New Life Christian Church

Missions & Founding Pastor Dennis and Diane McNally

Dennis has served as the past Senior Pastor of New Life Christian Church from 1983 to 2007 and now serves as the Missions and Founding Pastor. He lives with his wife, Diane in Castro Valley, CA. He is a man with a passion for the Kingdom of God and is one who likes to be on the cutting edge. Dennis is a Senior Presbyter of Life Links International and a board member of SOS Ministries in San Francisco. Dennis is used in both prophetic directions and apostolic oversight. His ministry is focused on Jesus Christ and based in the Authority of God's Word.

Senior Pastor DuBayonne and Juvy Shortridge

Senior Pastor DuBayonne was Born April 16th, 1965 in Oakland California in a home for unwed mothers and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. His mother who was in Juvenile Hall at age 17 while pregnant with him was in danger of losing her first child to The County due to her underage pregnancy. However by a prayer to God, DuBayonne was not born until his mother turned 18, which enabled her to keep her first son.

His father who is African American and had been released from San Quentin Prison met his mother who is Mexican American while he was 29 and she was 17, but they were never married. His father frequently abused drugs and alcohol and at times prostituted his mother for money before moving into the San Francisco Housing Projects. This lifestyle created an atmosphere of frequent physical abuse towards his mother and the three children including DuBayonne.

At the age of 16, DuBayonne heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time and began to yield his life over to God. Having a strong desire to share God's love and reconciling forgiveness with others, in 1992 he served as president of Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship San Leandro Chapter. This led to an opportunity to begin a ministry in The Alameda County Juvenile Hall working with troubled youths.

Since then DuBayonne has served and ministered as a Youth Pastor, Worship Pastor, and Assistant Pastor. He has preached in Angola Prison, San Quentin State Prison and Alameda County Juvenile Hall and in Canada. He currently volunteers his time with Eden Hospital as a Chaplain, Juvenile Hall and serves in the Castro Valley Community.

DuBayonne completed his career in the business community as an Information Technology Manager with a $300 million dollar San Francisco Financial Institution in 2003 and was offered the position of Vice President of Technology before coming on as the Assistant Pastor of New Life Christian Church in Castro Valley and becoming the Senior Pastor in 2008. DuBayonne lives in San Leandro , California and he and his wife Juvy have been married since 1988. They have three sons, DuBayonne II, Dominic and Jared. Their oldest son is married and lives in Texas with his wife and daughter where he ministers in worship and preaching The Gospel.

Elder Stephen and Pharriest Roehl

Stephen, the oldest of five boys, was born in New Hampshire and grew up in different parts of the country. Both his father and grandfather were full-time pastors. Accepting the Lord at age three, Stephen used to stand on a stool and pretend he was preaching like Billy Graham. He would gain Godly wisdom by hanging around his parents' friends. His heart was to preach and teach the Word of God like his father. Stephen graduated Columbia Bible College in South Carolina majoring in Biblical and Pastoral Ministries and recently received his Teaching Credentials from Patten University in Oakland, CA. Currently he is an elementary school teacher in the Hayward School District. Stephen met his wife, Pharriest, the church's administrator, while attending New Life Christian Church before getting married in 1997. They have three daughters, two grandsons and one granddaughter. They minister to the youth with Theresa Yokela. Stephen is a member of the Pastoral Care Team.

Elder Mark and Christie Zulim

Mark has faithfully served the Lord since an early age. Born and raised in the East Bay to a family of 7 children, Mark attended the 1972 Billy Graham Crusade in Oakland , California , making his first public confession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark attended San Jose State University and received a B.S. degree in Aero Engineering and currently is an Engineering Supervisor. He is an ordained minister who has a passion to teach and preach the Word of God. Mark and Christie met in a church nursery ministry. They have now been married for over 15 years and have 4 children still at home. Their eldest daughter is married and has blessed them with a beautiful granddaughter. Mark and Christie have faithfully served the Lord at New Life for over 15 years and have a great desire to see people reach their full potential in Jesus Christ. Christie is still very much involved in children’s nursery work as she oversees that ministry at New Life. Mark oversees the Home Groups. They are committed homeschoolers and are members of the Independent Study Program Shinning Light Christian Academy and the Bay Hills Home Educators Support Group.

Elder Bob and Tina Markovich

Elders Bob and Tina Markovich have been part of New Life Christian Church since 1990 and have come on as Elders as of 2005. Bob and Tina both serve and oversee the New Life Food Ministry that helps to serve families and individuals in need in the Castro Valley Area. Bob graduated from Idaho University and formerly played College football for IdahoUniversity where he and his team won the division III National College Championship in 1976.

Care Shepherd Pastor Bill and Shirley James

William and Shirley James were married in 1961 and have three adult sons and 7 grandchildren. They gave their hearts to the Lord Jesus in 1970 and moved to Oakland to attend Shiloh Christian Fellowship. In 1973 while attending Bible College Bill worked in his piano refinishing business and Shirley worked at Shiloh Christian School monitoring Junior High Students. While attending Shiloh Christian Fellowship they taught Sunday School, worked as leaders in junior high, youth, home groups, singles ministries, counseling, and taught Bible studies. William and Shirley Graduated from Shiloh Bible College in1983 and then moved back to Hayward. Before coming to New Life Christian Church in 2000, they also served as Elders, Pastors and Co Pastors. Bill & Shirley were ordained as Care Shepherd Pastors in January of 2005. Their desire is to see God’s Children move in their giftings and to help them see the potential they have in their God. Their other desire is to come along side and support the church for the equipping of the saints to the work of ministry, and edifying the body of Christ.

Deacon Ross and Kathy Ehrman

Ross Ehrman was born in Martinez, an later moved with his family to Oakland, CA. Ross graduated from Castlemont High School in Oakland, CA and Laney Trade School. Afterward, Ross went to work as a Machinist at Alameda Naval Station and retired from there in 1994. Ross had attended church in his younger years but later stopped. Ross met his wife Katherine while they both were working at NAS Alameda in 1967 and married a year later. Through a mutual friend, Katherine met a woman from New Life Christrian Church who led her to accept Jesus. Katherine then began reading and studying the Bible and praying. Ross noticed this change and started visiting the church where he also accepted the Lord. In 1997 Ross and Katherine led a small ministry to elderly people at Eden Villa. Ross and Katherine have two sons and he currently serves as a Deacon at New Life Christian Church.

Deacon Bob and Joyce Ridge

Bob Ridge was born on August 21st, 1955 in San Francisco, California. Bob met and married his wife Joyce on April 18th, 1979. In 1984 Joyce gave her heart to the Lord at Evangel Christian Fellowship in Pacifica. At that time both of their lives involved drinking, drugs and parties and through much prayer and grace Bob became a Christian on March 27th, 1991 while watching the 700 club with Joyce. Bob and Joyce moved to Hayward in July of 1991 and started attending New Life Christian Church as visitors and eventually made New Life their home church. Bob and Joyce have been teachers in marriage ministries, leaders of home groups and now Bob currently serves as a Deacon of New Life Christian Church. Both Bob and Joyce currently oversee Cleansing Stream Ministries which helps to meet the needs of invididuals that need emotional and spiritual healing. Bob and Joyce have two grown children, Heidi Heckman and Allen Colvin and three grandchildren.

Our Leadership Team