Dr. Thomas Pennington
Pastor of Preaching & Administration
Pastor Tom joined the pastoral staff of GBF in June 2016, following a nine-year tenure as a Portland Police Officer. He is also a veteran of the United States Navy, where he met his wife, Tami.
After leaving the Navy in 2004, he commenced his academic pursuits at Multnomah University, earning a degree in Biblical and Theological Studies with a minor in New Testament Greek. Subsequently, he attended Western Seminary, where he obtained a Master’s degree in Theological Studies.
In 2019, Pastor Tom embarked on doctoral studies at The Master’s Seminary, with a specialization in expositional preaching. His dissertation focused on the doctrinal foundations for church unity as articulated by the Apostle Paul.
Pastor Tom joined the pastoral staff of GBF in June 2016, following a nine-year tenure as a Portland Police Officer. He is also a veteran of the United States Navy, where he met his wife, Tami. After leaving the Navy in 2004, he commenced his academic pursuits at Multnomah University, earning a degree in Biblical and Theological Studies with a minor in New Testament Greek. Subsequently, he attended Western Seminary, where he obtained a Master’s degree in Theological Studies. In 2019, Pastor Tom embarked on doctoral studies at The Master’s Seminary, with a specialization in expositional preaching. His dissertation focused on the doctrinal foundations for church unity as articulated by the Apostle Paul.
Pastor Tom’s journey from a Navy veteran and Portland Police Officer to a pastor-theologian is marked by a profound commitment to fostering spiritual growth, biblical knowledge, and evangelism among Christians. Pastor Tom’s passion for theological education is matched by his fervent desire to see Christians not only grow in their knowledge of Scripture but also actively share that truth with others. His focus on the doctrinal foundations for church unity also reflects his belief in the transformative power of the gospel to unite and inspire believers to engage in evangelism, spreading the gospel of Christ to a world in need.
Pastor Tom’s military and missions experience has taken him to over a dozen countries, where he has found profound joy in worshipping with Christians from diverse cultures. These global experiences have enriched his ministry, allowing him to witness firsthand the universal reach of the gospel and the vibrant expressions of following Christ in different contexts. His greatest joys come from these shared moments of worship, which underscore the unity and diversity of the global church, reinforcing his commitment to fostering a deep, communal understanding of biblical truth and the importance of evangelism and unity.
Combining a desire inspire believers to engage the world through evangelism and the power of the Gospel with his military and police experience, in the summer of 2025 Pastor Tom accepted a faculty position of Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Corban University. Corban is a Christian University that seeks to educate Christians to make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. In this unique role, Pastor Tom brings biblical integration and a Christian worldview into the field of criminal justice, fostering faithfulness and a love for Jesus in the midst of the challenging profession of law enforcement.
Dean and his wife, Deborah, have been part of the Grace Bible Fellowship family since June of 2014. They are the proud parents of five children: Desiree, Troy, Caleb, Devin, and Mark. In 2019, Dean began serving as an Elder, and in December of 2020, he joined the pastoral staff as Pastor of Discipleship.
Dean was raised on his family’s farm in the Moses Lake area of Central Washington. From an early age, he was immersed in the life of the church. His family was actively involved at First Baptist Church in Othello, where Dean regularly heard the Gospel preached and saw it lived out by his parents at home. He came to faith in Christ at a young age and quickly grew into roles of service within the church.
His passion for ministry began early and grew through over 20 years of involvement in the AWANA program — first as a student, then as a committed leader across several churches. At age 16, Dean's family moved to Vale, Oregon, where he completed high school and attended community college in nearby Ontario. There, his ministry continued at Malheur Butte Baptist Church, where he taught children’s Sunday school, served as an usher and greeter, led worship on occasion, and directed the AWANA program. During this time, he also began serving in youth ministry, taking on leadership roles such as youth group treasurer and event planner.
In 1998, Dean transferred to Oregon State University in Corvallis to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. While attending OSU, he lived at the Varsity House Men’s Cooperative, worshiped at First Baptist Church, and stayed active in AWANA ministry. Dean also connected with Campus Ambassadors, a college ministry where he served in leadership by teaching, writing skits, and organizing events. Most importantly, it was during this season at OSU that he met his future wife, Deborah — thanks to some well-placed encouragement from mutual friends they’re still grateful for today!
Dean and Deborah are deeply thankful to the Lord for His faithfulness in their lives and for bringing them to Grace Bible Fellowship. They feel blessed to be part of such a genuine, Christ-centered church family and look forward to many more years of growing together in service to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Orin came to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1971 while serving with the United States Forest Service in the Mount Hood National Forest of Oregon. From the very beginning of his walk with Christ, he sensed a strong calling to serve the Lord in cross-cultural ministry. In preparation for this calling, he enrolled at Prairie Bible College in Alberta, Canada, where he studied from 1972 to 1976.
Following his graduation from Prairie and the completion of linguistic training at the University of Washington, Orin, along with his family, departed in 1977 for Irian Jaya, Indonesia (now known as West Papua). They served among the Kimyal tribe in the Eastern Highlands for 22 years. During this time, Orin focused primarily on church planting, discipleship, and leadership development. From 1995 to 2000, he also served as the Field Director for West Papua.
Upon returning to the United States, Orin was appointed Director of ChurchLink, a newly established ministry branch of World Team (2000–2005). This ministry sought to support and strengthen local churches by fostering relationships, casting vision, and providing resources aimed at mobilizing congregations for strategic global engagement, particularly among unreached people groups.
After three decades with World Team, Orin and his wife, Rosa, concluded their service with the mission in 2005. That same year, Orin joined the pastoral staff of Grace Bible Fellowship as Pastor of Global Outreach, a role he fulfilled for 11 years. Concurrently, he served as an adjunct professor at Corban University for five years, teaching a course on missions.
Although they returned to the United States in 2000, Orin and Rosa continued to make annual visits to Papua. In 2009, Rosa and her Kimyal translation team completed the Kimyal New Testament, which was dedicated in a public celebration in March 2010.
In 2017, Orin concluded his roles at Grace Bible Fellowship and Corban University in order to devote more time and energy to the ongoing work among the Kimyal people in West Papua. Orin and Rosa have been married for 53 years and are the parents of two sons, grandparents to eight, and great-grandparents to four.
Jack is a sinner saved by the grace of God through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was born in the Deep South—specifically, Mississippi—and raised in Texas. Academically, he struggled as a student, but managed to secure an A-4 exemption for college, granting him a deferment during the Vietnam War. However, in the providence of God, the war continued, and Jack was drafted in 1968. In response, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served in the Navy Airwing at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington State.
It was during his time of service that he met Gloria, who would become his beloved wife of 54 years. Together, they have been blessed with two grown and married sons, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren—with hope for more to come.
In 2015, God's providential leading brought Jack and Gloria to Oregon to be nearer to their children. Then, in 2020, amid the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, they began attending Grace Bible Fellowship. From their first experience, they knew they had found their church home. Jack is deeply grateful to be a part of a fellowship where knowing and serving Jesus Christ is the shared passion. He counts it a joy and privilege to participate in the ministry of GBF.
Gary Paulsen was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, and spent much of his childhood in Crown Point, Indiana. In 1969, he moved to Pasadena, California, where he joined the United States Navy. After completing his service, Gary worked alongside his father in the family dry cleaning business.
In 1974, Gary's life was forever changed after hearing a sermon on Matthew 5:3 — “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” That message led him to place his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. From that moment on, Gary developed a deep passion for studying and teaching God’s Word. Soon after his conversion, he began teaching in his local church, leading groups that ranged from 4th graders to junior high students to post-college adults — it was in that last class that he met his wife, Dorothy.
In the mid-1980s, Gary began attending Bible institute classes at Grace Community Church under the ministry of Pastor John MacArthur. Inspired by the rich biblical teaching, Gary enrolled in The Master’s Seminary in 1989. He graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Theology degree and was soon called to serve as the lead pastor of a small church plant in Glendora, California.
In 1996, Gary and his family relocated to Eugene, Oregon, where he returned to the dry cleaning industry. Even while working full-time, Gary remained active in ministry — serving in the Jr. High/High School Awana program, leading Bible studies, teaching Sunday school theology classes, and occasionally preaching at Emerald Bible Fellowship. During this time, he also worked part-time as a fly fishing guide on the McKenzie River, enjoying God’s creation in a hands-on way.
Gary and Dorothy are blessed with four children — Nathaniel, Emily, Casey, and Laura — and six wonderful grandchildren.