The Bay Area lacks the gospel ecosystem to train up ministry leaders.
BASOM bridges this theological training gap.
How we do it
BASOM combines rigorous biblical education with hands-on ministry formation in the local church. Students learn theology and put it into practice alongside experienced ministry leaders in one of the world's most influential and spiritually complex regions.
Vision
We envision a flourishing network of healthy churches led by men and women who are:
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deeply rooted in Scripture
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shaped by discipleship to Jesus
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prepared for ministry in the Bay Area
Why we do it
To shape the spiritual future of the Bay Area
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For Churches
BASOM helps churches shape the leaders they need. From key volunteers to future pastors and staff, BASOM provides a clear pathway for leadership development. Residency churches gain a two-year opportunity to train, mentor, and evaluate emerging leaders in real ministry. And Certificate students deepen their biblical knowledge and ministry skills as they continue serving their churches.
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For Pastors
Healthy churches need healthy pastors. BASOM hosts by invitation Pastoral Cohorts where local pastors gather three times a year for encouragement, friendship, and growth. Each cohort focuses on five essentials for resilient ministry: spiritual formation, self-care, emotional and cultural intelligence, leadership, and family.
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For Students
Ministry leaders are best formed where ministry happens. Through Residencies, Certificates, and Open Courses, students connect theology with real church experience. Alongside pastors, scholars, and mentors, they develop the biblical depth, resilience, and wisdom needed for a lifetime of faithful ministry in the Bay Area.
BASOM explained
OUR TEAM
Meet the Team
Bryant Ling - Classroom Media
Bryant serves as a deacon at Central Peninsula Church. He supports BASOM by managing the production and distribution of classroom media, including video recordings, presentation slides, and course notes, ensuring students have timely access to high-quality learning resources.
Gary Parsons - Associate
After a 41-year career with Young Life that included launching and leading their ministry across the Former Soviet Union, Gary Parsons now brings his extensive global leadership experience back to his roots in Northern California. Since retiring in 2019, he enjoys fly fishing, road trips, and spending quality time with his wife, Jeanne, and their family. He remains deeply passionate about relationship-building and is actively reconnecting with pastors and leaders throughout the Bay Area.
Luke Greer - Director
Luke has served as a missionary and church planter, non-profit leader, and teaching pastor. He loves to help equip church leaders to meet needs and seize opportunities for the good of their communities. He holds a master’s degree from Wheaton College and a doctorate from Duke University Divinity School. His writing has been featured in Desiring God, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, Ekstasis, and elsewhere. Luke lives in Oakland, CA, with his wife, Lindsay, and their three kids. He loves rich conversations about big ideas, walking and hiking with Lindsay, and hanging out with his kids.
Mark Mitchell - Executive Director
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Mark brings decades of ministry experience to BASOM, having served as Lead Pastor at Central Peninsula Church for 35 years. Alongside his extensive theological education and authorship of four books, Mark is a dedicated family man who enjoys spending time with his wife, Lynn, their three children, and eight grandchildren. Mark has a deep passion for equipping leaders for ministry. His vision for BASOM has helped create a collaborative environment where churches and students can thrive together.
Zohary Ross - Associate
Zohary serves as Pastor of Discipleship & Spiritual Formation at New North Church and loves using her firsthand experience as a former BASOM resident to help train Bay Area leaders. A self-proclaimed "nerd" with two master's degrees, she enjoys reading, working on puzzles, and discovering new coffee shops. She lives on the Peninsula with her husband, Tim, their youngest two children (of four), and their feisty dog, Dax.
Board of Directors
BASOM's Board of Directors brings together seasoned pastors, ministry leaders, educators, business executives, and professionals who provide strategic guidance, faithful oversight, and a deep passion for developing Christ-centered leaders for the Bay Area.
Cathy Anderson
Jim Richardson, Treasurer
John Brandon
Julia Roberson
Kevin Sneed
Mark Mitchell
Michael Farbstein, Chair
BASOM HISTORY
Bridging the Theological Training Gap
BASOM began with a simple conviction: the Bay Area needs leaders who are prepared for ministry in the unique context where they will serve.
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Early in his ministry, Executive Director Mark Mitchell experienced the life-changing impact of a church-based pastoral internship and the investment of faithful pastors. After serving for 35 years at Central Peninsula Church, he watched traditional seminaries gradually leave the Bay Area and recognized a growing gap in local, contextualized ministry training.
In response, Mark launched a pastoral residency at his church to prepare leaders specifically for Bay Area ministry. That initiative expanded into an independent nonprofit: BASOM.
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Today, BASOM combines immersive ministry experience with theological education, connecting students with experienced pastors, real ministry settings, and a supportive community for long-term faithfulness in ministry.
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"My hope is to see more churches served and more leaders developed—men and women who are deeply rooted in Scripture and equipped to faithfully serve the Bay Area."
- Mark Mitchell
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Core Values
The convictions that shape our approach to ministry formation and leadership development.
Scripture is our authority. We are committed to theological depth rooted in Biblical authority.
The local church matters. We believe the local church is God's primary context for discipleship, ministry, and spiritual growth.
The Gospel is central. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus shapes everything we believe, teach, and do.
Mentorship shapes ministry. We value learning alongside experienced leaders through intentional mentoring and discipleship.
The Holy Spirit equips. Ministry is sustained not by human effort alone, but by the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
Community accelerates growth. Formation happens best in the context of authentic relationships and shared learning.
Incarnational ministry is vital. We recognize the importance and impact of in-person, in-context learning.
Statement of Faith
As adopted by the National Association of Evangelicals
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.