do what they do

to make the Eagle Rock Church not just a church, but a family.  

There are too many to name, but we see what you do, and we are grateful.


"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."  

Philippians 1:3

  • Mark Witas

    Lead Pastor

    pastor.mark@seektobefamily.org


    Hello Eagle Rock SDA! My name is Mark Witas and for an undetermined amount of time, I'll be your interim lead pastor. 

    (Note from the secretary: He hasn't rewritten this since becoming officially non-interim - He's totally stuck with us now... mwahaha!)
     
    I've been working for the Seventh-day Adventist Church for nearly 39 years now with various job titles. I've authored four books, been a featured speaker for places like It Is Written, The ONE Project, camp meetings, universities, hospitals, and academies around the globe. But none of this is really that important. 
     
    The most important piece of information about me is that I have one wife (my favorite one!), and one son (also my favorite one!). 
     
    I'm currently the Director of Mission and Spiritual Care at Adventist Health Glendale. Since I've been here, the conference has had me preach in several of their churches. It wasn't long ago that your ministerial director asked me if I'd be interested in leading your church until they found a permanent lead pastor. 
     
    When it comes to preaching, I have a hard time saying no. 
     
    I'm so looking forward to knowing you all and considering you my new church home for the foreseeable future. 
     

  • Christian botello

    Associate Pastor

    pastor.christian@seektobefamily.org


    Christian Botello was born and raised in Southern California. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Pepperdine University and a Master of Divinity from La Sierra University. During most of his undergraduate years in college, he served as a spiritual life advisor to his peers.  While earning his Master of Divinity, he served as youth director at one of our local churches before coming to Eagle Rock. 


    Pastor Christian enjoys getting to know people and sharing Jesus with others. By sharing the gospel of God’s love and grace, he hopes to be able to lead others into a joyful and meaningful relationship with Christ. 


    Christian enjoys traveling, learning about different cultures, dining out, snowboarding, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.



  • zac de leon

    Youth Pastor

    pastor.zac@seektobefamily.org


    Pastor Zac is joining us fresh out of seminary, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (yes, Zac, apparently I'm comparing you to a squirrel).

    He just joined our team (a few months ago), so we'll give him a few (more) minutes to find his bearings before we make him bare his soul.

    For now we can tell you that we think he's a great guy, and we really like him (and not just because he can reach stuff on the high shelves for us).  


    He just got married, and although we're only just getting to know her, Kim (the person he just married) seems like a very nice and completely great person (even if she's not quite as helpful in the high-shelf-reaching department as her new husband...), and we're looking forward to welcoming her to the family.


    Team Secretary approved  ('cause that totally matters...)


    ps - Zac has bravely decided to join the Pathfinder leadership team, so go find your hats so you can take them off to him (unless you're averse to hat-hair, in which case imaginary hats will work - if you don't have an imaginary hat, you can just pretend).


  • Krista Mchale  &  

    JANELLE MILLER

    Administrative Assistants

    aka Team Secretary


    Krista and Janelle were both born and raised in Southern California, and have been members of the Eagle Rock SDA Church for 25 years.  Their powers combined, this sibling duo makes up Team Secretary, the duct tape that holds the office together.  


    Janelle has been in the office since late 2020 and considers herself "the pandemic secretary."  At the end of 2021, she dragged her sister in to help ('cause this really isn't a one-person job - also, Krista is much better at the whole human interaction thing).  In early 2022 they agreed to officially share the administrative assistant job, and Team Secretary was born.  So, for the sake of their sanity, they currently split one half-time position.


    Krista is now the brains of the operation, handling the majority of the human interaction and actual helpfulness.  We would be absolutely lost without her.  Meanwhile, Janelle has relegated herself to the role of sidekick (a role she has been preparing for her whole life), offering moral support like only a little sister can and providing occasional comic relief (sometimes while hiding in a corner - she's a multitasker, that one).  


    ps - Krista is also brave (if brave is the right word - what's the polite way of saying "possibly mildly insane"?) enough to have become part of the Pathfinder leadership team, so hats off to her, too (since you still have them out for Zac).