Pastor Rob McCoy announces 2025 leadership transition at Godspeak, says he's not leaving
Pastor Rob McCoy, controversial leader of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park, has announced he’ll no longer serve as the church’s senior pastor starting in the summer of 2025.
On Dec. 3, McCoy told his congregation that in 18 months he will become pastor emeritus with his current leadership role of senior pastor going to Micah Stephens, administrative and worship pastor at the church.
In a phone interview, McCoy acknowledged the news has sparked rumors of his departure but said he has no plans to leave the evangelical church he joined 22 years ago. As pastor emeritus, he said he’ll continue his current activities at Godspeak, including preaching two Sunday services a week.
“It doesn’t matter how many times you say it, no one believes it,” he said. “I’m not leaving.”
McCoy, 59, of Newbury Park, has attracted attention for his battle against COVID-19 vaccines and lockdown restrictions during the pandemic, his endorsements from the pulpit of politically conservative candidates and his support of people arrested for suspicion of involvement with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
He’s a former Thousand Oaks City Council member and mayor who resigned in April 2020 after deciding to challenge COVID-19 lockdowns by allowing in-person worship services at Godspeak. The church and the county sued each other in a legal fight that ended earlier this year.
McCoy also co-founded Turning Point Faith, which encourages pastors to address political issues. It’s the evangelical arm of Arizona-based Turning Point USA, the nationally prominent conservative organization that rallied college students to support Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential campaign.
McCoy’s stances are embraced by a congregation of about 1,500 people who attend services each week. The intersection of faith and politics has also attracted criticism nationally and locally.
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McCoy said the coming leadership shift won’t bring any change to Godspeak’s focus on faith and government. Instead, the transition is about recognizing Stephens, who started as an intern with the church 13 years ago and now oversees church operations as administrative and worship pastor. He’s married to McCoy’s daughter.
“The man deserves the title of the job he’s already doing,” McCoy told his congregation.
Later, he said later his role with Turning Point is growing and means more time away from Godspeak. He and his wife, Michelle, have bought a home in Arizona. He said the busy schedule is part of the reason for the coming change.
“It’s not fair to (Godspeak) not to have a pastor there,” he said.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com or 805-437-0255.
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This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Pastor Rob McCoy reveals 2025 leadership shift at Godspeak
