About Jason

Jason is the Co-Lead Minister at The Oceanside Sanctuary, formerly First Christian Church of Oceanside. Like many Mainline churches in America, FCC endured more than forty-years of steady decline beginning in the 1970’s. When he became the pastor in 2015, FCC was down to 30 or so active but aging members, nearly out of funds, and mired in severe internal conflicts and dysfunction.

Over the next few years, Jason led the congregation through a process of intentional transformation that uprooted relational dysfunction, birthed a vision for “The Oceanside Sanctuary”, and returned the church to healthy year-over-year growth. Today, OSC is a young, diverse, and growing progressive church of 250+ congregants who are making a difference for good in their community. Jason is passionate about empowering other congregations to navigate healthy processes of change, growth, and development to become thriving and impactful again.

Jason earned his M.A. at Fuller Theological Seminary and is currently a Ph.D student there conducting research at the intersection of intercultural theology, religious disaffiliation, and moral psychology. He is active in ecumenical, interfaith, and faith-based community organizing efforts in San Diego and has served as a board member for The San Diego Organizing Project, a local federation of PICO California. He is the founder of the North County Clergy Coalition and spearheaded the Trans Ally Clergy of San Diego campaign in 2022 to advocate for the rights of transgender persons at school districts across the county. He is ordained with the the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and served on the Board of the Disciples’ Pacific Southwest Region as the co-Chair of the Church Transformation Committee from 2018-2022. Jason has also been a part-time member of the Human Development faculty at Cal State University San Marcos since 2013, where he teaches courses in human development theories, human services leadership, and social policy and social programs.

Jason is married to Jenell Coker, with whom he co-leads the Oceanside Sanctuary. They have partnered together in ministry for thirty years, serving small and large congregations in Utah, Ohio, and California. Together they have three adult daughters and a grandson.