about City church
What We Believe
Our mission is to reach the un-churched and de-churched by creating a welcoming space where lives are transformed through faith. We exist to build people—not just a church—equipping them to grow spiritually and empowering them to impact their communities and the world with hope, purpose, and the love of Christ.
jody & tonya carsten
Jody and Tonya Carsten are the founding and lead pastors of City Church in Traverse City, Michigan. Both raised as pastors’ kids, they’ve dedicated their lives to following God’s call and serving His people. After graduating from Rhema Bible Training Center in 1996, they spent years in ministry leadership—including their time as Associate Pastors at Cleft of the Rock Family Church and Jody’s role as National Director for Club1040, a missions organization focused on church planting and leadership training across North Africa and Europe.
In 2011, after much prayer and God’s leading, they moved to Traverse City to begin building a team to launch City Church, which officially opened its doors in the spring of 2013. Jody and Tonya are honored to serve in a city full of vibrant churches and are committed to playing their part in helping people encounter the life and hope found in Christ.
Married for over two decades, Jody and Tonya love doing life together—whether it’s golfing, biking, motorcycling, walking, or just spending time with each other.Victory Bible Institute.