Preaching the Acts 2:38 Message!

Pastor Connell and his family came to Oakley, California in January 2003 in answer to the call of God on their lives to start a Jesus’ name, Acts 2:38, Apostolic church in our fair city.  Pastor Connell loves and preaches the apostle's doctrine.  His genuine care and concern for each visitor and each member of the church is self-evident in his preaching, teaching, and care for everyone who steps through the doors of Cornerstone Pentecostal Church.

While serving in the United States Marine Corps, Pastor Connell came to the Lord in a small, home missions church in Beaufort, SC in 1979.  He had a tremendous love for Truth planted into him by his first Pastor, John Zehm and will forever be grateful for Pastor Zehm's influence in his life.  He attended Apostolic Bible Institute from 1981 through 1983, met his wonderful wife Carol there, and graduated, a married man, with a Bachelor of Theology degree before returning to South Carolina to serve as Assistant Pastor.

Pastor Connell then moved to his roots in Upstate New York where he served on a ministerial staff for a short time before moving to California (now "home") as Assistant Pastor in First Pentecostal Church in Fairfield, CA for 14 years.  While in Fairfield, the Lord blessed Pastor and Sister Connell with two wonderful children, Jennifer and Paul.

Pastor Connell has served as a Sectional Home Missions Director in the United Pentecostal Church, served as the first Secretary for the Western Region of the Worldwide Pentecostal Fellowship, has written several articles for Apostolic periodicals, several theological papers, published a book (serving as co-author and editor) regarding a vital interest to Apostolics and has presented theological works for the Apostolic Theological Forum held in several venues across the United States.  He holds a Masters of Apostolic Theology from the Institute of Conservative Apostolic Theology and serves as both an instructor and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies at the Institute of Conservative Apostolic Theology, San Antonio, Texas.  

Pastor Connell has authored several books which are available in our Book Store, Letters to Pastors and Other Saints: Thoughts and Expositions on the First Three Chapters of Revelation, which was released in May of 2015, Yirat Shamayim: A Call for a Revival of the Doctrine of the Fear of the LORD (2016), On the Sanctity of Human Life: Considerations Regarding Life and End-of-Life Issues (2017), and his latest book,  Go, Stand and Speak! Thoughts on Soul-Winning and Evangelism.  He is also working on a sequel to Letters to Pastors & Other Saints, which he hopes to have published soon.

Pastor Connell recently transitioned from being bi-vocational to being full-time as Pastor.

Pastor Connell would also like for you to visit the Pastor's Page for articles and contributions that will give you a feel for his heart as Pastor of our assembly.