Clayton Valley Church stands at 5430 Michigan Boulevard in Concord, one block east of Ygnacio Valley Road. The church is known for a three-part rhythm: Growing Deeper, Walking Closer, and Reaching Farther. Growing Deeper means an active, Bible-centered pursuit of a deeper knowledge of God. Walking Closer describes fellowship, encouragement, and shared spiritual growth. Reaching Farther carries grace into homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and service beyond the church. Sunday worship anchors this rhythm, with a 10:30 a.m. service, weekly classes before it, and ministries for every generation during the week.
Sunday Worship at 10:30: The Gospel at the Center
Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m., the congregation gathers in the Worship Center to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The service lasts about 90 minutes. Its shape is Bible-centered: the Word is opened and proclaimed, the congregation sings praise to God, and people encourage one another while attention returns to the salvation given in Jesus. The atmosphere is intended to be refreshing, friendly, and enjoyable, with heartfelt praise and a genuine sense of welcome.
Visitors are invited to sing rather than remain spectators. The church's welcome emphasizes singing, hearing the Bible speak, receiving encouragement, and worshiping together as a family. People may dress casually or otherwise; the emphasis is on being present rather than trying to match anyone else. During the opening portion of the service, younger children remain with their parents, an intentional choice that treats children as part of the congregation rather than as interruptions to worship.
The Sunday gathering is also available through the church worship livestream. Viewers can rewind a live feed, and full sermon videos are posted afterward. The extensive sermon archive includes messages organized by date, Scripture, speaker, and topic, with recordings reaching back to at least 2011. Biblical books and extended series have included Luke, Proverbs, 1 Corinthians, Ezra, and the minor prophets, with Jesus Christ consistently at the center of the teaching.
The 9:00 Hour: Core Training and Discovery
Sunday begins with several spiritual growth classes from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. These classes meet in smaller groups at various campus locations. The church describes them as settings where people can meet one another, share coffee and refreshments, and study a portion of the Bible connected to a particular interest or life stage. The weekly schedule calls this hour Core Training, and it gives children and adults time to grow in understanding before the congregation assembles for worship.
Among these recurring classes, the Discovery Class teaches people to observe, interpret, and apply the Bible to everyday life. A Newcomers' Class offers a way to learn about Jesus, the church, and its mission. These classes are not separate from worship; they are part of the same rhythm of Growing Deeper that continues through the church's Bible studies, small groups, and ministries during the rest of the week.
A First Drive Up Michigan Boulevard
The church's campus has a multi-level layout that may seem confusing to a first-time guest. Drivers should continue through the lower parking lot and up to the upper lot. Several spaces in the upper lot are reserved for first-time visitors. The main entrance to the Worship Center includes a lobby where greeters and ushers are available to direct people and, when needed, escort them to the right room.
There is no dress code for members or guests. Many men wear jeans with a polo or button-up shirt, while women commonly wear jeans, pants, skirts, or dresses. The church's stated priority is that visitors will be welcomed rather than judged by what they wear. Guests are also never expected to participate in the offering. Their presence is welcomed without an obligation to give.
This approach reflects the first-time visitor promise that a worship gathering will be refreshing, friendly, and enjoyable for the whole family. The combination of Bible teaching, praise, approachable greeters, ample parking, and a no-pressure response to giving is designed to help newcomers settle into the congregation rather than feel like outsiders.
Children at the Heart of Sunday Worship
Children's participation begins with a simple safety routine. A CVC Kids check-in station is located in the Worship Center foyer, where a friendly volunteer guides parents through the process. During the 9:00 hour, the children's ministry provides nursery care staffed by trained volunteers along with age-appropriate, Bible-centered classes. Families with children through fifth grade can participate in the same hour of learning as the rest of the congregation.
During the 10:30 worship service, CVC Kids offers separate care for babies and preschoolers, a group for younger children, and elementary-age classes through fifth grade. Children from age three through fifth grade initially sit with their parents. Early in the service, before the message, an announcement invites them to meet their Children's Church teacher in the lobby and go to class. Parents may accompany a child into the room and return to worship, then pick up their children after the service.
Clayton Valley Church deliberately rejects the idea that children should be seen but not heard during worship. The children's teaching philosophy is that children learn best when they worship with their parents and the larger family of God. Their sounds and movement are welcomed in the service because learning to participate in worship together is considered valuable in itself.
Awana extends children's Bible-centered ministry on Thursday evenings from September through May. The program includes Cubbies for children two years before kindergarten, Sparks for kindergarten through second grade, and T&T for third through sixth grade. Awana stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, based on 2 Timothy 2:15, and combines games, crafts, Scripture, and activities that help children know, love, and serve Christ.
Elevate: A Place to Belong for Junior and Senior High Students
Elevate Student Ministries serves students in grades six through twelve and gathers on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Its appeal is not limited to Bible teaching. Students are welcomed through music, games, genuine relationships, and special events, with an emphasis on finding meaning, hope, and salvation in Jesus.
The ministry addresses a central concern for teenagers: friends and family members who are living without hope. Elevate's teaching responds with the claim that God is big enough to handle problems of any size. Associate Pastor Andrew Sanders coordinates the ministry, helping connect biblical truth with the realities of junior high and high school life.
J.A.N.E.: Jesus and Nothing Else
Clayton Valley Church's women's ministry is called J.A.N.E., an abbreviation for Jesus And Nothing Else. Its purpose is to give women opportunities to strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ, encourage community among women, and cultivate hearts of service for the good of others and the glory of God. The name expresses a concentrated spiritual aim, while the ministry itself is relational and active.
J.A.N.E. meets for Bible study on Wednesday mornings and every other Tuesday evening. These gatherings are places to study Scripture, talk about God and the things of God, teach and encourage one another, and celebrate the Lord's work in individual lives. The ministry's core passages are John 15:5 and Colossians 3:12-17, which connect dependence on Christ with a life shaped by Scripture, thankfulness, and active faith.
Women's fellowship is described as a key part of Christian life rather than an optional addition. J.A.N.E. brings women together to share time, encourage one another, and deepen their understanding of the Bible. From morning studies to evening gatherings, the emphasis remains consistent: a personal relationship with Jesus, fellowship among sisters in Christ, and service that grows out of both.
The Morning Watch and the Men's Evening Study
Clayton Valley Church's men's ministries are designed for single men, married men, younger men, and seniors who want to grow in Christ. Two distinct rhythms support that goal. The Morning Watch meets every Tuesday from 6:00 to 7:30 a.m. in the Percolator Room, combining the Word of God, conversation about life, prayer, and fellowship. Coffee is part of the gathering, and attendance requires no registration. People with different schedules are free to leave before the end.
The Men's Evening Bible Study meets every other Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. and is described as a high-commitment environment for growth. The study runs for six to eight weeks in the fall and spring. Its aim is to help men pursue the life God has called them to live and to encourage accountability among brothers who share that desire.
Men's gatherings also extend beyond classroom Bible study. The ministry has included breakfasts with guest speakers, social activities, and time for fellowship together. These occasions complement the more deliberate study periods, giving men opportunities to build friendships, speak honestly, and encourage one another in everyday life as well as in the Word.
Community Groups in Homes Near the Church
Community groups bring the Walking Closer part of Clayton Valley Church's mission into local homes. Two groups are hosted near the church. The Klobuchar/Cox Community Group meets every other Saturday afternoon, while the Ellingson/Lou Community Group meets every other Sunday evening. Both welcome all ages and emphasize involvement in one another's lives so that people can grow closer to God and one another.
These home-based gatherings complement groups organized by age, gender, or season, including the women's and men's ministries, Elevate for students, and Awana for children. Church-wide fellowship opportunities provide another setting for connection. The common thread is participation: rather than treating spiritual growth as only something that happens during formal services, the church distributes it through classes, small groups, homes, and shared activities.
What Clayton Valley Church Teaches
Scripture, God, and Salvation
The church's doctrinal statement calls the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, authoritative and sufficient. It describes the books as verbally and plenarily inspired by the Holy Spirit and therefore infallible and inerrant. The Bible is identified as the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard for human conduct, creeds, and opinions.
God is affirmed as one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in divine perfection and harmonious in creation, providence, and redemption. Jesus Christ is affirmed as co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and Holy Spirit, God manifested in flesh, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, sinless, crucified for sin, bodily resurrected, and ascended as Advocate and Great High Priest. The Holy Spirit is affirmed as a person who convicts, regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals, anoints, teaches, sanctifies, and fills believers, with God sovereign in the distribution of spiritual gifts.
Salvation is described as divinely initiated and wholly of grace through Jesus Christ. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation, with repentance an integral part of saving faith. The statement explains justification on the basis of Christ's imputed righteousness, followed by adoption into God's family, progressive sanctification, preservation and perseverance through God's power, and final glorification. It also affirms the literal historical creation of the physical universe, angels, and humanity, along with humanity's fall into sin and need for judgment and redemption.
The Church, Family, and Future
The universal church is described as the body of Christ, composed of believers from Pentecost through the rapture. The local church is an organized congregation of baptized believers that observes ordinances, worships God, builds up believers, and fulfills the Great Commission. Baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are identified as symbolic ordinances, and believers are taught that spiritual gifts are given for serving and edifying the body of Christ.
The statement also teaches a literal creation, the bodily resurrection of the dead, the rapture before a seven-year period of tribulation, and Christ's return to judge, rule, and reign for a literal thousand years. Marriage is defined as the lifelong covenant union of one man and one woman, with parents responsible for teaching children spiritual and moral values. Sexual intimacy is restricted to the marriage relationship, while forgiveness and restoration remain available to those who repent. Governmental authorities are to be prayed for, honored, and obeyed except when their requirements contradict God's Word.
Reaching Farther: Care for Neighbors
Reaching Farther extends beyond the church campus into ordinary life. Clayton Valley Church encourages people to care for neighbors, family, and friends at work, at home, in their neighborhoods, and wherever they go. The church also hosts outreach events that seek to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of neighbors. This outward movement is presented as a natural result of experiencing grace and extending the compassion of Christ to the surrounding community.
A recurring Hope 680 lunchmaking effort assembles lunches for people experiencing homelessness. It is one concrete expression of the church's commitment to practical care. Community groups, children's ministries, student gatherings, and church-wide events all contribute to a church that sees service and fellowship as connected parts of the same Christian life.
Giving as an Expression of Worship
Clayton Valley Church frames giving with the conviction that God gave first. Its stated reason for contributing is to express worship, quoting the goal of contributing cheerfully and regularly. The church says gifts support ministry, church expenses, relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel to all nations. Giving is therefore connected not only to congregational needs but also to the church's outward mission.
One-time, recurring, and designated gifts are available through Church Center giving. The church accepts credit or debit cards through a computer, tablet, or phone, and the same options are available through the Church Center app. This makes giving an ongoing part of church life rather than something limited to the moment a physical offering is received.
Pastors, Directors, and Deacons
Senior Pastor Chris Oliveri began serving at Clayton Valley Church in June 2008. He graduated from Cal State Los Angeles in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in guitar performance and jazz studies, then completed his seminary training at The Master's Seminary in 1998. Before Clayton Valley Church, he served as associate pastor and later senior pastor of Hope Bible Church in Los Angeles. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2021 and serves as a professor of pastoral training at Cornerstone Bible College and Seminary.
Associate Pastor Andrew Sanders grew up in Concord, attended and served at Clayton Valley Church, and joined its staff full time in 2009. He also coordinates Elevate Student Ministries. Eric Ellingson directs community life, and Mary Runyon directs children's ministries. Their work corresponds to the church's three-part calling: deepening biblical understanding, strengthening community, and extending care beyond the congregation.
- Deacons: Brandon Cox, Paul Guimbatan, Ben Lou, Don Meyer, Dan Miller, Brice Ngassam, Phil Sanders, John Shen, and Chris Sodergren.
One Campus, Many Rhythms
Clayton Valley Church's campus supports the different parts of its weekly life. The Worship Center anchors the Sunday gathering, while the Percolator Room hosts men's and women's studies and the Fellowship Hall provides a place for student ministry and Awana. Children's classrooms and the family check-in station make room for families to participate together, while the upper and lower parking areas serve the church's multi-level layout.
The Clayton Valley Church app adds another way for congregants to stay connected. The livestream carries Sunday worship beyond the room, and the sermon archive preserves weeks of biblical teaching for later listening and study. Together, these tools support a rhythm that begins in Word and worship, continues in fellowship, and carries outward into service.
That is the distinctive shape of Clayton Valley Church in Concord: a Sunday congregation gathered around the Gospel, a weekly rhythm of classes and community for every age, and a sustained outward movement of grace through the lives of those who worship there.