At Santa Cruz Baptist we are Elder led, Congregationally governed, and Deacon served.

Elders (or pastors) are biblically qualified men who oversee the local church, particularly through teaching God's Word, praying, caring for church members and training members to do the work of ministry (1 Timothy 3:2-7; Titus 1:6-9; Ephesians 4).

Current Elders: Drew Cunningham

Drew was called into ministry as a sophomore in high school and through many years has discerned and clarified exactly what the calling was.  He earned a Bachelors of Arts in Biblical Languages from Oklahoma Baptist University in 2006 and then went on to receive a Masters of Divinity (2008) and a Masters of Theology (2010) from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.  After completing a pastoral residency program in 2015, he was sent out as a church planter to Santa Cruz County. 

Drew loves his family, surfing, music and pretty much anything outdoors.  He’s an avid reader and particularly likes reading old books.  Further, he is a coffee fanatic who even roasts his own beans!  His favorite local spots include: Tacos Moreno, East Side Eatery, Mariannes Ice Cream, Verve Coffee and all of the surf spots on the East Side. 

Congregationalism:  We believe that the final say in matters of doctrine and practice are the members of the church, the priesthood of all believers.  Together, they guard the Gospel (Galatians 1:6-10), take in new members (Matthew 16:13-20), and lovingly correct one another (1 Corinthians 5, Matthew 18:15-20).

Deacon Served:  Deacons are biblically qualified men or women who work to care for the church through acts of service (1 Timothy 3:8-13; Acts 6:1-6).