Meet our Pastors & Elders

Lead Pastor Victor Soto

For many years, I ran from my calling in helping make a difference in the young lives of our youth. It was the constant prayers from my parents that continued to reveal the path of destruction I was on. By not having an identity, I was influenced to the streets of the San Gabriel Valley in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It wasn’t long before I gravitated to a life of drugs, violence and gangs. Slowly but surely, God revealed that it was no longer my life anymore. True submittal to the Lord was at the age of 27 by the understanding that it is a relationship compared to a religion. The journey of God’s provisions and protection has been accompanied by my devoted wife Rosemary for the past 18 years with five active kids. God has guided us through an amazing journey and it has truly been a miracle to have seen and done the things for God. This is yet another chapter to experience. May God continue to use us for His glory.

“But God has chosen the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…”
1 Corinthians 1:27

Email: vsotoccmc@gmail.com

Associate Pastor Wally Boer

 Wally and his wife of 36 years, Karin, are long-time Idyllwild residents.  Between them, they have 5 grown children and 3 grandchildren.  Wally’s ministry and biblical counseling training includes 3 1/2 years through Youth With A Mission (YWAM) at the University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii.  His years as a retreat host and maintenance supervisor with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Idyllwild, plus his mid-western farm upbringing helped mold him into the servant-leader he is today.  Wally was the Associate Pastor at Chapel in the Pines Christian Fellowship (CITP) in Idyllwild prior to becoming Senior Pastor in 2004.  Wally led the church through the acquisition of the 17-acre property in Mountain Center on August 1, 2013 and through the merger of CITP with Calvary Chapel Idyllwild in March 2019.  Calvary Chapel Mountain Center was established at that time and Wally continues to assit with over seeing retreats of our 28 bed facilities, grounds, admin & along side Pastor Victor.  Wally’s ministry to children, youth and adults in various capacities spans a period of over 40 years.  His unabashed love for Jesus, his merciful father-like heart and his humility are hallmarks of his personal walk of faith and of his role as pastor.  He is a faithful under-shepherd who genuinely loves people.  Two of his favorite aspects of ministry are biblical counseling and serving alongside others.  He ministers tirelessly to those around him, and in his free time enjoys taking walks with his precious Karin and their English lab, Brinkley, as well as puttering in their home garden.

Elder Larry Bischof

Larry had a successful career as a screenwriter in Hollywood for 20 years, but desired to home school and raise his family in a rural community.  He and his family relocated to Mountain Center where he eventually built a thriving real estate business.  Five children and 12 grandchildren later, he still works as a full-time realtor while serving as the elder that oversees the Youth Ministry.  Larry is fiercely devoted to investing in the next generation by teaching them about Jesus and training them in the Word of God.  He understands how vital it is to help young people cultivate their own personal faith in God.  It is his life’s passion to reach young people and teach them about the love and wonderful plans that God has for them.  When Larry is not working, he is seeking God’s guidance and making plans to implement his latest inspiration.  To say that Larry has a heart for children and youth would be an understatement!  He consistently makes personal sacrifices in order to pursue his unwavering desire to be used by God to raise up the next generation of the faithful.

Elder Rob Gray

Rob and his wife Susan have been married for 22 years.  Susan home-schooled their two young adult sons and is very active in the Idyllwild community.  Rob is a devoted husband and father who provides for his family as a local full-time general contractor.  But his life’s ambition has been for he and Susan to raise their sons to know, love and serve Jesus.  Rob has faithfully served as an elder for more than a decade.  He currently oversees the Children’s Church Ministry, teaches Sunday school, helps with church oversight, and is involved in the ongoing improvements on our nearly 18-acre 10-building property.  Rob was raised on a cattle ranch in Oregon where he and his family travel multiple times each year to help his aging parents.  Rob is often joined on these trips by a few brothers in the faith.  Together they help Rob’s parents with everything that is involved in running a working cattle ranch.  The men’s time together always includes local hunting excursions.  The time they share hunting and working provides fellowship and recreation that Rob looks forward to throughout the year.  Bringing home fresh game to help feed his family is an added benefit.