Missions
Calvary Chapel Modesto supports these like-minded international and national missionaries and organizations through prayer, communication, financial means, and when possible, short-term trips to the field.
For more information about our missionaries, click on their picture.
International
-
Tyler & Alyssa Johnson
-
Dave and Darlys Bird
Jacmel, Haiti -
Tonio and Lindsey Petrignani
Nice, France -
Estie Martin
Torino, Italy -
Jed and Renee Gourley
Tbilisi, Georgia -
Ramon and Katie Hernandez
Leon Guanajuato, Mexico -
Jamie and Andreea Hogan
Bucharest, Romania -
Cory and Danielle Kilgus
Trujillo, Peru -
Neri and Brigida Maya
Vicente Guerrero, Mexico -
Robin and Alison Turner
Spittal, Austria -
Troy and Rebekah Sammons
Kenya and South Sudan
Tyler & Alyssa Johnson
Tyler and Alyssa live in Montebelluna, Italy where Tyler serves as the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Montebelluna. They are joining in the church’s mission to share the gospel and make disciples, with a vision to raise up Italians to know and serve Him. Tyler first came to Montebelluna as a bible college student in 2012, and upon graduation started serving full-time in the church, eventually as the youth pastor, worship leader, and bible college teacher. In 2023, Tyler was ordained as the senior pastor of CC Montebelluna.
Dave and Darlys Bird
Jacmel, Haiti
Calvary International Development Ministries
Jacmel, Haiti
Dave and Darlys Bird grew up in Southern California and accepted the Lord into their hearts at an early age. In 1979, one year after they were married, they recognized God’s calling upon their lives to be used for Him as missionaries wherever and whenever God would call them. Since 1991, God has called and provided the Birds opportunities to actively live out their passionate love for Jesus Christ through missions. In the 90s they served on many short-term mission trips throughout the world. Then in 2000 they lived and served in Guatemala for a year. In 2010 they responded to a call to serve in Haiti and remained there for the next 5 years. They founded Calvary International Development Ministries, in October 2011, a non-profit organization.
The Birds currently reside in Southern California and travel to Haiti about 3 times per year to encourage, train and connect with the CIDM ministry leaders and Haitian loved ones.
Dave studied architecture at Cal-Poly Pomona University, in California, and holds Architecture and General Contractors Licenses, and is currently working in the field of Construction Management. Darlys studied business in college and has managed 3 home-based businesses over the years. Currently, she is coordinating CIDM with the Haitian leaders from stateside.
Dave & Darlys have 2 sons, 2 daughters-in-law and 7 grandchildren.
The Birds gratefully recognize God’s faithfulness as CIDM thrives under the Haitians direction, whom they have trained and worked alongside since 2010. Equipping and empowering the nationals to lead with the foundation that’s been laid has always been their goal. The Birds count it a privilege to have served throughout the world ministering to others in spiritual and practical ways and look forward to continued opportunities to serve in Haiti through CIDM and beyond.
Tonio and Lindsey Petrignani
Nice, France
Lindsey grew up in Southern California near Thousand Oaks. She studied to become a math teacher and served at Pottersfield Ranch in Montana for two years and then at Calvary Chapel Cyprus (island below Turkey) for one year. She had never been to France before meeting Tonio, but now speaks beautiful French and is on her way to becoming a French citizen. Tonio is half-French, half-American, born in Seattle but living in France since 1992. He grew up in France as a missionary/pastor’s kid. He studied computer science in the French university system. He has been working full-time for the church in Nice since 2009. Tonio & Lindsey were married in October 2010 after meeting at Schloss Herolddeck Conference Center in Austria in August 2009. Tonio is the senior pastor at Calvary Chapel Nice. He received the leadership of the church in June 2019 after assisting his father Pierre (& wife Nancy) for ten years.
Tonio serves by teaching the Bible, discipling, handling the administration/paperwork, the communication/web presence, the building maintenance, and leading worship. Lindsey leads worship and is part of the women’s ministry. She also handles the kids, Daphné and Django, with joy. Tonio and Lindsey want to be faithful to Jesus, feed the flock in Nice, and train and raise up leaders in the church.
To learn more and support Tonio and Lindsey, follow this link: goinchrist.com/missionaries/entry/7853
Estie Martin
Torino, Italy
www.facebook.com/calvarytorino/
Estie currently serves as a missionary in Torino, Italy. She was born in the United States in 1993 and was raised in Mexico as the daughter of missionaries. At age 19, Estie left home to study at CCBC Murrieta, where she interned for a year before moving to Washington State to work at a pregnancy resource center. In October 2018 she traveled to Italy and had a strong sense that in a year she would be back.
From September to December 2019, Estie was invited to spend three months with David and Denae Downs, who had just planted Calvary Torino that February. She got to know the country, ministry, and team, and prayed to find out if she was called to Italy long-term. At the end of her three-month stay, she knew God was calling her to Italy. She returned to the United States in early 2020 to sell everything and pursue her religious visa. In early 2020 she arrived back in Torino, one week before the country went into the first major Covid-19 lockdown.
Currently, Estie manages the Audio & Video department, helps Dave and Denae as their personal assistant, oversees setup and teardown of Sunday services, and helps organize church events. She also disciples people and serves on the creative and directive team for the Più Forti CD and video project (producing music, music videos, and children’s curriculum for the Italian churches). She plans to expand her roles as the needs arise.
To learn more and support Estie, follow this link: goinchrist.com/missionaries/entry/7853/
Jed and Renee Gourley
Tbilisi, Georgia
Jed and Renee are currently serving in Tbilisi, Georgia which is located in the Caucasus mountains east of Turkey, south of Russia, West of Azerbaijan, and north of Armenia and Iran.
They have six children, four of which are living with them in Georgia (Joshua, Rachel, Isaiah, and Emma). The Gourleys recently planted a church in the capital city of Tbilisi. In addition, Jed is working with Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe, which relocated to Tbilisi in the fall of 2021, to train workers for the harvest fields around the world.
Jed and Renee grew up in the same church, Calvary Chapel of Crawfordsville, Indiana. In 1992, Renee left for the mission field to the Ukraine at the age of sixteen with her family (the Markeys). Jed soon joined the team in Ukraine and began serving the young people who were coming to the Lord. Jed and Renee were married in Kiev, Ukraine in 1994. From 1995-1999, both completed university studies and then returned to the mission field.
In the summer of 2006, the Gourleys moved to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to plant a church in a mostly Muslim country. Then in 2013, the Lord once again directed them to pull up their tent pegs and move to a new country.
Ramon and Katie Hernandez
Leon Guanajuato, Mexico
Ramon, Katie, Ramoncito, Josiah, and Abigail are serving the Lord in the city of León, Guanajuato in central Mexico. In 2004, Ramon and Katie met while serving alongside Ken and Rita Marr at Calvary Chapel Vicente Guererro. In 2006 they were married and continued to minister in Vicente Guererro. God moved them to Guanajuato in 2009 when Ramon had a restlessness to return to his native state and share God’s Word. That same year, Calvary Chapel León was planted as a home Bible study in Ramón’s mom’s garage. It has since evolved into a full-functioning fellowship of believers.
In the summer of 2019, God opened the doors to start a small Bible study in a town about forty-five minutes from León called Purisima. Sunday mornings they meet in León for their regular church service, and Sunday evenings they meet in Purisima. It has been a great blessing to watch God work and confirm the ministry there. They look forward to many more years!
Jamie and Andreea Hogan
Bucharest, Romania
Jamie and Andreea met in 2001 when Jamie came to Bucharest as a missionary after finishing Bible College. They have three children, Ananias, Kisha, and Zoey. They started off assisting at a church in Bucharest, working with orphans. Then Jamie started pastoring a church in the city of Brasov. In 2017 the Lord moved them to Austria to work at a conference center, and in 2020 the Lord called them back to Bucharest to plant a church. They are excited to be a part of this church plant. It is a place that anyone can come to, worship the Lord, hear the truth, and be loved.
They desire that people would have an intimate relationship with the Lord and not a superficial, one-sided one. They have a heart to minister to the “least of these,” as there are many orphans and poor people that have a hard time finding a traditional church that will accept them. They want to offer hope to all those in need, preach good tidings to the poor, heal the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound (Isaiah 61:1-3).
Cory and Danielle Kilgus
Trujillo, Peru
Pastor Cory and Danielle were sent as missionaries to South America in 2013 with a passion and calling to plant bible-teaching churches throughout South America. That started with Calvary Trujillo, and has expanded to include Calvary Bible Institute Peru where pastors, missionaries and church planters are being trained and sent all over South America.
Calvary Trujillo and CBI Peru sent their first church planters, a couple that immigrated from Venezuela, to start Calvary Buenos Aires, Peru in 2022. Pastor Cory also got to help establish the first ever Calvary Chapel in Bolivia. They are currently training pastors and preparing teams to plant churches in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, the Amazon Jungle, and beyond.
Calvary Trujillo has also started the first ever Calvary Chapel Missions Conference in South America, and the conference has become a source of great encouragement and inspiration for many pastors and leaders throughout Latin America.
Pastor Cory also works as part of the Calvary Chapel leadership team for Latin America, as part of the Inductive Bible Study team in South America, and is on the board for Christian Surfers Peru.
Cory and Danielle will celebrate 10 years in South America in 2023, and count themselves privileged and blessed to be able to serve the Lord.
To learn more and support Cory and Danielle, follow this link: www.shelbygiving.com/App/Form/38cbf0a4-5b0d-451c-9b69-105080992644
Neri and Brigida Maya
Vicente Guerrero, Mexico
Neri served as Pastor Ken Marr’s translator and Youth Pastor for five years. Then, as Pastor Ken and his wife Rita began transitioning back to the U.S., Pastor Ken turned over the leadership of Capilla Calvario to Neri in 2015 with prayer and blessings. His wife, Brigida, serves by leading worship and women’s activities, and the family has had the blessing of taking care of baby Maylen for the last year.
In 2016, the church was able to buy its own property and, with God’s provision and blessing, that same year they started to build their own building. They moved into the new building in June of 2018. Throughout this time many have come to faith in Christ. Neri and Brigida have been blessed to see the Lord adding many to His Church. They have been baptizing and discipling new believers and are looking forward to what God has in store for them as they continue to follow His lead.
Robin and Alison Turner
Spittal, Austria
www.facebook.com/Calvary Chapel Spittal an der Drau
Robin and Alison left England in 2000, and served at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Austria and Hungary from 2000-2004. Then they ran the CC Conference center at Schloss Heroldeck, in Millstatt, Austria, from 2004-2017. Robin was appointed pastor of Calvary Chapel Spittal in 2005. Since 2017, serving the local church has been their main focus. The core congregation is Austrian, but the church also attracts English speakers from different countries and now has a number of Iranian families- most of whom have fled because of persecution.
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
(Galatians 6:9)
Troy and Rebekah Sammons
Kenya and South Sudan
Dr. Troy and Rebekah Sammons are from Modesto, California. Troy was born and raised in the Bay Area. When he was in Vet school he had the opportunity to go to Cameroon and see a Veterinarian sharing the Word of God and it was during that time he knew serving the Lord overseas with his veterinary skills was God’s plan for his life.
Rebekah was born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley. From a young age, she had a heart for missions and knew God was calling her to one day live overseas to serve Him. God sent them to Nakuru, Kenya where they have carried out their calling since 2009. They have four beautiful children: Dakota, Kate, Hope, and Thomas Azariah.
The Sammons have worked since 2009 in both Kenya and South Sudan. This next season will focus on ministry in Kenya to missionary kids whose families are working in fields all over Africa. As dorm parents for Rift Valley Academy, they will continue to use their passion for youth and discipleship in a new context that will allow them to serve as a family and provide for the schooling needs for their family.
This will intentionally be a split role for Troy, who will continue to serve remotely with the teams and nationals in South Sudan consulting in veterinary projects and team needs, as well as walking with church leaders and discipling the youth in South Sudan.
To learn more and to support Troy and Rebekah, follow this link: cvm.org/sammons
National
-
Dan and Debbie Finfrock
Intensive Care Ministries -
Bill and Sheri Holdridge
Poimen Ministries -
Drew Macintyre
The Word to the World
Dan and Debbie Finfrock
Intensive Care Ministries
Pastor Dan Finfrock is Executive Director of Intensive Care Ministries which he began in 1985 when he moved his family to the Philippines. He began training pastors in Inductive Bible Study all over that country. After six years he moved his family back to America and began expanding the work. After thirty-five years of teaching the IBS course, he has brought Inductive Bible Study to fifty-five countries.
Pastor Dan has been married to Debbie for fifty years. They have raised four children. Their youngest son went to be with the Lord at age twenty-one. Their remaining children produced ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Bill and Sheri Holdridge
Poimen Ministries
www.facebook.com/bill.holdridge
Bill received Christ in 1969 at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, and in 1973 was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was at that time that the Lord called him into ministry. Within a couple of years he discovered that meant pastoral ministry, and the ministry of God’s Word.
Bill was deeply committed to a home fellowship out of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa (and eventually became its pastor), and although never on staff at “big Calvary,” Chuck Smith was always Bill’s pastor, having studied and learned under Pastor Chuck for 4½ years before moving to the Monterey Peninsula to start his first church (February of 1978). During that season Bill also obtained a bachelor’s degree in ministry from Melodyland School of Theology in Anaheim, CA.
His first official Sunday as pastor of what was then called Calvary Chapel of the Monterey Peninsula was March 1, 1979. He continued as the pastor of the fellowship for almost 27 years, until stepping down in February of 2006. During those years, the church grew into a solid community, and was able to eventually purchase property and build a facility. Bill marvels at the graciousness and patience of God — who allowed him to learn much about pastoral ministry as he grew in age and experience. Bill is convinced that in some ways his mistakes in ministry have been better teachers to him than his successes.
Much of his important spiritual growth came as he discovered some of the deeper realities of the new covenant. Bill’s earlier years as a pastor brought depression and loads of self-doubt, but the Lord (who wastes nothing) used those hard times to teach him much about His grace, and to develop much greater compassion for people.
In February of 2006 Bill began functioning as a so-called “pastor-at-large,” and in 2008 started Poimen Ministries. Since that time, the Lord has been gracious to provide many and varied opportunities to serve Him and His pastors.
Bill is passionate about pastoral ministry, and loves to encourage pastors in what they do. Bill knows that oftentimes, pastoral peers in ministry have few places they can go to share their hearts … or they have few relationally based resources to which they can turn. That’s why Poimen Ministries was started … to connect pastors to pastors in these ways. An interaction with a Poimen pastor is a safe experience. It’s also confidential. The pastor decides what to do with the input he’s given.
Bill sees the remaining years of his life and ministry as being years of help, support, consultation, and training of others who are called to shepherd God’s flock.
Drew Macintyre
The Word to the World
Drew is the Missions Pastor at Calvary Chapel Alpine. He also began a ministry known as IBSLA (Inductive Bible Studies to Latin America), whose focus was on training pastors in Latin America in the Inductive Bible Study Method. The Lord has broadened the scope and vision of this ministry to better describe the scope and vision now called TWTW (The Word to the World).
As founder and director of TWTW, Drew has traveled around the world training thousands of pastors on how to study their Bibles through the Inductive Bible Study method (IBS). This enables local pastors to learn to study the Bible themselves, so they can fulfill the great commission and feed their flock (1 Peter 5:1-4).
TWTW has also been actively involved in building pastoral training centers in Cuba, Uganda, and Myanmar. TWTW also leads medical mission trips several times annually to Cambodia, Uganda, and other parts of the world.
Drew also conducts a two-year Discipleship Program during which students also learn the IBS Bible Study method and read many classic Christian authors. They are challenged to learn to deny themselves, to truly follow Jesus, and go to disciple others.
Organizations
-
Modesto Pregnancy Center
-
Modesto Gospel Mission
-
The Voice of the Martyrs
-
Samaritan’s Purse
-
Samaritan Aviation
-
Open Doors U.S.
Modesto Pregnancy Center
Modesto Pregnancy Center (MPC) is a Christ-centered ministry dedicated to protecting the unborn, providing for those facing crisis pregnancies and post-abortion trauma, and promoting healthy relationships through a system of support with the love of Jesus Christ.
As an organization that receives no government funding or help, MPC gets to share Jesus with their clients every time the opportunity presents itself. While sharing the Gospel is not something MPC is able to do in classrooms, they are able to encourage local youth to make choices that align with biblical truth. They take their conversations and relationships with clients very seriously, and these conversations open many doors that lead to trust and ongoing relationships.
Modesto Gospel Mission
facebook.com/ModestoGospelMission
Since 1948, the Modesto Gospel Mission has provided nutritious meals, warm beds, and a place of safety to thousands of poor and homeless men, women, and children.
The Mission is able to serve some of the most broken people in our community by helping them get off the streets and radically change their lifestyle through a myriad of programs and services. They offer hope through the love of Jesus – in word and deed. The Mission ministers to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of each guest. More than a food bank or soup kitchen, they provide daily shelter, clothing, meals, showers, Bible studies, life skills classes, employment training and assistance, addiction recovery, a medical clinic, and more. To meet these needs, the Modesto Gospel Mission depends on local gifts from individuals, churches, groups, foundations, and businesses that care about the poor and homeless in Stanislaus county.
The Voice of the Martyrs
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost.
The Voice of the Martyrs continues this mission around the world today through the following purposes:
1) To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great Commission in areas of the world where they are persecuted for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2) To provide practical relief and spiritual support to the families of Christian martyrs.
3) To equip persecuted Christians to love and win to Christ those who are opposed to the gospel in their part of the world.
4) To undertake projects of encouragement, helping believers rebuild their lives and Christian witness in countries where they have formerly suffered oppression.
5) To promote the fellowship of all believers by informing the world of the faith and courage of persecuted Christians, thereby inspiring believers to a deeper level of commitment to Christ and involvement in His Great Commission.
Samaritan’s Purse
The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) gives a clear picture of God’s desire for us to help those in desperate need wherever we find them. After describing how the Samaritan rescued a hurting man whom others had passed by, Jesus told His hearers, “Go and do likewise.” For over 50 years, Samaritan’s Purse has done their utmost to follow Christ’s command by going to the aid of the world’s poor, sick, and suffering. They are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ. This, in turn, earns them a hearing for the Gospel, the Good News of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
As their teams work in crisis areas of the world, people often ask, “Why did you come?” The answer is always the same: “We have come to help you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Their ministry is all about Jesus—first, last, and always. As the Apostle Paul said, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5, NIV).
(Adapted from samaritanspurse.org)
Mission Statement
Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Samaritan Aviation
instagram.com/samaritanaviation
Samaritan Aviation (S.A.) knows there are thousands in the province of East Sepik that do not have immediate access to life-saving medical care. With only one hospital in the region and the way to travel being treacherous, those who desperately need attention are left vulnerable and exposed. S.A. believes God’s love must be demonstrated through immediate and practical medical support.
Some ways they serve are:
-Saving lives with flights that take mere hours instead of a 1-3 day canoe trip down the treacherous rivers of remote jungles.
-The remote river aid posts are given consistent deliveries of much needed medicine and medical supplies.
-By utilizing a faith-based trauma healing program those who staff the rural health centers are given the training they need.
-Once at the hospital, there’s a chance the patient stay will last up to six months! Every day, S.A.’s hospital team prays with each patient and presents an opportunity for them to hear a clear Gospel Message.
-As they meet the spiritual and physical needs of the people in these remote villages, they will have a chance for life here and eternity.
-The government and other organizations often call on them to help provide aid to remote areas in the case of a disease outbreak or natural disaster.
(Adapted from samaritanaviation.org)
Open Doors U.S.
Open Doors originated in 1955, when a young Dutchman started smuggling Bibles to the persecuted Christians in Communist Europe. He became known as Brother Andrew, and his work led to more than six decades of support for the persecuted church.
Open Doors works in more than 70 countries, supplying Bibles, training church leaders, providing practical support and emergency relief, and supporting Christians who suffer persecution and discrimination for their faith. Their national bases in 25 countries work to raise awareness of global persecution, mobilizing prayer, support, and action among Christians.