Senior Pastor
Eastside Christian Church
Gene Appel, senior pastor of Eastside Christian Church, a multi-site church based in Anaheim, CA, began his ministry as a 20-year old intern at Eastside. Gene returned in 2008 to lead Eastside into its next dynamic chapter. Since that time, Eastside has experienced rapid growth, consistently being named among the 100 fastest growing churches in America. Following in the footsteps of his late father, a pastor and Christian leader, Gene sensed God’s call on his life to ministry at an early age. He is a graduate of Lincoln Christian University and has done additional graduate work at Hope International University, who conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Divinity. Recognized by many as a gifted leader with a passion for following Christ and a sensitivity for hurting people, Gene has coached church leaders from around the world on how to lead churches through healthy change. He is the author of several books and also was an award winning television commentator on CBS2 in Chicago. Gene and his wife Barbara are the parents of 3 married children – Jeremy, Alayna and Jenna, and have three grandsons. Gene’s hobbies include boating, fishing, and water skiing.
