Looking Back: 2023 International Pastors Conference—Returning November 2025
PASTORS AND LEADERS! DON’T MISS THE CCA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE NOVEMBER ’25
Photos by JJ Portugal
The Calvary Chapel Association (CCA) Council prays over new members as the Lord ushers in a new work of the Holy Spirit at the 2023 CCA International Pastors & Leaders Conference.
There was a bittersweet moment at the 2023 International Pastors & Leaders Conference on November 6-9 at CC Golden Springs in Diamond Bar, CA, as the CCA Council extended the scepter to the next generation of leaders. This year’s theme was “Encounters with God,” and the over 1,300 pastors and leaders left with a sense of His presence and His power, both convicted and encouraged by the 12 messages across the four days. It was a time of commissioning and unity, fellowship, and moving forward.
Laying on of Hands
Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 13:3
“The older we get, the longer it takes to get everybody up the steps to get on the stage,” quipped Joe Focht, senior pastor of CC Philadelphia, PA, as the audience responded in resounding laughter. CCA Council Leadership Pastors Don McClure, Mike MacIntosh, Malcolm Wild, Sandy Adams, Lloyd Pulley, Bill Stonebraker, and David Rosales then made their way up to join Joe Focht and Raul Ries. “What a wonderful thing that we can come together and be here,” Joe continued. “The Council has prayed, and as you can see what is happening to us, our warranties are all running out! We know it is important to find men to step in with us and be a part of the Council, so we have asked Troy Warner, Jim Gallagher, Steve Whinery, Michael McClure, and David Love. David could not be with us today.” Joe then allowed each man who was stepping into a CCA Council leadership position to introduce himself. The group gathered around to lay hands on those they are charging with the future forward movement of CCA. Mike MacIntosh, former senior pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego, CA, started the time of prayer. “May the power of the Holy Spirit come upon these men. May the power of the Holy Spirit come upon their spouses and their children. May Your Spirit lead and guide their hearts.”
“Father, we pray You go before these brothers and follow after them, Lord,” Bill Stonebraker, senior pastor of CC Honolulu, HI, added. “We pray that in this next generation, the latter rain would be even greater than the former rain. Lord, anoint and bless in Jesus’ name.”
Pastors Mike MacIntosh, Davis Rosales, and worship leader Holland Davis, lay hands on Raul Ries (left) as they place many burdens and cares before the Lord.
Looking Back
Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 1 Kings 19:19b
“Please keep these men in your prayers,” Don McClure, of Calvary Way Ministries, asked conference attendees. “We have been praying for the last couple of years, knowing that we need to be moving in this direction. We have seen leadership qualities, maturity, godliness, and anointing on the lives of these men. We’ve also seen many more that we are praying about as well. This is not the end, but the beginning.” Raul Ries added, “It’s good to be here tonight and to see what God has done and what God is doing and what He is going to do.” Raul opened Session 1 with a message on Job and the school of suffering. “Time moves so rapidly,” he said. “I can remember when Pastor Chuck Smith asked us to be on the board. He believed God had a work in continuing Calvary Chapel. It was a neat time in the tent watching so many people coming to Christ during the hippie movement. And I think that today there is a new movement of the Holy Spirit.”
Brothers enjoy a time of fellowship during the conference. Many commented on the unity of the Holy Spirit present over the four days.
Forward Vision
“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2b
“The strength of the CC movement has always been in the strength of the individual churches, and the strength of those churches has always been in the spiritual health of the pastor and leaders. The vision cast by the leadership is to provide fellowship that will enhance the spiritual health of the pastors. The future of the movement is directly connected to the future of the local church and from that perspective, the movement is very healthy,” Jim Gallagher of CC Vero Beach, FL, shared. “I see Jesus coming back soon and we are here for such an incredible time as this,” Mike McClure, senior pastor of Calvary Christian Fellowship in San Jose, CA, stated. “As perilous as these times have become, God has equipped us with everything necessary to be victorious through His Word and by His Spirit. God has both blessed and prepared Calvary Chapel for this time.”
Holland Davis leads a full sanctuary in a chorus of praise and exaltation to the Lord.
Troy Warner, senior pastor of CC Lynchburg, VA, shared his desire to continue moving forward in a bond of unity as Calvary Chapel has throughout the years, and to “be a catalyst to continue to encourage the church to stir up the brothers, to make sure we’re walking in the spiritual gifts that have been given to us and continuing to equip our churches.” He referenced Ezekiel 47 as his desire that CCA would “continue to go into the deep waters where the Lord calls us, not being afraid.” Steve Whinery, senior pastor of CC Tri-Cities, WA, stated, “Pastor Chuck was a master at expositional Bible teaching and he also inspired generations of young men to emulate him in expounding the Word straightforwardly and simply, relying on the Spirit. All we have to do is follow the leading of Jesus and He’ll be the One bringing the fruit. I expect to see lots of fruit!”
David Love of Calvary Castle Rock, CO, later shared, “I see [in the future of the CCA] what Jesus said in the Parable of the Scribe in Matthew 13:52. Jesus was instructing His disciples to be like the scribe who is like a householder that has in his treasury, a place he keeps his valuables both new and old. The old would be those things that are tried and true (Jeremiah 6:16a). The old things, the old paths, are those principles, those Calvary Distinctives, given to us through Pastor Chuck’s ministry as he was led by the Holy Spirit. The new things are those new ways in which to reach the lost without compromising those principles.
Pastor Art Reyes (left) shares the joy of the Lord with fellow conference attendees in a moment of sweet fellowship.
CCA Board Members Added at 2023 Conference
Jim Gallagher is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Vero Beach (CCVB), FL. He began teaching the Bible in youth ministry at CC Costa Mesa (CCCM), CA, when he was 20 and served as an assistant youth pastor at CCCM from 1989-1998. He has pastored CCVB since 1998.
David Love is the senior pastor of Calvary Castle Rock in Colorado. He has been married to his wife Mindi for 34 years. Dave has been teaching for over 30 years and has been the CCA Central West regional director for five years.
Mike McClure is the senior pastor of Calvary Christian Fellowship in San Jose, CA, and has been teaching for 20 years. Mike shepherded his flock through an arduous legal battle with Santa Clara County for keeping their church open during the pandemic.
Troy Warner is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel in Lynchburg, VA. After meeting his wife Rebecca at CC Costa Mesa, he entered full-time ministry in 1988, serving with her in Sydney, Australia. Returning to California, the two eventually landed in Lynchburg, where they planted the church over 30 years ago.
Steve Whinery is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Tri-Cities in Kennewick, WA. He has been teaching over 43 years, beginning with a home Bible study in 1980. The Lord called Steve and his wife to plant CC Tri-Cities as a home Bible study after moving to Kennewick in 1990.
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