Our Pastors

God has brought together a group of incredibly talented men and women who are committed to the gospel of grace.
 
The Lord is building a team of leaders for Church of the Open Door whose passion is seeing the grace of God change lives that will change the world.

Ed Underwood

Senior Pastor
ed.underwood@churchoftheopendoor.com
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With over thirty years of experience, Ed Underwood leads our team of pastors and staff at Church of the Open Door. Ed enjoys teaching the Bible for life-change, training and equipping leaders, and leading a church with the faith to ask God for big things.

“I did not grow up in a Christian home,” Ed says. “This has marked me with a deep appreciation of the Lord’s power to transform lives, families and cultures. When Jesus Christ steps in, nothing should be the same.”

Ed is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and “in his younger years” served as an officer in the United States Army and a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service.

Ed and Judy have three children and seven grandchildren.
 
If you want to join in the many conversations Ed is involved in, visit his website at www.edunderwood.com

David Anderson

Associate Pastor
david.anderson@churchoftheopendoor.com
(626) 914-4646 x24

David Anderson has served in leadership roles at Church of the Open Door for many years. David graduated from Biola University and Dallas Theological Seminary. David shepherds the Small Group Ministry as well as the Assimilation process. His passion is to see individuals and families get connected to the community here and grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

David and his wife, Nancy, have five children, Jack, Riley and triplets Matthew, Morgan and Cameron.

David Schaller

Missions and Discipleship Pastor
david.schaller@churchoftheopendoor.com
(626) 914-4646

David Schaller is our Missions and Discipleship Pastor. He and his wife, Shelly, returned to COD in 2011 after working in Southeast Asia as missionaries for nearly 20 years. David earned undergrad and graduate degrees in business from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He also accepted Christ there through the campus ministry of the Navigators and was impacted for life by simple but profound one to one discipleship. David is currently pursuing a degree from Talbot Seminary. He and Shelly have three sons.


Tom Townsend

Worship Pastor
tom.townsend@churchoftheopendoor.com
(626) 914-4646 x12
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Tom Townsend has been at Church of the Open Door since 1996. He is a graduate of Biola University with a B.M. in Music Education. Tom has been serving in church music since 1985, and has held other music education positions since that time. He is an active member of the National Association of Church Musicians, and occasionally writes for their journal. Tom also spent a number of years in the Entertainment Dept. at Disneyland, both inside the Park as a performer and behind the scenes. Tom has written a handful of songs we sing in worship at COD. He and his wife, Julie, met at Biola and were married in August 1996. They have two sons, Justin and Owen, both currently in junior high.


David Newkirk

Student Ministries Pastor
david.newkirk@churchoftheopendoor.com
(626) 914-4646 x15
David Newkirk graduated from Biola University with a degree in Biology and a minor in Biblical Studies. He was a high school Biology Teacher for the 5 years leading up to coming on staff here at COD. David and his wife Celia have two boys (Zachary and Samuel) with a third boy on the way.
"What a joy and privilege it is to be a part of changing the world for Christ. It is amazing to watch our youth fall more deeply in love with Jesus and then share that love with those who desperately need it."

Scott Dodson

Children's Pastor
scott.dodson@churchoftheopendoor.com
(626) 914-4646 x36
Scott Dodson entered ministry after being a public school science teacher for a number of years. He accepted Christ at the age of 21 through the ministry of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Scott is a graduate of The University of Northern Colorado with a degree in Elementary Education. He received a Masters in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary. Scott and his wife, Mary Pat, have one daughter.