Ben Patterson

The Reverend Ben Patterson has had a distinguished ministry career, holding numerous roles across various settings. From 2001 to 2011, he served as the campus pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. In addition to his pastoral work, he is a contributing editor to Christianity Today and Leadership Journal, and previously contributed to The Wittenburg Door as an editorial writer.

Ben has authored several books, with notable titles including Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, Deepening Your Conversation with God, The Prayer Devotional Bible, and He Has Made Me Glad. His most recent work, God’s Prayer Book: The Power and Pleasure of Praying the Psalms, was released in November 2008.

Earlier in his career, Ben served as the founding pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in California from 1975 to 1998, where he mentored both Scott Bullock and Mark D. Roberts. He also served New Providence Presbyterian Church in New Jersey from 1989 until becoming the dean of the chapel at Hope College in 1993. Prior to these positions, he was involved in youth and adult education at La Jolla Presbyterian Church and worked as assistant minister to college students at First Baptist Church of Pomona.

Ben earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University and his master of divinity from the American Baptist Seminary of the West. He and his wife, Lauretta, are the proud parents of four grown children: Dan, Joel, Andy, and Mary.