Senior Pastor: John Koshy, PhD
A “Tentmaker” Pastor
Paul made tents while planting churches. John debugs code and conducts research. Same energy, different century. He serves as HPC's pastor while keeping his day job, which makes him incredibly relatable to anyone juggling a 9-to-5 with their deeper calling (so... all of us?). And if you're wondering whether he's credible in both worlds—the guy holds 6 patents and has his name on published research in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He's not choosing between faith and intellect; he's proving they were never at odds to begin with.
His theological training? Completed through CityNet Ministries' LAMPhilly program and a licentiate internship with the Presbyterian Church of America.
TL;DR / Bottom line
If you're tired of Christianity that feels disconnected from its roots, sanitized from its ancient world heritage, and more concerned with maintaining Sunday morning routines than creating authentic kingdom community, John may be the pastor/mentor you’re looking for. He's not here to play church—he's here to rediscover and walk in the ways of the early hardcore, all-in disciples and followers of Jesus of Nazereth.
History/How it all began:
Researcher by Day, Kingdom Builder by Night Born in India, raised in the Middle East, and finally landing in New Jersey after obtaining a PhD in engineering, John's story reads less like a traditional pastor and more like a globe trotting adventure that eventually leads to another tech startup… Except, the Lord has him building something far more ancient and radically countercultural: a startup faith community that actually looks like the Book of Acts.
Here's the thing: John didn't follow the conventional seminary-to-pulpit pipeline. While earning some serious creds in the tech industry as a research scientist at a company with its heritage in the Bell Labs, John kept feeling this persistent pull toward something bigger. That "something" had been brewing since he was twenty, when a life-changing encounter with God sparked a desire to help people experience the kind of wholeness that only comes from a genuine connection with their Creator.
Founding Story Fast forward to 2016... Through what may be described as a series of "random" events (spoiler: not really random), John dove deep, studying the roots and practice of the early faith communities, re-discovering the early Apostolic teachings and traditions, and the whole beautiful mess of Jews and Gentiles figuring out how to worship Jesus together. What started as late-night study sessions with a handful of curious friends evolved into the House of Peace Congregation (HPC) by 2021. John and his wife have put down their roots down in central Jersey, where they raised three sons.