You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
pastor jerel hagerman
Pastor Jerel Hagerman grew up on a farm near Larned, Kansas. He came to Christ in 1975 and quickly sensed a call to ministry. In 1978, he and his wife Cindy moved to California to attend Bible college at Sky Valley Desert Retreat Center. After training, he pastored Macksville Christian Center in Kansas for nine years before being called back to California in 1990 to lead Living Stream Christian Fellowship.
Pastoral Ministry
In 2001, Living Stream became Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel. Jerel faithfully pastored the same church for 34 years, guiding its growth into a powerful ministry. In January 2025, he passed the leadership to Pastor BJ Huether.
Calvary Bible Institute
In 2017, Jerel founded Calvary Bible Institute with a donated building and 27 students. Today, it has grown into a global movement with nearly 30 campuses and continued expansion on the horizon.
Jerel’s life’s work is dedicated to equipping the saints—whether through planting Bible colleges, teaching, or raising up pastors. He continues to serve full-time, faithfully answering the call placed on him decades ago.
Family & Personal Life
In 2007, after three decades of marriage, Jerel’s wife Cindy went to be with the Lord following a battle with cancer. In a story of grace and shared calling, Jerel later married Merrily, whose husband, also a pastor, had passed away from the same form of cancer. Jerel and Merrily have now been married for 18 years, serving side by side in ministry.
A letter from the founder
Ten years ago, the Lord blessed us with an $8 million building and Calvary Bible Institute was born. We met with a number of Calvary Chapel Senior Pastors who had previously been involved in different Calvary Chapel Bible College campuses. About twenty-five pastors gathered together in what would become CBI, and, in one afternoon, we laid out the foundation and the establishment of CBI. We decided on a one-year program that would take young people all the way through the Bible. This is how Calvary Chapel was born, with Pastor Chuck taking a number of young men through the Bible and teaching them about the power of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Our theme verse for CBI is 2 Timothy 2:1-2: “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
In addition to pastors teaching through the Bible, it was decided that the students needed to learn servanthood and have practical opportunities for ministry. The idea was not to have one giant campus, but rather to have smaller campuses that could disciple young people who would then be ready to go into ministry.
Since starting CBI, we began branching out into international campuses , including CBI Peru, CBI Israel, & CBI Republic Of Georgia. I then realized that we were a part of a move of God‘s Holy Spirit to raise up the next generation of Calvary Chapel leaders around the world on a greater scale than I had ever realized. At the same time, I knew that the church that I had pastored for 34 years needed to be handed over to the next generation as well! This enabled me to devote myself full time to Calvary Bible Institute. No one could’ve ever written this story as to the worldwide impact and what would happen with Calvary Chapels around the world!
Currently, we have 26 campuses that are either operational or soon coming in addition to more on the way. Our goal with our international campuses is to reach the people who live in those countries and raise up the next generation of leaders for those great countries.
From the beginning, the Lord had laid on my heart that each campus, outside of being tied to a church, needed to be independent in the same way that Calvary Chapel churches are. We would, however, keep the same style of teaching because we believe in the power of teaching the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse. We also believe in the power of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As this was the beginning of Calvary Chapel, it is the way that it will continue to grow, and I’m very excited watching this next generation being raised up. And, without a doubt, I believe the best days of Calvary Chapel are in front of us!
In Christ,
Pastor Jerel
a Farmer looks at the Parable of the Sower, by jerel hagerman
“Before I ever picked up a Bible, I picked up a shovel,” writes Pastor Jerel Hagerman, a lifelong farmer-turned-pastor. In this powerful book, he brings fresh, field-tested insight to Jesus’ parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Drawing on decades of farming and ministry experience, Hagerman explores how the condition of the soil—our hearts—affects how we receive the Word of God.
Through real-life stories of heartbreak, surrender, and revival, including the miraculous growth of Calvary Bible Institute and the personal loss of his first wife, Hagerman offers honest encouragement for anyone sowing seeds of faith. Whether you’re a pastor, parent, student, or spiritual seeker, A Farmer Looks at the Parable of the Sower invites you to join the Sower in the field—to sow widely, love deeply, and trust that the harvest is worth it.