Charles Clemons
Visiting Teaching Pastor
Charles’ journey in ministry and pastoral counseling was inspired by his father’s love and dedication as a pastor in New Jersey. His father’s leadership in the lives of broken people within the inner-city and rural communities was a model for ministry and counseling that inspires Charles to this day.
In the Fall of 2023 Charles came to CBC to provide support as we transitioned Senior pastors. He has been our visitng teaching pastor as well as providing pastoral support to Elders and Staff. Charles will continue to teach at CBC occassionaly after Easter. CBC has been greatly blessed by his teaching and leadership.
For more information on Charles’s Minsitry, please watch this interview about his work with Inspire Ministries.
Ron Cole
Executive Pastor
Hello! I live in Santa Paula along with my wife Karrie. Karrie and I have been married since 1981 and we have two children and four grandchildren.
I became a follower of Jesus in 1980. In 1985 I began my journey into ministry helping plant a church in central California and started in sound and technology, then Karrie and I added youth ministry – Junior High through College. Karrie and I also worked together in Young Married Ministry, doing premarital and postmarital counseling as well as financial counseling. We also lead many Mission trips with youth and adults.
In 2011 we moved to Ventura and started attending Community Bible Church and fell in love with CBC. We became involved in the youth ministry as volunteers for a short time before I took a job that required living in different parts of the US for several months at a time. Then in 2022 God called me to full-time ministry here at CBC as the Executive Pastor. Karrie and I both love to help people find their true identity in Jesus. Please feel free to call or email anytime. Ron@cbcventura.org
Jim Licata
Youth Pastor
Jim Licata is a native of Ventura, California. He and his wife Sierra met in 2013 and got married in 2019. Together they both serve in Youth and Worship ministry here at Community Bible Church.
Jim’s vision for ministry is simple yet profound – “Making discipleship a lifestyle for a lifetime”. Guided by the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20, the strategy of the ministry is clear: Edify, Equip, Evangelize.
With a genuine passion for theology and apologetics, Jim encourages all to embrace the God-given role of being students of His Word.
Jim values expository preaching and carefully examining the scriptures verse by verse and offering practical applications for daily life.
With the youth, Jim aims to best prepare them for the life of adult ministry. So many young adults are leaving the Church today at alarming rates. We want to do everything we can to make sure they are best equipped and have a relationship with Christ that they can then share with others.
Jim is currently pursuing a certification in Biblical Counseling. He believes that counseling is a theological issue before anything else and that God’s Word is sufficient in its wisdom that instructs us to live a life of Godliness.
Beyond the ministry, Jim enjoys life’s simple pleasures, including cooking, savoring a well-brewed cup of coffee, backpacking and hiking, and creating music.
Jim is always looking to build deep, meaningful relationships with each member of Christ’s bride. Jim’s commitment resonates in his passionate embrace of each word within the name of our ministry, ‘Community’ for the unity we seek, ‘Bible’ for the truth we uphold, and ‘Church’ for the family we’ve become.
Jim@cbcventura.org
Kelsey Phelps
Children's Ministry Director
Kelsey grew up in Northern California. She moved to Simi Valley in 2006 to attend Eternity Bible College where she met Sam Phelps and they married in 2009. In 2010 she graduated EBC with her Bachelors in Biblical Studies. They moved to Ventura in 2010. They have two kids; Josie, born in 2011 and Dallan, born in 2013. She grew up working with Sunday school and going on local and overseas mission trips that helped develop a life long passion of seeing people come to know, love, and follow Jesus. She also likes a good DIY! And enjoys using that gift within children’s ministry. It is her joy as a mom and a children’s ministry assistant to help kids establish their growing relationship with Jesus and develop strong spiritual practices.
Kelsey@cbcventura.org
Jeff Potts
Worship Director
Jeff joined the CBC Staff in December of 2023 to lead our multigenerational congregation in meaningful times of worship.
He brings with him over three decades of ministry experience.
Growing up in the Midwest, Jeff attended a Christian university where he studied music, discipleship and education. There he met his wife Dana, who is his best friend and lifelong ministry partner. Upon graduation, Jeff and Dana both served as music ministers in area churches and together, lead their university’s touring music ministry ensemble for seven years.
In 2000 Jeff was invited to serve as the worship pastor at one of our local churches here in Ventura. After much prayer, he moved his young family out to California and has been ministering here in our community ever since.
Jeff says, “CBC is a worshiping church. I love preparing our worship team at rehearsal each week, but when the whole church comes together to lift up Jesus, we all become the worship team. And that is just the best!”
Jeff@cbcventura.org
Shannon Smith
CBC Kids Administration
Shannon moved to Ventura in 2020 with her husband, Jeff, and their two young boys. She is a native of northern California but has lived and worked all over the U.S. and abroad. With a passion for missions and service she traveled the world visiting over fifteen countries. When she married Jeff, an Air Force pilot, she hoped to see the world. Instead, over the next ten years, they saw Texas and South Dakota, but they fell in love with both. Shannon served in youth ministry for six years, 4.5 of those with Jeff. They are now permanently located in Ventura and are thrilled to finally put down deep roots. When not working or being a full-time mom, Shannon enjoys painting, long walks on the beach, and a good book.
Shannon holds a BA in History and an MPH in Nutrition, and brings over 10 years of administrative and program coordination experience to CBC. She has worked in both non-profit and higher education and is gifted in seeing the organizational vision and finding practical ways to make it a reality. Her passion is to create an infrastructure so that the church can function effectively and efficiently in its calling. She loves working with the CBC Kids team and is excited to see what God will do next.
Shannon@cbcventura.org
Jill Gaertner
CBC Bookkeeper
Jill was born here in Ventura and has lived her entire life in Ventura and Ojai. After high school she worked in several different jobs in bookkeeping until at 25 years old she went back to school to become a teacher. She received her BA and Credential at CSUN and taught for 24 years in Ventura before having to retire early for health reasons.
Jill lives in Ventura with her husband, Jeff, has been married since 1997 and have two young adult sons, Joshua and Jacob. The family has been attending CBC since 2009. Jill has been working at CBC since the beginning of 2022.
On her down time Jill enjoys crafting, gardening, and tending to her chickens.
Books@cbcventura.org