Our Pastor and Ruling Elders
Schöne Grüße! My name is Philip Gelston and I am the pastor of Christ Church of Wiesbaden. My family and I moved to Wiesbaden in August, 2011 to plant CCW. I grew up in Crystal River, Florida. As a child, my parents taught me to fear the Lord but it wasn't until high school that I became serious about my relationship with God. Through the loving kindness and faithful biblical teaching of my church, I came face to face with the reality of my sin and the grace of God that is only offered in the Gospel. Soon after I felt a call to ministry.
While in Seminary I began dating Nora, who is now my wife. Nora is a German citizen from Bad Breisig and we met in Pittsburgh, PA where she was a university student. After we both graduated (she from Robert Morris and I from Westminster Seminary), we were married and moved to Richmond, VA so I could be the Youth Pastor at Sycamore Presbyterian Church. We served in Richmond for 6 great years and during that time our hearts for the kingdom worldwide grew. We knew we had special inroads in Germany because of Nora’s citizenship and so we partnered with our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and Ministry to the Military and Internationals (MMI) to plant a church in Wiesbaden. We have 4 children.
I am a graduate of Covenant College ('98) and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia ('04)
Matthias Funk has been a ruling elder at Christ Church Wiesbaden since August 2021. Matthias grew up in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. At the age of 16 he traveled to Las Cruces, New Mexico as an exchange student. There he grew in his faith, participated in the leadership of Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), was an active member at University Presbyterian Church, completed his PhD in electrical engineering, and met his wife, Katrina. In 2012 they moved their family to the Heidelberg area and started attending Christ Church Wiesbaden in 2015. God sustained them during a long season of a job/home search in the Wiesbaden area, and in 2021 they moved into their new home.
Katrina was born and raised in Las Cruces, NM. In 2007 she graduated with a degree in Human Nutrition and Food Science. She is currently a staff member at Christ Church Wiesbaden. They have been blessed with five children Daniel, Rebekah, Lukas, Silas, and Elli.
By the grace of God, Bravo Santoso is a ruling elder at Christ Church of Wiesbaden. After spending childhood and attending formal school in Medan, Indonesia, Bravo came to Germany and completed studies in Mechatronics and in Mathematics. Having been raised in a Christian home, he was converted by the Holy Spirit to become a believer in Jesus Christ while reading an evangelistic tract, was introduced to Reformed theology by his older brother, started to serve in the local church, and wrote books sharing the testimony that the Bible is the Word of God. Holding a CCM from Birmingham Theological Seminary and a MATS from Whitefield Theological Seminary, Bravo yearns to invite every Christian to read and study the whole Bible as well as to point to Jesus as Lord and Savior, because belief in Jesus and reading the Word of God have indeed changed his life. Bravo and his wife Ervina have been blessed with two children.
Our Deacons
Danny Deardorff has been a deacon at Christ Church Wiesbaden since April 2024. He grew up moving around as his family was in the military, however he calls Virginia home. Growing up in an evangelical Christian home, he attended youth group and mission trips in high school. While attending Virginia Tech for undergraduate studies, Danny became involved with a student ministry called Valor, which is Campus Crusade for Christ’s military ministry. Danny later became a fellow and intern at a local PCA church called Grace Covenant in Blacksburg, Virginia, which is where he met his bride, Hannah. Danny serves as on active duty in the US Army and together with Hannah has two energetic and lovely children.
Will Otto has been a deacon at Christ Church Wiesbaden since April 2024. He grew up in North Carolina, and considers that “home.” Will grew up in an evangelical Christian home, where his parents lived out the Gospel daily. He says that he truly became a Believer in high school, while at a Christian summer camp. While attending Wheaton College for undergraduate studies, Will was heavily involved in the college ministry at a local church and led a small group there. Will met his bride, Elisabeth, while at Wheaton College, and they have loved doing life together wherever the Lord has taken them. Will serves on active duty in the US Army and together with Elisabeth have a wonderful son.
German Ministries Director
Johannes Damaschke has been serving at Christ Church as the Assistant to the Pastor since August 2024. As a native Schwabe he grew up about an hour south of Stuttgart. There he also came to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. He graduated from the University of Mainz (American Studies / History) with a B.A. and from Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, N.C, with an M.Div. Beginning in the fall of 2024 he will continue his education at the University of Heidelberg with a Ph.D. in historical theology. His desire is to make disciples and see the church grow in love for the triune God and committed to the Reformed faith. With his wife Emilie he has one son, Olevian (’23), and a second on the way. Emilie is originally from Strasbourg (France). She serves alongside Johannes as a stay-at-home mom and loves to support the ministry of the church in various ways.