WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? PERSONALLY AND IN MINISTRY?

I was born and raised outside Portland, Oregon before my family moved to Arizona. I went to High School and my freshman year of college in Arizona before finishing school in San Diego. I worked for a church called The Rock in San Diego for three years and then felt the call to plant a church. We considered five different cities, including San Francisco, but God made it clear that we needed to go to Tempe, Arizona to plant. In the summer of 2004 my wife and I (then my fiancé) moved to Tempe to plant Praxis Church. I led Praxis until the end of 2011 when we moved to San Francisco to plant again.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO THE CITY?

I love the culture, the diversity, the weather, the density, there’s really not anything about San Francisco I don’t like.

WHY LAUNCH A NEW CHURCH IN SAN FRANCISCO?

We believe that the message of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is the most important and transformative thing anyone could know. Every city has thousands of people who need to hear and know this message, perhaps more so in San Francisco than most cities. We believe that a life lived with Jesus is the best chance humans have to flourish and so we want to spread that Gospel message.

WHAT CORE VALUES OF THE CHURCH WOULD YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE THE FIRST SUNDAY IN JUNE?

It’s not much different than what I wrote above actually, there is no pursuit more satisfying or more transformative than pursuing Jesus. His life was not just an example to be followed and his message cannot be reduced to pious platitudes; his life was revolutionary and sacrificial and his message, if taken seriously, will stop you short.

WHAT IS YOUR PRAYER AND VISION FOR REDEMPTION CHURCH 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD?

That we would been serious about making disciples of Jesus for 10 solid years. I’ll take that legacy.

Justin Anderson
Lead Pastor
Redemption | San Francisco