PROGRAM SCHEDULE + TEACHER BIOS
"...rightly dividing the word of truth."
2 TIMOTHY 2:15
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Each of the Bible Teachers on GraceFM come from a wide variety of backgrounds and each has a unique teaching style that not only blesses but encourages the body as a whole.
Passionate about the Word, passionate about reaching the lost for Christ, and passionate about encouraging the saints on a daily basis.
(CLICK THE TOGGLE SWITCH BELOW TO SEE EACH SCHEDULE)
WEEKEND PROGRAM SCHEDULE
(SATURDAY - SUNDAY)
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
At Lead2Serve Pastor Ed Taylor discusses the value of servant leadership. We recognize the best leaders will always first be the best servants. From Church Planters to Senior Pastors, Sunday School teachers to CEO's, the wisdom shared will be a great benefit to your life! Pastor Ed is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Church, in Aurora Colorado
The GraceFM SWAG Booth is pre-scheduled for multiple events, if you would like to request the booth for your next event please email Info@GraceFM.com with the request and event details.
At Lead2Serve Pastor Ed Taylor discusses the value of servant leadership. We recognize the best leaders will always first be the best servants. From Church Planters to Senior Pastors, Sunday School teachers to CEO's, the wisdom shared will be a great benefit to your life! Pastor Ed is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Church, in Aurora Colorado
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
Pastor Fernando Ortiz was born in Tacoma, Washington and before settling in Colorado he lived all over including Germany and Korea! He grew up going to church in Albuquerque, New Mexico and received Jesus as his Savior in Jr. High.
Fernando attended Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta California, and then completed a Pastoral Internship at Calvary of Albuquerque, under Pastor Skip Heitzig. After that, he moved to Calvary Chapel Rio Rancho in New Mexico where he served as the youth pastor for three years. Following this the Lord called him to Denver to serve as an associate pastor at Calvary South Denver for six years. And then, in 2009, Mile High Calvary began as a small Bible study and has grown into a thriving fellowship today in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Fernando’s heart is to communicate the gospel to all of Denver and see people come to know Jesus as their Lord. He and his wife Carol have been married 10 years and have three children.
Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…”
Pastor Eric Cartier believes the Lord’s house should be one of prayer and that the Bible should be taught verse-by-verse. His desire is to lead by example, to be a disciple, to make disciples, and to share God’s loving kindness with others.
Born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, Eric attended Applegate Christian Fellowship and came to know the Lord 28 years ago. Through teachings at Applegate and Calvary Bible College, God began to equip him for a life of ministry.
In March 2000, he accepted a permanent position with Rocky Mountain Calvary in Colorado Springs, Colorado that grew into overseeing and ministering to both teenagers and young adults. After five years of service, he accepted the position of senior pastor.
Eric is devoted to his beautiful wife of more than 10 years, Amber, and their three daughters. When he isn’t spending time with his family and serving the fellowship, he likes to hike, bike, snowboard, and camp – anything outdoors. Eric’s encouragement to new believers? “Commit to being in the Word and prayer.”
Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Al was born in Panama City, Florida in 1955. His father was a career soldier, so the family traveled extensively. In 1973, when Al was seventeen years old, the family returned from a tour in Germany and settled in Colorado Springs. Soon after, Al realized God’s call on his life and began serving in the music ministry as a bass guitarist with a Christian band called, “The Rays of Light.” It was during this time that Al met Norma, and they were married on July 19, 1975.
Al attended Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, graduating in 1977 with a degree in Biblical Studies. Several years later he visited Calvary Chapel, which had opened across the street from where he worked. After attending one service, he was hooked, rejoicing to be taught the Word of God. He couldn’t get enough, and became involved in the worship band at Calvary Chapel, as well as performing with a local contemporary Christian band. In 1980, the Lord granted Al the privilege of becoming a full-time staff member with Calvary Chapel of Colorado Springs, where he conducted Friday evening outreach concerts along with other pastoral duties assigned to him. In 1991 Al and his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and two years later he joined the staff of Calvary Chapel Albuquerque as an assistant pastor and co-worship leader.
In the spring of 1997 the Lord called Al and his family back to Colorado Springs to pastor Calvary Worship Center. Although this was a difficult decision, they knew the Lord was leading them and they have seen and experienced God’s awesome faithfulness since returning to Colorado Springs, where the fellowship has grown along with their faith. In 2006, Al earned his Master’s degree from Trinity Southwest University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Al and Norma are the proud parents of three children, Renee, Nathan and Reggie, as well as proud grandparents. They covet your prayers for their family and ministry as they endeavor to live a life pleasing to the Father.
Pastor Ed Taylor grew up in Southern California. Having responded to the gospel in 1991 at Calvary Chapel Downey, he spent eight years learning, growing, and serving there. In July of 1999, sensing the call of God, Ed and his family moved to the Denver area hoping to be used by God. In December 1999, Calvary Church began Sunday services in Aurora, and today it impacts the community for Jesus in wonderful ways.
Pastor Ed's heart is to be transparent from the pulpit for he truly desires that everyone, from all walks of life, will embrace Jesus and grow in His grace. Ed and his wife, Marie, have been married for over 27 years and have three children – of whom their elder son, Eddie, went to be with the Lord in 2013. Ed and Marie also have a precious grandson, Eddie’s son, Levi.
Ed is the author of the book "Ordinary Servant," the host of the Lead2Serve Podcast, and the Bible Teacher of Abounding Grace, a national radio broadcast.
Greg Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship with campuses in California and Hawaii. He began his pastoral ministry at the age of 19 by leading a Bible study of 30 people. Since then, God has transformed that small group into a church of some 15,000 people. Today, Harvest is one of the largest churches in America.
In 1990, Greg Laurie began holding large-scale public evangelistic events called Harvest Crusades. Since that time, more than 5.6 million people have attended Harvest Crusades events around the United States and internationally. More than 476,000 people have registered professions of faith through these outreaches.
Along with his work at Harvest Ministries, Greg Laurie served as the 2013 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, and also serves on the board of directors of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He holds honorary doctorates from Biola University and Azusa Pacific University.
Greg Laurie has a daily nationally syndicated radio program, A New Beginning, which is broadcast on more than 800 radio outlets around the world, as well as a weekly television program.
Greg Laurie has authored over 70 books including Live Love Fight, Tell Someone, Greatest Stories Ever Told, Hope for Hurting Hearts, As It Is in Heaven, and his autobiography, Lost Boy. The accompanying documentary film, Lost Boy: The Next Chapter has won eight awards at international film festivals. His most recent film, Hope for Hurting Hearts, features his story of trusting God through tragedy.
Greg has been married to Cathe Laurie for 42 years and he has two sons, Christopher and Jonathan. Christopher went to be with the Lord in 2008. Greg and Cathe also have five grandchildren.
Pastor Brian Brodersen grew up in Southern California. He became a Christian at age 22 and began attending Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, pastored by Chuck Smith. He met his wife, Cheryl, the youngest daughter of Pastor Chuck and Kay Smith, at a Bible study in Huntington Harbor. They were married on May 23, 1980, and have four grown children, five grandsons, and one granddaughter.
Brian served in youth ministry and taught Bible studies. Then in 1983, he and Cheryl moved to Vista, California, where he assumed the pastorate of Calvary Chapel Vista. During those years, he began traveling overseas, initially to Yugoslavia and Hungary, and this led to Calvary Chapel’s outreach to Eastern Europe. Many young men and women were sent out from California in those early days of ministry as pastors and missionaries, and currently there are numerous churches, Bible colleges, and retreat centers all over Western and Eastern Europe.
In 1996, the Brodersen family moved to London, England, to plant Calvary Chapel Westminster. The church began small, but God blessed the ministry, and thankfully, there are now dozens of affiliated Calvary Chapel churches throughout Great Britain.
In the year 2000, at the request of Pastor Chuck, the family returned to California to transition into the pastorate of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Brian began ministering alongside Pastor Chuck, as well as traveling and teaching at many conferences both nationally and internationally. Pastor Brian was elected to serve as senior pastor in October 2013.
Brian is known for his clear and challenging exposition of the Scriptures and can be heard daily on his Bible-teaching program, Back to Basics.
As a pastor, church planter and missionary, Pastor Nick has a heart for the global mission of God through the Church.
Nick grew up in Denver, and came to know the Lord as a teenager. After finishing school, Nick spent 10 years as a missionary in Eastern Europe, first working with refugees and then church planting and pastoring churches in Hungary with Calvary Chapel. The churches Nick planted in the cities of Eger and Heves are now led by local leaders who were raised up through that ministry.
10 years later, the Lord led Nick and his family back to Colorado to be a part of the work that God is doing through White Fields Community Church in Longmont and beyond. Nick’s desire is to train and send people on God’s mission into His mission field: all the world, which He loves and for whom He gave His Son, Jesus.
Brenen Beeler is the founder and lead pastor of Regenerate Church, based in Orange County, California and is the speaker of the national radio program Regenerate Radio.
Pastor Brenen has been privileged to speak at conferences and churches around the nation as well as speaking weekly at Regenerate Church. Pastor Brenen holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree at Vanguard University.
He and his wife Morgan live in Orange County, California with their sons Sheaden and Brenson and their daughter Katin.
For more information on Pastor Brenen Beeler go to:www.RegenerateChurch.com
Mark has been serving in pastoral ministry since 1992 and began Calvary Knoxville in 1997. As the founding and lead pastor Mark oversees all areas of ministry.
His primary focus, however, are our two corporate meeting times where he teaches our adult congregation systematically through God’s word, equipping us for the work of the ministry.
Mark’s desire is that the congregation of Calvary would be the best fed and most loved people in Knoxville and abroad.
Pastor Matt Korniotes came to know the Lord in September of 2005 at a Calvary Chapel Men’s Conference in Lynchburg, Virgina. As he grew in the Lord, he began to serve in several capacities at Calvary Chapel including both practically and spiritually. After just a couple of years of attending Calvary Chapel and serving the Lord as a lay leader, the Assistant Pastor stepped out in faith to begin a church plant in Warrenton, Virginia. Shortly thereafter, the Lord raised Matt up formally to serve as Assistant Pastor.
In June of 2010, Matt and his wife April prayerfully made the decision to heed the calling of the Lord and step out in faith. In Sept of 2010, they arrived in Colorado and immediately began to serve practically at the local church. Pastor Matt established stable housing and then waited on the timing of the Lord to start a fresh work. Finally, on 13 March 2011, the doors of Calvary Chapel Cherry Creek were opened and Pastor Matt began serving the community through the simple teaching of the Word of God, line upon line.
Since that time Calvary Chapel Cherry Creek has been exceedingly blessed by the Lord! Beginning their worship services meeting at a middle school in Centennial, Colorado, the fellowship quickly grew and in May of 2012 the Lord provided a church space for them within the Southfield Shopping Center in Centennial. Only a year later, the Lord provided exceedingly and abundantly by giving them the church that Calvary Chapel Cherry Creek now calls home! The church facility located in Centennial features a large meeting room, a magnificent kitchen with several stoves, ovens and sinks (with capacity to serve wonderful meals and support fellowship/community events), an ample community pantry, a free thrift store (C4 First Fruits Ministry), a spacious nursery, an arcade for the youth, a large youth room and numerous classrooms for discipleship, Bible studies, casual meetings and formal counseling as well as childrens’ ministry! Calvary Cherry Creek is also active with U-Turn for Christ based in Colorado Springs where Matt frequently visits to teach and encourage them in the Lord.
If you ask Matt if he’s a senior pastor, a church planter, an apostle or a disciple…he’ll simply answer that he’s just a rescued sinner and now his life returned to the One who saved him is only his reasonable service as the lead servant of Calvary Chapel.
Jon Courson has amassed more than 1,500 expositional and topical Bible studies during his ministry. He is the author of A Future and a Hope, A Day’s Journey, and A Place For You, A Pillar By Day, and the 3-volume Jon Courson’s Application Commentary.
In 1977, Jon Courson founded the Applegate Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational church in southern Oregon with a congregation of twenty people. The congregation grew to over 8,000 under Courson’s leadership. In 2002, Courson accepted a request to join his longtime mentor and friend Chuck Smith at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in California. In 2005, Courson moved on to teach at a pastor training school in Carmen Serdan, Mexico for young men. In March of 2006 Jon left Carmen Serdan to move back to southern Oregon to join his son Peter-John Courson pastoring at Applegate Christian Fellowship.
He also continues to teach the pastor training school which was relocated to the Mountaintop Retreat Center, which is a part of the ministry of Applegate Christian Fellowship. Jon lives in Southern Oregon with his wife Tammy. They have four children and two grandchildren. Jon’s first wife went home to be with the Lord a number of years ago. Jessie, his eldest daughter, went home to be with the Lord when she was 16 years old. Both died in car accidents.
When Pastor Jim was 17 years old and a senior in High School, he heard for the first time that Jesus loved him, died for him and if he would receive Him, He would give him everlasting life. Jim said yes and Jesus changed his life.
A few years later he was given an opportunity to teach the Bible for the first time, and from that day, he knew what God had called him to do: teach others the simple truths about Jesus. When Jim was 23, he was hired as an assisting pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa where he served in youth ministry until 1998.
He has been pastoring Calvary Chapel Vero Beach since 1998. His heart’s desire for God’s people can be summed up in Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “‘Til we come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Jim believes that the desire of God and the purpose of the Church is to be a place where we can grow in our relationship with Christ through the study of His Word.
At the age of 13, Pastor Ryan moved from upstate New York to East Central Florida where he grew up. During his senior year in high school, he met his wife, Megan, and they were married in July of 1997.
Shortly after, Pastor Ryan joined the US Army where he was an M1A1 Armor Crewman. After responding to the Gospel in 1999, Pastor Ryan immediately began to sense a call on his life. After many failures and many ups and downs, he submitted to God's will and started serving at Calvary Chapel Melbourne in Melbourne, FL.
It was there he attended a School of Ministry and Calvary Chapel Bible College. Over the years the Lord has blessed him with 4 beautiful children and 1 amazing granddaughter. In May of 2017, Pastor Ryan was sent out to plant a church in Colorado. After 3 1/2 years of planting Calvary Impact Church, he handed it over to leadership, sensing God calling him back to Florida to plant Abide Calvary in Sebastian Florida, launching August 1, 2021.
Pastor Ed Taylor grew up in Southern California. Having responded to the gospel in 1991 at Calvary Chapel Downey, he spent eight years learning, growing, and serving there. In July of 1999, sensing the call of God, Ed and his family moved to the Denver area hoping to be used by God. In December 1999, Calvary Church began Sunday services in Aurora, and today it impacts the community for Jesus in wonderful ways.
Pastor Ed's heart is to be transparent from the pulpit for he truly desires that everyone, from all walks of life, will embrace Jesus and grow in His grace. Ed and his wife, Marie, have been married for over 27 years and have three children – of whom their elder son, Eddie, went to be with the Lord in 2013. Ed and Marie also have a precious grandson, Eddie’s son, Levi.
Ed is the author of the book "Ordinary Servant," the host of the Lead2Serve Podcast, and the Bible Teacher of Abounding Grace, a national radio broadcast.
Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Pastor Eric and his family moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 2012 to plant Reach Jax.
Pastor Eric worked at Calvary Tucson as an Assistant pastor for 10 years before God called him to plant.
Since planting the church, the Lord has stretched, challenged, changed and blessed Eric in ways that he could have never prepared for. Much of his real life experience is seen in his practical and biblical teachings.
Pastor Jeff was ordained at Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1992, where he served as an assistant pastor. In January of 1996, the Lord led Jeff and his wife Sue to Greeley, Colorado, where they started a Bible study in their living room. One year later, Calvary Chapel Greeley had its first Sunday morning service in a small facility in downtown Greeley.
Pastor Jeff has been faithful to give the “whole counsel of God’s Word” to his fellowship, teaching verse-by-verse through the entire Bible.
Since 2001, Jeff has served as a chaplain to the Weld County Sheriff’s Office.
Jeff and Sue have been married for 30 years and have four wonderful children – Barbara, Luke, Rachael, and David.
In 1965 Pastor Chuck Smith started his ministry at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Beginning with a mere 25 people, he saw God bless his simple, yet consistent style of teaching straight through the Bible.
Today Calvary Chapel draws over 10,000 attendees weekly. With a genuine heart for the lost, Pastor Chuck made room in his ministry for a generation of hippies, surfers, and drug addicts.
This generated a stirring of the Holy Spirit, which spread from the California coast to the Atlantic and beyond. This movement was instrumental in bringing thousands of young people to Jesus Christ during the 60s and 70s in what was known as the Jesus People Movement.
Damian Kyle is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Modesto.
He committed his life to the Lord in 1980 at Calvary Chapel Napa California at the age of 25. He had previously been employed as a cable splicer with a phone company. He and his family moved from Napa to Modesto in June of 1985 to plant a Calvary Chapel with the blessing of their home church.
He has two children, Tyler and Morgan, with his wife Karin.
Pastor John was born and raised in the south, where he grew up in the church and watched his parents faithfully worship and serve the Lord. At the age of seven, John asked Jesus to be his Savior.
After graduating from Auburn University in 1999, John and his wife Amy were married and moved to Colorado. After a few months, they began attending Horizon Christian Fellowship Denver, a church committed to the Word. Under the tutelage of Pastor Dave Love, John served as both a worship leader and a home fellowship teacher for 10 years. During this time, the Lord also blessed John and Amy with three beautiful children.
In 2010, John felt God’s calling to plant a church in Golden, Colorado and was ordained as a pastor through Horizon Denver. For a year and a half John served as the pastor of Horizon Golden and was blessed to see the congregation grow both in fellowship and spiritual maturity. In February 2012, the Lord called John away from Horizon Golden to become the pastor at Legacy Christian Fellowship. Though the move was unexpected, John learned through the process that when the Lord says “move,” you MOVE!
John believes strongly that the Christian walk must be shepherded by the Word, and he is committed to teaching the Bible chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse. John also keeps his eyes fixed on the Calvary Chapel vision: Win, Disciple, Send. WIN people to the Lord, DISCIPLE them to follow Christ, and SEND them out to witness for Christ by the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Dominic is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Saint Cloud. He came to faith in Jesus through a faithful friend in college. Since then, he has dedicated his life to proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Dominic began to develop his calling in pastoral ministry as an assisting pastor.
In October 2004, the Lord called Dominic and his wife, Danielle, to start a Calvary Chapel in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where they have been faithful in their endeavor to strengthen God’s people with grace (Hebrews 13:9).
In addition to ministry within the church, Pastor Dominic serves on the board of the Pregnancy Resource Center and the St. Cloud Christian School. He also developed and oversees the chaplain program at the Saint Cloud YMCA, furthering his ability to reach the community for Jesus.
Life Verse: “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
– Acts 20:24
Jack Hibbs is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, located in Southern California.
The church began in 1990 as a home fellowship church plant and today, with God’s blessing, the church ministers to tens of thousands each week.
Real Life is the media ministry of Jack Hibbs. Starting with Real Life Radio in 2005, todays Real Life Ministry also includes Real Life TV, Real Life Devotions, the Real Life App and the Real Life YouTube channel, as well as many other media outlets.
He is best known for his prophetic study of the Bible and his passionate expositional teaching of God’s word.
Pastor Jack and his wife, Lisa have been married for over forty years. He, his wife, and family live in Southern California
Skip Heitzig is a native of southern California, and experienced the volatile days of the counter-culture in the late 60s and early 70s. Though raised in a religious home, Skip saw religion as a dead-end street with no answers. As a teenager, he got caught up in drugs and ventured into the occult. But God reached Skip one day in 1973 as he was watching a Billy Graham crusade on TV. The Gospel message penetrated his soul and he knelt and prayed to receive Christ.
Skip studied under Chuck Smith at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California, until 1981. After he married Lenya, the couple moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he worked in the medical field of radiology. In 1982, Skip began a home Bible study which eventually grew into Calvary Albuquerque. In 1988 and 1989, Calvary Albuquerque was considered the fastest growing church in America. Today, Calvary Albuquerque ministers to over 14,000 people every weekend. Several other churches have spun off from Calvary Albuquerque, including churches in Arizona, Colorado, and other parts of New Mexico.
Skip reaches out to thousands across the nation and throughout the world through his multi-media ministry, including a nationwide half-hour radio program, The Connection.
Skip also helps equip others for living according to God’s principles through his writings. Some of his recent books include The Daily God Book, Church? Who Needs It, and How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It (revised). He also publishes over two dozen booklets in the Lifestyle Series, covering aspects of Christian living.
Skip holds a B.A., M.A. and Doctor of Divinity, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy Biblical and Theological Studies from Trinity Southwest University. He has been awarded a doctor honoris causa from GFA Biblical Seminary. He currently serves on several Boards of Directors, including Samaritan’s Purse.
Son Nathan and daughter-in-law Janaé made Skip and Lenya the proud grandparents of Seth Nathaniel and Kaydence Joy.
Samy has been sharing the Gospel with Muslims for over 30 years. He speaks on God’s love towards sinners and how we can communicate the Gospel effectively to the people we meet, including Muslims.
Samy’s passion is to encourage every member in the body of Christ to be active in fulfilling the Great Commission. His wife Hala often joins him to share her story of imprisonment in Egypt for converting from Islam to Christianity.
Jim Keavney is the founding and senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Morris Hills, Dover, NJ. His goal is to teach the Bible with simplicity and passion as well as a direct application to our daily lives.
“Changed By Love” is the Radio Teaching Ministry of Calvary Chapel Morris Hills located in the heart of Morris County NJ.
Pastor Jim is a later life convert, who received a later life call to the ministry after many years in the business world. He has been blessed to see the Lord create several businesses, a church, and even a radio station from nothing. Originally from Long Island, Jim lives in NJ with his beautiful wife Pam and their three great kids.
When describing his conversion, Jim simply says, “I was Changed By Love.”
Alistair Begg has been in pastoral ministry since 1975. Following graduation from The London School of Theology, he served eight years in Scotland at both Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church.
In 1983, he became the senior pastor at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio. He has written several books and is heard daily and weekly on the radio program, Truth For Life. The teaching on Truth For Life stems from the week by week Bible teaching at Parkside Church.
He and his wife, Susan, were married in 1975 and they have three grown children.
Cheryl was born the youngest daughter of Pastor Chuck and Kay Smith. At a very young age, her father instilled in her a love for Biblical truth. Cheryl’s mom is the one who infused her with a passion and enthusiasm for the promises and exhortations of Scripture.
Although Cheryl grew up in a Godly home, she experienced a two-year personal crisis of faith during her senior year of high school and first year of college. Introduced to intellectualism, and stumbled by an emotional upheaval, she almost surrendered her faith. “I began to write in my journal about the wonder of man’s accomplishments and genius…and my thoughts took a different turn. I started outlining all the destructive things that man’s wisdom has led to. Suddenly, I felt a presence enter the room.” Cheryl describes this as the time Jesus presented Himself to her and asked, “What will you do with Me?” It was at this time that Cheryl made a full surrender of her life to Jesus Christ.
Almost two years later Cheryl met her soul mate and the man who would become the love of her life, Brian Brodersen. On May 23, 1980, Cheryl and Brian were wed by her father at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. A year later God graced Brian and Cheryl with their first child, a beautiful girl, Kristyn. Three more siblings would later join Kristyn: including brother Char, sister Kelsey, and brother Braden.
In 1983, Brian and Cheryl moved to Vista, California, where Brian assumed the pastorate of a small Calvary Chapel. At Calvary Chapel Vista, Cheryl first began to minister to woman on a weekly basis, teaching through the Bible. Cheryl loved exploring Biblical truths and then communicating those truths to the women at Vista. Some of Cheryl’s most treasured friendships were formed during her thirteen years serving beside her husband in Vista.
In 1996, Brian and Cheryl moved to London, England, with their four children. Brian established a Calvary Chapel in Westminster, London. On the first Sunday at Calvary Chapel Westminster, there were only eight people in attendance beyond Brian and Cheryl’s own family. However, God was faithful to add daily to the fellowship in London an assembly of precious sinners made saints by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In the 2000, at the request of Cheryl’s father, Brian and Cheryl returned to California to have Brian transition into the pastorate of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Since returning, Cheryl has assumed from her mother the Joyful Life women’s Bible teaching
David Guzik is a pastor, Bible teacher, and author of a widely used Bible commentary.
David has been in Christian service for more than 35 years, including two church plants and more than seven years as a missionary in Germany, as director and teacher for an international school (Calvary Chapel Bible College Germany).
David earned a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1991. Through the years of David’s pastoral ministry and writing of the Bible commentary, he had no formal Bible College or seminary training. David earned a Masters of Divinity (MDiv) degree from Calvary Chapel University in 2021.
David is married to Inga-Lill for more than 39 years and together they have three adult children and two grandchildren.
Jeff Johnson is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Downey, California. He has traveled extensively to many parts of the world lecturing and preaching the Word of God. In addition, his teachings are now being heard daily with the radio program “Sound Doctrine.”
Jeff has been involved in the ministry since 1973 as a Pastor/Teacher and Bible Expositor. The emphasis within his ministry is a verse by verse study of the Word of God, giving its full counsel. His studies pay particular attention to the practical application, contemporary examples, and incorporation of the Word into our daily lives. As a result, his studies are extremely interesting, informative, and spiritually challenging. His influence has experienced a steady and substantial growth over the years with people of all ages.
Under the ministry of Jeff Johnson, Calvary Chapel of Downey has grown to average weekly attendance of more than 9,000. Teaching seminars, Bible classes, home studies, various training programs, mission outreaches, as well as a Christian Elementary & Jr./Sr. High School, and Bible college meet the needs of this large body. Calvary Chapel’s impact is growing from Southern California to virtually around the world.
Jeff is supported in his ministry by his wife Karyn.
WEEKDAY PROGRAM SCHEDULE
(MONDAY - FRIDAY)
On November 29, 1975, 3 years after accepting Jesus Christ, Raul Ries was ordained by Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and his small home Bible study grew into the Fox Theater, then to Calvary Chapel West Covina and eventually into Calvary Chapel Golden Springs in Diamond Bar, California in 1993.
Although already ordained, Ries desired to study God’s Word more in-depth so he attended APU where he received his Master of Ministry, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Religion between 1976 and 1990. He went on to Fuller Theological Seminary to receive his Doctorate of Ministry in 1992.
Ries believed that he would teach and preach his entire life. However, his ability to serve the Lord almost came to an end in February, 2007. At his Wednesday evening service, Raul knew something was wrong physically but what lay ahead was unexpected.
Raul experienced flashbacks for the first time since the Vietnam War.
He knew, rationally, that he was in his home but the fears of war came rushing back. He lay prostrate in his home, praying and praising the Lord as tears ran down his face. He and his wife, Sharon, thought their time in ministry was over.
The flashbacks grew more frequent and more intense. After testing, he was diagnosed with seizures that affect the five senses.
His family, the body of Christ and Pastor Chuck Smith prayed for him and he felt the Holy Spirit heal him. He has not experienced another flashback.
Today, more than 35 years after his miraculous conversion, Ries is heard internationally on more than 350 radio stations and translators on his daily syndicated radio program, Somebody Loves You and is the evangelist for the Somebody Loves You Crusades.
Pastor Ed Taylor grew up in Southern California. Having responded to the gospel in 1991 at Calvary Chapel Downey, he spent eight years learning, growing, and serving there. In July of 1999, sensing the call of God, Ed and his family moved to the Denver area hoping to be used by God. In December 1999, Calvary Church began Sunday services in Aurora, and today it impacts the community for Jesus in wonderful ways.
Pastor Ed's heart is to be transparent from the pulpit for he truly desires that everyone, from all walks of life, will embrace Jesus and grow in His grace. Ed and his wife, Marie, have been married for over 27 years and have three children – of whom their elder son, Eddie, went to be with the Lord in 2013. Ed and Marie also have a precious grandson, Eddie’s son, Levi.
Ed is the author of the book "Ordinary Servant," the host of the Lead2Serve Podcast, and the Bible Teacher of Abounding Grace, a national radio broadcast.