WESTGATE STAFF:

Joel King
Six40 Pastor

joel@westgatechurch.org

Vitals
Joel was born in Casper, Wyoming and was blessed to be raised in a Christian home. His father was raised in an orthodox Jewish home, but became a follower of Jesus through the Christian Business Men’s Association. The faith of both Joel’s parents had a profound influence on him and he devoted his life to ministry at the age of eleven. Joel started college attending Biola University in 1988 and ended up graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a major in Sociology and a minor in Women's Studies in 1993. He then worked in a home for teens recovering from drug and alcohol addiction in Gilroy. Joel got his Masters of Divinity from Western Seminary in 1999 and joined WestGate Church on September 1, 2001. He has worn many hats here at Westgate including children, families, discipleship, and leading our staff. In 1996, Joel married his best friend, Lyn. They have four adopted children, Brittany (born 1999), Jesse (born 2001), Hailey (born 2002), and Troy (born 2003).

Joel’s Lifeography
1970 – Born in Casper, Wyoming
1978 – Moved to Victorville, CA
1980 – Started attending Victor Valley Christian School (5th -12th grade)
1981 – Committed his life to fulltime vocational ministry
1983 – Became a licensed lay minister for the United Methodist Church
1984 – First job as a disc jockey (KCIN)
1986 – Part of a team that won the High School Football Small School             Championship
1988 – Graduated high school as the Valedictorian
            (graduating class of 18 people)
1988 – Started College at Biola University
            (Majored in Bible, Minor in Psychology)
1989 – Went on a missions trip to Honduras
1989 – Worked a summer at Taco Bell (Fry cook, kept him in college)
1990 – Worked at a summer camp in Scotts Valley, CA (Mission Springs)
1990 – Switched to Cal State University of Fullerton
            (Major in Sociology, Minor in Women’s Studies)
1990 – Joined a national fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi
1991 – Met and worked with the woman who would someday become his             wife (Lyn Shantz)
1991 – Started attending the college group at Santa Cruz Bible Church led             by a Texan (Steve Clifford)
1992 – Took a trip to Jordan and Israel
1993 – Graduated Cal State Fullerton
1993 – Joel’s dad went to be with the Lord
1995 – Took a trip across America, visited 42 states in three months
1995 – Started working at Santa Cruz Bible Church as a janitor
1995 – Started seminary
1996 – Proposed to Lyn on April Fool’s Day; married her on August 24th
1999 – Graduated from Western Seminary with a Masters of Divinity
1999 – Became the Elementary Pastor at Santa Cruz Bible
2000 – Brittany came to live with Joel & Lyn at four months old
2001 – Became the Children’s Pastor at Westgate Church
2001 – Jesse came to live with Joel & Lyn as a newborn
2002 – Hailey & Troy came to live with Joel & Lyn at 1½ and 2½ years old
2006 – Became the Six40 Pastor at Westgate Church
2007 – Started the Doctorate of Ministry program at Western Seminary
2008 – Took a life changing missions trip to Haiti


A Few Random Facts
Music - Joel was a Country Disc Jockey for five years.

Sports – While playing high school football, Joel once got a penalty for “praying in the end zone” . . . 15 yards!

Movies – Joel has a collection of over 50 John Wayne movies.


Relationships – Joel and his lovely bride, Lyn, went on their first romantic date one month AFTER they got engaged!

Interests – Joel loves the live theatre and believes every man should see “Les Miserables” and take his wife to see “Phantom of the Opera”.