Pastoral Staff

Steve Fernandez, Senior Pastor

steve_fernandez.jpgSteve Fernandez is the Senior Pastor of Community Bible Church in Vallejo, California, a church which he founded in 1980. The church began with 25 people and one midweek Bible study. With a focus upon expository preaching, discipleship, and missions, the Lord has caused the church to grow to 1,000. Prior to coming to Vallejo, Steve served for four years as an associate pastor at Valley Bible Church in Hercules, California. Steve is the founder and President of The Cornerstone Seminary in Vallejo, California, where he teaches Missions, Theology, and Preaching.  Steve is co-founder, board member, and instructor at Grace School of Theology and Ministry in Pleasant Hill, California, where he has taught Systematic Theology, Bible Exposition, and Preaching for 25 years. He has preached and taught pastors’ conferences in India, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, Central America, and the Philippines. A graduate of California State University at Hayward, and Dallas Theological Seminary, Steve has authored books, booklets, and study materials including; Free Justification: The Glorification of Christ in the Justification of a Sinner; Jesus and the Depressed; Once Saved, Always Changed; Christ’s Infinite Fullness; and Election: God’s Unchanging Love for His People. Steve and his wife Karen have three children and two grandchildren.

Phillip Foley, Associate Pastor

phil_foley_bw.jpgPhillip Foley has been the Associate Pastor at Community Bible Church since 1996. He directs the Home Fellowship Groups, Adult Sunday School, and Discipleship Ministry with a burden to see adults equipped for service in the body. Phil teaches at Grace School of Theology, and is a board member and instructor of The Cornerstone Seminary. The Lord has allowed him preaching opportunities at home and abroad, including Mexico, India and South Africa.

Phil came to know the Lord in 1984 through the discipleship ministry of CBC and has since devoted many hours to studying the Word and teaching, while pursuing his own education. Phil earned a Bachelor of Theology from Grace School of Theology and is currently completing a Master’s Degree in Theology at Trinity Seminary.

Phil developed curriculum for and teaches an intense, two-year course, “Leadership Training and Development” (LTD), for both men and women. Phil wrote the booklet “Equality and Diversity: How God has Created Men and Women Equal yet Different.”

Phil and his wife Becky have been married since 1985 and have five children; Daniel, Matthew, Nicolas, Grace and Jake.

Ray Palompo, Youth Pastor

ray_palompo_bw.jpgWith over 20 years of experience in youth ministry, Ray Palompo has served on staff at Community Bible since 1994. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, God saved Ray as a high school student in the spring of 1982. Back in California, Ray and other close friends established a college bible study in his parent's home. As the study grew, so did Ray's burden for the youth of Vallejo, leading to the creation of a local youth outreach called "The Fellowship Club."

Shortly after Ray began attending Community Bible Church in 1984, the Fellowship Club merged with the youth ministry of CBC. Currently, this ministry still flourishes as Ray oversees High School and Junior High ministries, various bible studies at local high school campuses, and a lay staff of over 30 adults.

Ray has completed a degree in Media Communications from CSU Sacramento, as well as extensive coursework at Grace School of Theology and Ministry. He is currently attending classes at The Cornerstone Seminary in Vallejo, California. Ray and Lirio have been joyfully married since 1990, and have three children: Brandon, Marjory, and Samuel.

Jeff Knott, Business Administrator

jeff_knott_bw.jpgJeff Knott has been the Business Administrator for Community Bible Church since 1995. He has served in the church as a deacon (and director of children's ministries), as a home fellowship group leader and discipler, and, since 1989, has served as chairman of the elder board; he is also the administrator of Cornerstone Ministries International (the church's missions agency). Jeff attended the University of California at Berkeley for two years prior to his three-year enlistment with the Army Security Agency in Germany. Following his tour of duty, he graduated with a B.A. degree from San Francisco State University in 1965. Jeff has 30-years' work experience in the private sector and in county government in the fields of operations management, public policy and procedures development, and administrative law. He retired from full-time government work in 1992 and subsequently worked under contract as a staff-development consultant. Jeff has one child (a son), is the grandfather of three, and great-grandfather of five.

Jeff Wilson, Assistant Business Administrator and Pastoral Assistant

Jeff Wilson joined the full-time staff of the church in June 2008.  Jeff was saved through the youth ministry of Community Bible Church as a high school student in 1987.  He has served in the church in various capacities, including teaching Sunday School classes for adults and children, participating on the missions team, and leading a home fellowship group.  He has had frequent opportunities to teach and preach in Latin America.

Jeff earned his B.S. degree in mathematics and a teaching credential from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  After a year on the mission field in Mexico, he returned to a twelve year teaching career at Vallejo Middle School and High School.  He took classes at Grace School of Theology, and he is currently pursuing a Master's degree at The Cornerstone Seminary.  Jeff and his wife Vilma have three children, Isabella, Jacob, and Ben.