:: Staff & Leadership
Lead Pastor | Felipe Assis was born in Brazil but has spent about a third of his existence (as a toddler, as a child and as an adult) in America. He has earned a Th.B from Seminário Presbiteriano do Norte and an M.Div from RTS – Charlotte. Felipe planted his first church, Igreja Presbiteriana Curado 4 at the age of 18 and has recently come from five years of church planting in Recife – Brazil where he and wife Beth founded Comunidade Memorial. Beth and Felipe have two daughters Analisse and Zoe.
Activities: Preaching, Vision casting and Leadership development.
Creative Pastor | Marcus Assis was born in Philadelphia, was raised in Brazil and, has lived in South Florida for over a decade. Marcus attended Palm Beach Atlantic College where he earned a B.A. in Music Performance and is currently finishing up his M.Div at Reformed Theological Seminary – Orlando, FL. Marcus has served as a worship pastor to various churches and is a gifted song-writer and producer. He is married to Jussane Assis and together with whom he has a four year old son named David Abner.
Activities: Leading and crafting Worship, Arts (19|1), Communications and occasional Preaching.
[ Twitter ]
Connection Pastor | Sam Miranda was born in NYC but moved to Miami at an early age. Sam and his wife Tiffany are the proud parents of Austin, Caitlyn & Jordan. Sam has served in full time ministry since 2001 as a youth and worship pastor but has recently decided to shift his ministry focus to community life. He joined the staff in the fall of 2009 to oversee the growing number of groups and the connecting ministries of the church.
Activities: Community Groups, Assimilation, Pastoral Care and occasional Worship leading.
Children’s Pastor | Claude R. Perpignand (Pear-pin-yawn) was born in Queens, NY but has lived most of his life in Miami, Florida. Claude attended Florida State University where he earned a B.A. in Art and Education. He’s been an art teacher at the elementary school level since 2006. He’s currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Religion at Knox Theological Seminary. In 2008, he met his wife Jennifer serving in Children’s Ministry. They both have a passion for teaching children the Bible. Claude joined the staff at Crossbridge in the fall of 2012.
Activities: Children’s & Family Ministries
[Twitter ]
Media Director | Dylan Grace was born and raised in St. Pete, FL. He went to the University of Central Florida where he met his wife Chevas. They now have 2 kids, Liam and Felicity. He came to Miami in 2007 to serve in college ministry at the University of Miami and quickly got involved with Crossbridge from the very beginning. After 6 years of Campus Ministry he began to sense a different call toward a growing love for church ministry. He now serves in media technologies at Crossbridge, leads and facilitates college age groups and is studying to earn his Masters of Divinity.
Activities: Media & College Ministries
[Twitter ]
Youth Director | Eric Isaac was born in Miami and has lived here his entire life. He recently married his beautiful wife Julie whom he met in 2007 while voulenteering in youth ministry. Eric has been involved in youth ministry for several years, leading and serving in many groups across the city in multiple cultural contexts. Eric joined the Crossbridge staff in the summer of 2010 and has since built and developed a stable youth ministry.
Activities: Coordinating middle and high school groups and mentoring students
[Twitter ]
:: elders
Elders at Crossbridge share three main responsibilities; Policy-making, membership and theological oversight.
Jorge “Jay” Reynardus is the devoted husband of Tania for 17 years, and father of Jo, Kristine, and Hannah. He’s a senior attorney for Amadeus, a large multinational corporation, & the teaching leader for the Miami Men’s BSF classes here in South Florida.
Erik Williams is a Miami City Director with the College Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. Erik is originally from South Carolina, studied Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech and worked at several manufacturing plants before being called by God to reach college students. After joining staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, he was assigned to the University of Southern Mississippi where he met and worked with his wife, Renee. Erik and Renee have lived in Miami since 2001 and have 3 children: Katelyn, Bryce and Asher.
Peter Thompson is the Treasurer for Del Monte Fresh Produce Company in Coral Gables.
Mike Capote was born and raised in Miami and works in the field of Information Systems and Technology. He and his wife Helmy are also active members in Bible Study Fellowship where Mike serves as the Class Administrator for the Miami Men’s class.
Jeff Springer and his wife Claudia have been married for 43 years. They have 3 grown children and five grandchildren. Jeff is retired after a 40 year career in the hospitality business. Jeff trusted Christ in 1970 while serving in the US Army. He is currently working with The Navigators, a worldwide mission organization. He is the Florida Regional Director for the Navigator’s Church Discipleship Ministry. He works with pastors and church leaders in coaching, leadership training and spiritual formation. He currently serves on the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami board of directors
:: deacons
Robert Hale has been a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators and Mission to the World (PCA) for almost 20 years and currently serves as Chair of the Diaconate. He moved to Miami from Chattanooga, TN when he was 10 years old. Robert earned a BS in Biology from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and an MA in Bible from Columbia International University in South Carolina. Robert and his wife Debbie with their 4 sons (Micah, Matthew, Jason & Jonathan) spent 13 years overseas, including 11 years in West Africa. Currently working stateside, Robert still makes trips to and oversees projects in 10 different countries in West Africa. Robert & Debbie are proud grandparents to Esther Grace Hale – born to their oldest son Micah and his wife Grace in Dec. 2008.
Chris Barroso was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He graduated from South Miami High in 2003 and immediately began working for Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation. He embodies a true servant’s heart and has displayed that in various areas of ministry at Crossbridge for over a 1 year and half now.
Rachel Justiniano was born in Miami, FL and graduated from Samford University with a degree in Elementary Education in 2001. She worked as a teacher and reading coach for nine years in the public school system and is currently a stay at home mom (her favorite job so far!). She has been married to Raul Justiniano since April 2005 and they have two sons, Noah & Ezra.
Stuart Beharry works in the Downtown Brickell area as an Investment Manager and spends most of his time focusing on church finances. On the weekends he can be found exploring the outdoors with his wife Astrid and daughter Emma or wandering aimlessly on a golf course looking for his lost ball. He can be often overheard pleading with God on tee shots.
Alex Viñas is a native of Miami (born at Baptist Hospital and raised in Kendall), Alex couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. He currently works as a Security Analyst in Information Systems, but he loves all aspects of IT, especially programming and developing mobile applications. Alex and his wife Nelly reside in Kendall. When he’s not hanging out with his wife (whom he adores) Alex likes to spend time golfing, snorkeling, and maintaining his saltwater aquarium – a 220 gallon underwater oasis.
Jarrod Mathews (a.k.a. “Big Country”) was born in Plantation Florida but spent the better part of 17yrs. living in the outskirts of Atlanta Georgia, where he met his wife Ana “Gabby” Matthews. With a minor in Business Management, he currently manages a warehouse for a smoke salmon company called St. James Smokehouse. He loves sports, big game fishing, and country music.
Doug Hathaway grew up in Miami until moving to Orlando to study at UCF and start a career in Software Development. His wife Robyn is also a Miami native. The two have been married 5 years this March and have been members of Crossbridge since their return to Miami around 2 years ago along with their daughter Taylor. Doug has a passion for the technical side of everything and is involved with the behind the scenes work of the Sunday service.
Luis E. Diaz was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He and his wife Camille have been married for sixteen years. They have two daughters Gaby and Adrianna. Luis is a CPA and partner at SWKJ PA a Coral Gables based CPA firm . He is a member of Bible Study Fellowship and serves on several not-for-profit boards in Miami.
