September 4-6, 2025

Community Bible Church
710 Broadway Street
Vallejo, CA

Dear Pastor or Church Leader,

Plan to join us in the fall for another Exalting Christ Conference! The Exalting Christ Conference is designed to assist and encourage pastors, church leaders and their spouses to preach and exalt Christ as they shepherd their local churches and spread the Gospel in their communities and beyond.

The theme of this year’s conference is Courageous Hope - Suffering Well for Christ's Name. We are excited to welcome Nicolas Ellen, Lance Quinn, Tony Arnds and Phil Foley as our plenary session speakers.

The cost of the conference is $165 for standard registration and $65 for spouses ($185/standard and $85/spouse after June 30th).

Please Note: Early Bird registration ends June 30th. Refunds will be available through August 23, 2025 (minus a $10 processing fee).

SATURDAY ONLY OPTION

This year we are again offering an option to attend on Saturday only for those who cannot join us for the whole conference. This particular day will include one plenary session and two breakout sessions. Both men and women are invited to attend these sessions. The cost to attend will be $40 for individuals, $60 per married couple. Please select the option for SATURDAY ONLY attendee if you will only be joining us on Saturday.

For more information, email us at ecmconfadmin@cbcvallejo.org.

nicolas ellen

Dr. Ellen is the Senior Pastor of Community of Faith Bible Church in Houston Texas and Senior Professor of Biblical Counseling at the College of Biblical Studies in Houston, Texas. Dr. Ellen is also a Visiting Professor and Co-Director of the MABC and D Min program at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Plymouth, Minnesota. In addition, Dr. Ellen has also developed a biblical counseling training center called Expository Counseling Training Center LLC.

He received his B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Houston, Houston, Texas, his M.A. in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, his M.A. in Biblical Counseling from The Masters University, Santa Clarita, California, his Doctorate of Ministry with a concentration in Biblical Counseling from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky and his PH.D in Biblical Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.

Dr. Ellen is a certified Biblical Counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC), a Fellow with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) and travels nationwide with the organization teaching biblical counseling principles.

Dr. Ellen and his wife Dr. Venessa Ellen have two children and four grandchildren.

lance quinn

Dr. Lance Quinn serves on the Pastoral Team at Grace Immanuel Bible Church in Jupiter, Florida as the Executive Vice-President of The Expositors Seminary and as co-Pastor of the Cornerstone Adult Fellowship Group. Lance has been in continuous vocational ministry for more than 35 years, including 25 years as Senior Pastor of two churches in both Arkansas and California. He is also a board member and fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).

His academic background includes degrees from various seminaries, both in the U.S. and abroad. He is an author, having written many articles, as well as several chapters in various books, and has co-written, with Curtis Thomas: The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented. Lance’s latest book is entitled: God the Preacher and Apologist: The Essential Relationship between Expository Preaching and Presuppositional Apologetics.

Dr. Quinn and his late wife, Beth, have eight adult children and a growing number of grandchildren.

EDUCATION

B.S. - Arkansas State University
MDiv. - The Master’s Seminary
ThM. - The Master’s Seminary
DMin. - The Master’s Seminary
Drs. - Doctorandus de in Theology – Evangelische Theologische Facultate, Leuven, Belgium
Ph.D. - Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Memphis, Tennessee

TONY aRNDS

Tony is the founding pastor of Folsom Bible Church. When moving to the Folsom area a few years ago, Tony and his wife saw the regional need for more solid, Gospel-centered churches to proclaim the glory of Christ. After sharing this concern with other like-minded pastors and wondering who would take on this mission, God began to make it clear that this dream would start with Tony.

Tony received a B.S. in Animal Science from Montana State University in 1988 and worked on different ranches throughout the state until his conversion to Christ in 1992. Tony studied at Montana Bible College from 1993 until 1997 and received his received his M.Div. from The Master’s Seminary in 2001. He served as Pastor-Teacher of Potter Valley Bible Church in Mendocino County from 2002-2020 and has been teaching at The Cornerstone Bible College and Seminary in Vallejo since 2011.

Tony and his wife, Tawny, have 3 sons and 6 grandchildren.

PHILLIP FOLEY

Phillip Foley has served full-time in pastoral ministry at Community Bible Church since 1996, first as the Associate Pastor and then in 2013 as the Lead Pastor. Phil has a passion for preaching the unfathomable riches of Christ, discipling men and women, and raising up leaders. He provides general oversight of the church, manages the pastoral staff, and helps oversee the worship services, women’s ministry, and leadership development. Phil has a burden for preparing men for pastoral ministry. He is a board member of The Cornerstone Bible College and Seminary, and professor of pastoral ministries. Phil is a graduate of Grace School of Theology and Ministry (BA), earned a Master of Arts degree at Trinity Theological Seminary, and his D.Ed.Min. at Southern Seminary.

Phil and his wife Becky have been married since 1985 and have five children and thirteen grandchildren.

FAQ

How much does it cost?

Early Bird: $165 for standard registration and $65 for spouse (until 6/30/25)
Standard: $185 for standard registration and $85 for spouse

How do I register?

Register online. Same day registration will be available onsite.

What if I have technical problems?

E-mail  ecmconfadmin@cbcvallejo.org  or call the church office at 707-553-8780.

Is there a cancellation/refund policy?

Refunds will be available through August 23, 2025, minus a $10 processing fee.

Are meals included?

Yes. Dinner on Thursday night,  breakfast, lunch and dinner on Friday, and breakfast on Saturday. Snacks and beverages will be provided throughout the conference.

Should my spouse attend?

Yes, we strongly encourage you to bring your spouse, for their mutual encouragement and fellowship.

Can my children attend?

This conference is designed for pastors, church leaders and their spouses to be refreshed by the Word of God and to fellowship undistracted. Because of this we ask that you not bring your children.

What hotels are nearby?

AMERICAN CANYON

Fairfield Inn & Suites

Approximately 5 miles from CBC

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel & Spa

Approximately 4 miles from CBC

FAIRFIELD

Staybridge Suites

Approximately 11 miles from CBC

Homewood Suites

Approximately 11 miles from CBC

BENICIA

Best Western Plus Heritage

Approximately 8 miles from CBC

Holiday Inn Express

Approximately 8 miles from CBC

What's the nearest airport?

We recommend flying into either the Sacramento International or Oakland International Airport. Please plan for at least 1.5 hours of driving time in order to arrive promptly for the conference. Be aware that Bay Area traffic can be congested, especially during commuter hours.

What should I wear?

Business casual attire is recommended.

Will there be translation available?

Spanish translation will be available upon request. Please email ecmconfadmin@cbcvallejo.org if you would like to have this available.

Will I get any free books?

Yes, one per household. In addition, the Exalting Christ Bookstore carries a wide variety of books and resources which will be made available for those who attend this Conference. Also, be sure to take advantage of our Conference Annex for great deals on conference related material.