IAN OPINIANOLEAD PASTOR / ELDER
Pastor Ian was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of three. He came to know Christ in his early teens and took baptism in the fall of 2004. Since then, he has pursued a life of ministry becoming involved in various youth ministries and church plants. In 2013, he was involved with YWAM and completed their discipleship training school in Matamata, New Zealand. Through YWAM he became a missionary in the Philippines working with local churches, and the Tamar Foundation which provides hope for those caught in sex trafficking. When he came back to Canada, he was involved with Mission to Men, a ministry that seeks to bring the Gospel to men coming out of prison and living in local shelters. In 2018 he graduated from Tyndale University with a Bachelors of Religious Education in Pastoral Ministry and will pursue a Masters in Divinity in the near future. He has been a part of Pluslife since the early days and currently serves as the Lead Pastor of the church. Ian is married to his beautiful wife, Fae, and is the father of two, Judah and Olivia. Together as a family they are serving at Pluslife church to see lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
BENJI THOMASELDER
Benji grew up in Toronto in a Christian home where at a young age, God’s sovereign hand reached into his life and granted him faith in Jesus and later, took baptism in the winter of 2003. Growing in the Lord, he was tested mostly through the loss of people in his life, and failure during his young adult years. It brought him to a low point where he began doubting God’s presence in his life. However, in retrospect, Benji understood that those experiences were necessary for restoring his joy in Jesus and has since, dedicated his life to be faithful to God's Word and serve the Lord. By God’s grace, with a renewed passion for the Lord, he co-planted Pluslife as one of the founding elders of the church. Benji is married to the love of his life, Meera, and the two of them faithfully serve Pluslife Church, praying that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would change lives and glorify God.
BENJI THOMASELDER
Benji grew up in Toronto in a Christian home where at a young age, God’s sovereign hand reached into his life and granted him faith in Jesus and later, took baptism in the winter of 2003. Growing in the Lord, he was tested mostly through the loss of people in his life, and failure during his young adult years. It brought him to a low point where he began doubting God’s presence in his life. However, in retrospect, Benji understood that those experiences were necessary for restoring his joy in Jesus and has since, dedicated his life to be faithful to God's Word and serve the Lord. By God’s grace, with a renewed passion for the Lord, he co-planted Pluslife as one of the founding elders of the church. Benji is married to the love of his life, Meera, and the two of them faithfully serve Pluslife Church, praying that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would change lives and glorify God.
JOEL MATHEWELDER
Joel was born in Saudi Arabia and then later, immigrated to Canada with his family at age eleven. All his life, he grew up in a Christian home and has been part of a local church. In the summer of 2005, Joel gave his life to Jesus and took baptism. However, he struggled and failed in sin as a young teenager, and it wasn’t until his early twenties when God rekindled his first love toward Jesus, brought joy and delight in Christ, and drew him to all the riches found in God’s Word. Seeing the Gospel change his own life, Joel wanted to see the same in others. In 2014, with the support and blessing of his family, he co-planted Pluslife in his parents’ basement as one of the founding elders of the church. Joel is married to his wife and best friend, Sharon; and they are parents to Abigail. Together, they love the Lord and serve Pluslife Church believing that Jesus Christ is mighty to save sinners for the praise of God’s glorious grace.