Within just a few minutes of talking to Pastor Dennis, you’ll learn one of the most important things about him: he’s an authentic guy. Whether he’s talking about one of his great loves—food—or connecting new people who walk in the door of Vista Church for the first time, Dennis doesn’t put on a façade. As a pastor for 28 years, Dennis’s rich history in ministry has shown that he loves helping people move forward in their faith journey. Currently at Vista that means helping them figure out what their next step is. He and his wife, Dana, and their two kids, Emily Ann and Kayden, love to travel internationally. He sees these times as great learning experiences for his kids as they encounter different cultures. Born in the Philippines himself, Dennis loves leading mission trips back to his home country. Dennis’ vision for Vista is that people would know that it’s a safe place for wherever they are on their path of faith. He wants people to know that Vista is a community of imperfect people serving a perfect God reaching out to a hurting world.
Steven brings over 20 years of pastoral ministry experience and serves as Lead Pastor with a deep desire to help people encounter Jesus and experience real life change through the gospel. His heart is to lead a church shaped by grace and truth, grounded in prayer, and centered on the presence of God, where people are known, loved, and formed into mature followers of Christ who live on mission.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in ministry and a master’s degree in theological and church studies. Steven brings together pastoral leadership, discipleship, and thoughtful organizational direction to help the church move forward with spiritual health, unity, and purpose.
Steven is deeply committed to cultivating a culture of prayer, developing leaders, building healthy teams, and creating clarity and structure that allow the church to focus on what matters most: making disciples and reaching the community with the hope of Jesus. Outside of ministry, he enjoys fishing, hiking, gardening, and spending time with his wife, Allison, and their three boys.
Matthew has had a passion for preaching and teaching God’s Word from a young age, and ministry has always been central to his life. He especially loves helping students and young adults understand Scripture in a way that feels real, engaging, and applicable to their everyday lives—while still being a lot of fun. Outside of ministry, Matthew enjoys golfing, playing volleyball, going to the beach, watching football, and spending time with friends and family. And yes, he is 6’5”, no, he doesn’t play basketball, and yes, the weather up here is really great. He is incredibly excited to be serving at Vista Community Church and to see what God does in and through students and young adults.
Liv grew up deeply rooted in the church and devoted her life to serving the Lord from a young age. As a Trace Academy graduate, she has always felt at home at Vista, a place that has played a key role in her spiritual growth and community. She is currently in her junior year at the University of Central Florida, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business and Organizational Leadership. Liv recently transferred from the University of Florida, following God’s call and trusting His plan for her life. Passionate about ministry, she hopes to help grow and serve Vista’s community, especially within the young adult and youth ministries. In her free time, Liv enjoys swimming, surfing, needlepointing, spending time with family and friends, and playing with her two-year-old rescue puppy, Finn.