Light of Christ Church Elders
The elders of Light of Christ Church are called to faithfully shepherd, teach, and spiritually lead the church according to God’s Word. Through prayer, biblical teaching, discipleship, and servant leadership, our elders seek to help believers grow in their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.
"Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight… being examples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:2–3
Karl Blanke
Karl Blanke was born in Los Angeles and brought up by a devoted Christian father. Karl attended Christian schools through twelfth grade. When he went away to college, Karl experienced a period of tremendous doubt about his faith. The assault of his atheist and agnostic professors left him seriously doubting the Bible. But in time, after spending time in the ancient sources, he came to understand the unrivaled historical reliability of the Bible. Karl has served as a United States Marine, a trial attorney, and a Christian educator. He is still a broken sinner in need of God's grace daily, but he now understands the incredible truth and reality of God's loving plan for the salvation of humanity. Karl is the father of three adult children and grandfather to a small clan of delightful grandchildren.
Adrian Papps
Adrian grew up in Ramona in a Christian household whose faith was guided by his Grandmother. As Adrian transitioned into his teen years and then into adulthood, he became focused on athletics and choosing a career path. This caused him to lose touch with his relationship with God. Although he never doubted God's existence, Adrian did not lead a life with God at the center. But when Adrian entered into marriage with another believer he began attending church regularly. Adrian started to dive deeper into learning more about the Bible and its historical accuracy. In doing so, his faith became stronger, as did his relationship with the Lord. As he and his wife started raising a family together, he slowly began realizing the importance of his children learning about Jesus. Adrian recognizes the value of building a home on a firm foundation of Christian faith, supported by a community that actively seeks a relationship with the Lord. Adrian is currently an employee of the Ramona Water District and enjoys spending his time with his growing family.
Rickey Bell
Rickey found Christ in High School and accepted Him as his Lord and Savior. After serving four years in the Marine Corps, he graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Even though Rickey’s faith has been tested time after time with many trials throughout his life, he has always been able to see God working through it all.
Rickey has served in various youth and men’s ministries. He also believes in the importance of serving his community through involvement in various volunteer organizations. He works within the Emergency Management and Force Protection field.
Rickey’s desire with Light of Christ Church is to preserve and promote an environment conducive to spiritual growth for all who come to be part of the family of Christ. Light of Christ Church is family and does life together. Rickey finds great joy in serving God and seeing people’s lives changed by the power of the Word of God and the direction of the Holy Spirit. He moved to Ramona with his wife Julia in 2022. They have been blessed with four children.
Josh Hooker
For Joshua Hooker, leadership is an act of service, whether in uniform, in business, or on the football field. An Army veteran, entrepreneur, and coach, Joshua has spent his career building strategic operations and mentoring the next generation of leaders. At the core of his work and family life is a deep, foundational relationship with Jesus Christ. Joshua approaches his business ventures and coaching with the humility and discipline forged during his military service, aiming to build up his community and strengthen families. Grateful for God's daily grace, he strives to reflect the truth and salvation of Christ in every arena of life.