John Barnes

PJ grew up on a farm just outside of Dublin, Texas with his dad, mom, and a brother and sister. While his maternal side of the family had a rich tradition of following Jesus, his dad was a first-generation Christ-follower. Although his dad didn’t often talk about what it meant to follow Jesus, his faithful service and commitment to the church made a lasting impression on John during his childhood.

John became a follower of Christ at the age of 9 and was called to ministry by 12. He holds a degree in Elementary Education from Tarleton State University, a Master’s in Pastoral Ministry and Counseling from Trinity College of the Bible, and a Master’s in Administration from Texas A&M.

Initially, John believed youth ministry would be his lifelong calling. He served as Youth Pastor in Lingleville, Texas; Greeley, Colorado; and Aledo, Texas. However, God had different plans for him and his family. On December 11th, 2011 they embarked on a six-year mission to Port-de-Paix, Haiti, where God led them to start a discipleship ministry for students who had aged out of orphanages. John often says that despite all his formal education, Haiti taught him the deepest lessons about living a dependent faith with Jesus. After their time in Haiti, the Barnes family moved to Southern California, where John served as Lead Pastor and helped replant a church that is thriving today.

In 2023, PJ was called to serve as Teaching Pastor at TRC, where he continues to live out his passion for proclaiming that all are welcome in God’s Kingdom and walking alongside others in their faith journey.