On Discipleship in Silicon Valley, a Talk with Paul Taylor
By Paul Taylor
After nearly 20 years as a pastor in Palo Alto, Paul Taylor discovered a “room” he never knew existed—a space where faith, work, and technology intersect. “It felt like I found a hidden part of the house,” he shared with Pastor Travis Jamieson, host of The Faith (In)Forming Podcast. “It was full of stories, of people wrestling deeply with what it means to follow Jesus in their work.”
This discovery shaped Paul’s current path. Now a doctoral student at Fuller Seminary and Co-Founder of the Bay Area Center for Faith, Work and Tech, he helps Christians engage with the unique challenges of living out faith in Silicon Valley’s tech-driven culture.
Why the Bay Area Stands Out
Paul, who has lived in the Bay Area since 1995, is struck by the region’s intense work culture. As a Pastor, Paul used to ask people why they lived in the Bay Area; the answer was almost always “work.”
This focus makes the Bay Area globally influential. “People here pour more of their lives into their jobs than anywhere else I know. And the work done here is changing everything—from communication to healthcare to AI,” Paul explained. For Paul, faith and work conversations are essential.
From Confusion to Calling
Paul’s passion began with a simple question from a Google Maps engineer: “What does being a Christian have to do with fixing bugs in my code?” At the time, Paul didn’t have a good answer.
That question sparked deep study—and inspired him to develop church programs helping people integrate faith and work. In 2023, Paul and Denise Lee Yohn co-founded the Bay Area Center for Faith, Work and Tech in part to support Christians across the tech world. “We want to create space where believers can wrestle with what God is doing through their work,” Paul said. “It’s desperately needed.”
Revival, Momentum, and Maturity
Paul and Denise co-authored a Christianity Today article titled “The Silicon Valley Revival Has Momentum. Next Comes Maturity.” While “revival” can be a loaded term, Paul sees genuine spiritual curiosity growing, especially among technologists.
“Events hosted by organizations like ACTS 17, featuring figures like Peter Thiel, are sparking serious conversations about Jesus,” he said. But Paul emphasizes that the real work ahead is maturity—helping people move beyond curiosity to deep discipleship.
Exilic Discipleship in Silicon Valley
What excites Paul most is the call to exilic discipleship. “Jesus calls us to incarnational ministry where we are,” he said. “In Silicon Valley, that means following Christ in boardrooms, labs, and code reviews. It’s challenging, but deeply hopeful.”
Listen to the Full Conversation
Dive deeper into this topic by listening to the full conversation between Pastor Travis Jamieson and Paul Taylor on The Faith (In)Forming Podcast. In this episode, they explore the intersection of faith, work, and technology, discussing how Christians can navigate the unique challenges of integrating faith into Silicon Valley’s innovation-driven culture. Watch the full episode on YouTube.
Paul Taylor is the Co-Founder of Faith, Work & Tech. Paul was a Pastor at Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto for 19 years, and currently serves as the Director of Unify with Transforming the Bay with Christ (TBC).
