Brian Brodersen

Senior Pastor

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.

Born: 1956

On staff since: 2000

Favorite verse: “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Recent Studies

6 Oct 2024
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The Gospel of the Kingdom
As we begin the Story of the Kingdom, Pastor Brian reminds us that we are ambassadors of God’s kingdom here and now. We can spread this kingdom into our neighborhoods,...
29 Sep 2024
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The End of The Old, the Promise of the New
God’s purpose in giving the Law is to bring us to the end of ourselves and into the merciful arms of Jesus. The promise of the New Covenant is not...
8 Sep 2024
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God's Faithfulness to His word and His People
Some people think history is just a random series of events with no particular aim, but that is simply not true. History is moving in the direction that God has...
21 Jul 2024
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The Davidic Covenant
We all know David was a great sinner, and yet he was called a man after God’s heart. How can this be so? According to the Scriptures, David was full...
7 Jul 2024
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Israel: A Holy Nation
Joshua asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" God responded, "Neither ... but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come."

There’s a lot of pressure...
30 Jun 2024
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The Law: A Shadow of the Good Things to Come
The Story of the People is the story of redemption. The Law’s sacrifices, the priesthood, and the Levitical system were signposts pointing to the greater and better tabernacle, priesthood, and...
9 Jun 2024
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From Jacob to Israel
From the beginning, Jacob was a man committed to the will of God—he wanted the blessings of the covenant. But Jacob sought to obtain those blessings his way rather than...
19 May 2024
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The Fall and Sin’s Consequences
The pronouncement of God over everything he had made was that it was good, very good! If God created a good world, what is the explanation for the brokenness and sin...