Finding Faith
Erwin McManus, born Irving Rafael Mesa-Cardona on August 28, 1958, in San Salvador, El Salvador, discovered a profound purpose that would shape his life's work. Raised in his early years by his grandparents before immigrating to the United States as a boy, he grew into a restless and deeply spiritual seeker, losing himself in mythology and philosophy as he tried to make sense of life. When he was twenty, his mother and siblings came to faith in Christ, and though he was skeptical at first, McManus soon found in the gospel the meaning he had long been searching for, a turning point that set the direction for everything that followed.
Urban Ministry in Dallas
He studied psychology and philosophy before earning a Master of Divinity, and at twenty-four he and his wife, Kim, started a church in Dallas to serve the urban poor. Working among the city's most overlooked communities, he planted congregations and grew convinced that the gospel belonged in the heart of the culture rather than on its edges.
Mosaic and Creativity
In 1993, McManus moved to Los Angeles, becoming the senior pastor of The Church on Brady. Under his leadership, the church transformed into Mosaic, a non-denominational megachurch known for its creativity and cultural engagement. Mosaic's vision is to create a place where anyone can belong before they believe. McManus believes that creativity is essential to faith and ministry.
