We designed the practical aspects of Calvary International Training Institute (CITI) to help you grow in your relationship with Christ and to equip you to be an effective leader not only in a North American context, but you’ll be prepared for ministry internationally as well. CITI is a one year program divided into trimesters. In each session, you will focus on a distinct area of study, broken up into two main aspects: 1) Academic, and 2) Practical. With this strategy, we will help to equip you for success in ministry, whatever your gifting and abilities may be.
Equipping the next generation of church planters and Christian leaders.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Our heart at CITI is to create close and meaningful relationships between CITI leaders and you, to EQUIP you for the work of the ministry, in order to strengthen the Body of Christ.
Our commitment is to fulfill the great commission – making disciples, and one of the key components of discipleship is building strong, healthy, Christ-centered relationships.
The leaders of CITI are not only mentors with real world church planting and foreign missions experience, but we are your partners and co-laborers for His kingdom. CITI is a ministry of Reliance church, a community with a vision to lead people to know, love and serve Jesus.
We created CITI to foster growth in all three of these areas, with an emphasis on serving Jesus. If you believe that the Lord has called you to a deeper walk in His service, whether that be church planting, foreign missions, or serving as a lay-leader in your local church, CITI can help you become better equipped to fulfill that calling.
Cody primarily serves to oversee the Men’s Ministry and Calvary International Training Institute at Reliance Church. He also assists the pastoral team with discipleship, counseling, pastoral care, and teaching and preaching. Cody became a Christian in his Sr year of High School in 1997 at an Acquire The Fire youth conference in Phoenix Arizona. On the same day he was saved by Jesus, he felt called to dedicate his life to ministry and has been answering that call ever since.
Cody is a graduate of Calvary Chapel Bible College with an Associate’s Degree in Biblical Theology. He is passionate about expository preaching and teaching as a primary way of establishing and developing people in the word of God. When people understand who God is and what God thinks through the Bible, true life transformation happens. Cody also has a heart for church planting, being one of the founding pastors of Reliance Church in 2007, and the founding and lead pastor of Redemption Calvary in Commerce City, Colorado from 2014-2022. He has also helped establish and strengthen other church planters and their churches over the years.
Cody and his wife Myca were married in 2002 and have four daughters together.
Get to know Pastor Cody!
What is your role at Reliance Church?
Assistant Pastor
Describe your job in five words?
Make disciples who make disciples
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
That question always scared me, and I never felt like I had a good answer…haha. In High School I thought I would be in sports medicine before being called into ministry.
Coffee, Tea, or Soda?
Coffee…any time. And Coke Zero
Go-to worship song?
Run To The Father by Cody Carnes / Pride Of A Father by Hillsong Young & Free
Who has had the most influence in your spiritual life?
My first mentor Scott Backes / Chuck Smith / Ted Leavenworth
Food you can’t live without?
In-N-Out! Or good Street Tacos
Which Bible character would you most likely to be best friends with?
Philip, he had 4 daughters too!
Favorite Quote of all time?
“Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” — Warren Wiersbe
“The gospel, which is our hope in life and death, also sets the agenda for how we live, relate, and lead between the ‘already’ of our conversion and the ‘not yet’ of our final home going.” — Paul David Tripp
What is your hope for Reliance Church?
That the people of Reliance Church would be healthy and strong in the Lord, and the result would be strong families and a strong community.
Josh Lazo is the Facilities Lead, responsible for maintaining the church property and helping ministries facilitate Bible studies and events, as well as the Director of the Young Adults Ministry. Joshua is a graduate of Calvary Chapel Bible College and has served in Junior High, High School, Young Adults, and Educational Ministries.
He and his wife Michaelah have one little girl, Keziah, and are expecting another daughter, as well as four children in Heaven that they are eagerly waiting to meet. Their chief aim is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Get to know Josh!
What is your role at Reliance Church?
Facilities, Operations, Young Adults, and Discipleship! A little bit of everything!
Describe your job in five words?
I clean all the mess
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A Reformer
Coffee, Tea, or Soda?
Coffee, specifically any iced latte.
Go-to worship song?
Changes by season, but right now it’s “Delight in the Lord” by Liturgical Folk and Josh Garrels
Who has had the most influence in your spiritual life?
God, then myself, but as far as a different living person, then Matt Chandler.
Food you can’t live without?
Specialty fries. Carne Asada, Chicken Tikka Masala, Bulgolgi, etc.
Which Bible character would you most likely to be best friends with?
Either Paul or Apollos
Favorite Quote of all time?
“The most important thing about you is what you believe about God” -A.W. Tozer
“Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him for ever.” — Larger Westminster Catechism
What is your hope for Reliance Church?
To see a community that fully desires and pursues God above all else, and bringing His Kingdom by making disciples, and loving the people around them.
Ted Leavenworth is the Senior Pastor of Reliance Church in Temecula, California. He has been in Christian service for over 30 years and holds a Master’s degree in Applied Biblical Leadership from Western Theological Seminary.
Pastor Ted has a heart for church planting – leading two church plants in Southern California and facilitating the establishment of many others both nationally and internationally. Ted serves as a Director on several church boards and on the executive team of Calvary Global Network focusing on leadership coaching and pastoral mentoring. He also co-hosts The Leadership Collective Podcast, exploring the “nuts & bolts” of church leadership.
Pastor Ted and his wife Brenda were married in 1985 and together, they have three adult children and ten grandchildren.
Get to know Pastor Ted!
What is your role at Reliance Church?
Senior Pastor
Describe your job in five words?
Equipping saints for ministry work (Ephesians 4:12)
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A police officer…then later a Firefighter/Paramedic (Like Johnny & Roy on Squad 51) – That’s a TV series from the early 70’s for the younger crowd
Coffee, Tea, or Soda?
Coffee – All. Day. Long.
Go-to worship song?
How Great Thou Art / Rattle / I Speak Jesus
Who has had the most influence in your spiritual life?
My Parents / Pastor Chuck Smith / Pastor David Guzik / Pastor Dave Shepardson
Food you can’t live without?
Sushi
Which Bible character would you most likely to be best friends with?
Peter
Favorite Quote of all time?
“The difference between where you are and where God wants you to be is the painful experience that you refuse to endure.” — Craig Groeschel
What is your hope for Reliance Church?
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” — 3 John 1:4
Shirley Ruiz is the Church Administrator at Reliance Church. Her position entails managing the church office and its staff, as well as assisting ministry leaders with organizational facilitation. Shirley previously served as the Youth Ministry Administrator at Revival Christian Fellowship for 5 years. Before that, Shirley was the CFO for Family Business in Washington for 5 years.
Amazingly, Shirley has successfully balanced her time to be a homeschooling mom for the past 12 years. Shirley has been married to her husband, Mike, since 1989. They have four children: Niko, Dominic, Susie, and Alex.
Get to know Shirley!
What is your role at Reliance Church?
Church Administrator
Describe your job in five words?
Manager of the spinning plates
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Office Manager or a Softball Player
Coffee, Tea, or Soda?
Duh – Coffee
Go-to worship song?
“O Come To The Altar” by Elevation Worship
Who has had the most influence in your spiritual life?
PT and Brenda
Food you can’t live without?
Popcorn
Which Bible character would you most likely to be best friends with?
Deborah
Favorite Quote of all time?
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” — D.L. Moody
What is your hope for Reliance Church?
That the people of Reliance would grow to know, love and serve Jesus in a well grounded biblical fashion. Forming strong friendships while loving and serving our community.