About

Where everyone majors in changing the world.

Catalyst Bible College is powered by Vanguard University

About Our Campus

With meager beginnings in 1928, brave men and women of God overcame relentless spiritual attacks and built Visalia First on prayer and the presence of God.

Our world is changing at lightning speed, but there is one thing that has not changed: the power of the Gospel and a Spirit-filled church. In every adult service for the past 27 years, someone has accepted Jesus as their Savior and committed their life to Him. With multiple ministries and services happening throughout the week, lives are consistently being changed for the Kingdom!

Students of Catalyst Bible College have the incredible opportunity to work alongside strong ministry leaders at Visalia First as they develop leadership skills, a strong network of peers, and a deep knowledge of the Bible.

Location

Located strategically in the Central Valley of California, Visalia First is under an hour away from the Sequoia National Park, three hours away from Los Angeles, and two hours to the nearest beach.

Our campus is in the perfect location to have hands-on ministry experience across our partner churches.

Student Scholarships

Visalia First and Catalyst Bible College are committed to produce credentialed, high-functioning ministers for the Assemblies of God with little to no debt. This is why we are offering more than $100,000 worth of scholarships for students to apply for each year. The average CBC student will graduate receiving $10,000 in scholarship dollars.

Contact us for more information on how to apply for scholarships and become a CBC scholar.

Meet Our Leadership Team

Dr. Mark Merrill

Lead Pastor/Founder

Dr. Jason Kennedy

Provost

Regan Munsey

Vice President of Student Affairs

Manny Maravilla

Dean of Enrollment

Joshua Elkin

Student Life Director

Eliza Borjon

College Public Relations

Meet Our Faculty

Dr. Mark Merrill
Doctor of Ministry- George Fox University

Dr. Jason Kennedy
Doctor of Ministry- George Fox University

Regan Munsey
Master of Organizational Leadership- Southwestern Assemblies of God University

Chad Lashley
Master of Business Administration- University of Louisiana

John Walker
Master of Theology- Southwestern Assemblies of God University

Robert Martindale
Master of Business Administration- Fresno State University

Blake Edwards
Master of Theology

Mike Robertson
Master of Divinity- Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Kent Mankins
Doctor of Philosophy- University of Buckingham

Dr. Ed Kemp 
Doctor of Ministry- Gordon Conwell

Sam Chand
Sam Chand Leadership Institute

Miles Vega
Master of Marriage, Family and Child Counseling- California State University

Dr. Shawn Fox 
Master of Divinity- Southwestern Assemblies of God University

Dr. Carl Fabrizio
Doctor of Ministry- Andersonville Theological Seminary

Dr. Dwayne Blackwell
Doctorate of Ministry- Liberty University

Isidro Carrasco
Master of Divinity- Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary