Pastors
Felipe Assis
Senior Pastor
Felipe Assis was born in Brazil but was raised between his native country and the United States. He has earned a TH. B from Seminario Presbiteriano do Norte and M.Div from Reformed Theological Seminary. Felipe has previously founded and pastored two other churches in Recife, Brazil.
In 2008, at the invitation of Redeemer City to City, Felipe with his wife Beth and (then two) young daughters moved to Miami to plant Crossbridge Church to serve as a catalyst to a gospel movement in Miami.
Beth holds a master’s degree in mental health psychology and international education and deeply complements Felipe in ministry. Together, they enjoy life in Miami with their four daughters.
Carter Brown
Lead Pastor
Carter Brown was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He has earned a degree in Religion from Florida State University, and a M.Div from Knox Theological Seminary. In 2016 Carter received an invitation to revitalize the Crossbridge Brickell Church.
In 2019 he stepped into his current role as Lead Pastor of Crossbridge Church. Carter and his wife, Jessica, and their two boys, love Miami, especially the food scene, beach, and the Brickell neighborhood where they live.
Marcus Assis
Campus Pastor
Pastor Marcus A. Assis, born in Philadelphia, PA, to Brazilian parents, spent his childhood between Atlanta, GA, and Recife, Brazil. At 18, he returned to the U.S., earning a Youth Counseling certificate from Word of Life Bible Institute, followed by a B.A. in Music from Palm Beach Atlantic University (2002). There, he met his wife, Jussane, whom he married in 2004, and together they have three children: David, Nathan, and Sofia.
In 2008, Pastor Marcus co-founded Crossbridge Church alongside Pastor Felipe and Beth. He holds a Master's in Biblical Theological Studies from Knox Theological Seminary and a Master's of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary. In 2017, he received a direct commission as a Military Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, a role he continues today. Pastor Marcus is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and enjoys activities such as boating, fishing, and grilling. His life-verse is 1 John 4:19, "We love God because He first loved us," and he is passionate about encouraging others to live by the motto: "Love God and love people."
Larry Wu
Chinese Pastor
Larry Yiqi Wu is the Chinese Ministry Pastor. He was born in China. He became a Christian in Russia. He moved to Miami, Florida in 2020.
He likes outdoor activities and sharing the Gospel. Fluent speakers of Mandarin Chinese, Larry and his wife Shirley have both been called to plant a Gospel-centered Chinese church in Miami.
Johnny Contini
Connections Pastor
To those who belong to the family of Crossbridge,
My name is Johnny Contini, and it is my joy to formally introduce myself to you as the new campus pastor for the Brickell campus of Crossbridge Church.
There is no doubt in my mind that Crossbridge was the best thing to happen to me in 2022. That may seem like a dramatic statement, but it's true. I didn't know what to expect that August evening when I walked through the church doors for the first time. Lucky for me, that Sunday was 'Expectation Sunday,' so coming in with no expectations worked out quite nicely. There was something special about that Sunday. From start to finish, I remember sensing the presence of the Holy Spirit and holding back sweet sobs as we sang about the goodness of God. I remember watching people pray in the power of the Spirit and asking God to heal those dealing with loneliness, depression, and anxiety. And I remember encountering a community of people who genuinely loved the gospel and longed to see the kingdom of God bear its weight on the city of Miami. Looking back, I pray that Sunday will forever stay in my memory.
There are so many beautiful things I want to share with you regarding getting to know me and my love for the gospel. However, I'm afraid we would be here for far too long and that I would exhaust the English language. That being said, as we kick off the new year together, let us consider 2 Corinthians 3:18, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
That word, beholding, stands out to me because the Apostle Paul is referencing the idea of a mirror. What's interesting about a mirror is that it doesn't hold its own image; rather, it reflects the image of where it's pointed. My prayer for our church is that we will embrace these words and see ourselves as mirrors of God. That we would not behold the image of ourselves, for doing so, we will reflect nothing but brokenness; rather, we would look to the cross of Christ and recognize with eyes wide open the beauty that comes from sacrificial love and service to one another. A beauty that fights brokenness by redeeming what was lost and restoring what was broken. A beauty that gives you the confidence to stand up to the face of sin and allow virtue to take its rightful place. Then maybe, just maybe, Christ's reflection will be seen through us, and a dying world that feels hopeless can experience the hope of heaven.
Accepting this position is an honor and a privilege to which I hope to do justice. I look forward to getting to know all of you and doing ministry alongside you for the years to come.
In Christ,
Johnny P. K. Contini