Pastors

Pastor Adam Steed

Pastor Adam Steed was born and raised in Candor, NC.  He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior when he was 12 years old at Living Water Christian Camp.  After the strong influence of his church, youth group, and youth pastor Mike Free, he felt called to the ministry at 17.  He preached one time at his home church and afterwards he said “I’ll never do that again.”

After graduating from High School he decided he wanted to be in law enforcement.  He attended a local community college and majored in Criminal Justice.  During that time Pastor Mike Free and Pastor Edwin Lugo kept him heavily involved in ministry.  He planned games for kids, was an usher, and occasionally taught Sunday School.  He also was a counselor for 6 years at the camp he accepted Christ at. 

Throughout his 2 years at the community college, his interest in Criminal Justice died out and his heart for ministry grew stronger than before.  By God’s grace he was given a 2nd chance to follow God’s will.  After getting his associates degree in Criminal Justice he transferred to Bob Jones University and majored in Youth Ministry.  He graduated in 2009.  That year no doors were open just yet so he stayed and served at his home church and worked construction.

Little did Adam know God was working miraculously that year.  December of 2009 Brandon Thomas, a friend from BJU, and a teacher at Maili Bible School, invited him to preach at a youth rally at Maili.  Adam came to Oahu for 10 days, preached at the youth rally, and really felt the Lord calling him to serve in Hawaii. 

In January 2010 he started sending applications to all of the Christian schools on Oahu.  No schools were hiring.  From January to April Adam had been in deep prayer about serving in Hawaii but nothing was happening.  In April Adam was asked to candidate for a youth pastor position in Virginia.  Adam went but still felt the Lord calling him to Hawaii.  Adam’s mother even asked him to put applications in North Carolina schools.  Adam kindly refused because he knew God was going to get him to Hawaii. 

Brandon Thomas asked Adam to help out that summer at a camp on Kauai.  Adam agreed to come willing to serve and hoping that this would open a door.  In May before Adam left he was contacted by a Christian school in Kauai to come teach.  Adam then thought Kauai may be where God was calling him.  That same month Adam was on face book and was chatting with Aaron Debutiaco, a friend and teacher at Maili.  Adam asked him about serving in full time ministry in Hawaii.  Aaron told him about Calvary Independent Church and that they had been searching for a youth pastor for 6 years.  Adam prayed about it and then contacted Pastor Larry Kaneshiro.  He told Pastor Larry he would be coming to Hawaii that summer.  Pastor Larry asked him if he would be willing to candidate in June.  Adam talked to his parents, prayed about it and agreed. 

After Adam went to Kauai he knew that was not where God wanted him.  He then went to Calvary and stayed there for the month of June.  He loved the church and saw a definite need in Wahiawa. 
While Adam was serving at the camp in Kauai on July 11th 2010 Calvary voted Adam in as their Youth Pastor.  That same month Adam was offered a teaching position at Maili Bible School.  Adam excitedly accepted both positions. He began both positions in August of 2010.

Thanks go to:

• Tabernacle Baptist Church for their help, prayers, and support.
• Preacher Jack, Pastor Mike Free, and Pastor Edwin Lugo for helping groom him to be a servant in the ministry.
• The Thomas family in Waianae for helping Adam in his transition from the mainland to Hawaii.
• Bob Jones University for giving him a solid education.
• His family for all of the love, prayers, money, and support throughout his life and ministry.
• And finally, praise to God for calling to Adam to serve Him and for always providing.

Update: (1/8/12) Pastor Adam officially became Interim Pastor of Calvary Indpendent Church on January 1, 2012 after the retirment of Pastor Kaneshiro.

Pastor Larry Kaneshiro

Pastor Larry Kaneshiro was born and reared right here in Wahiawa, Hawaii. He came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of 14, and shortly thereafter dedicated his life to the Lord. Though being young in the faith, God's evident hand of grace was upon his life in that in his last years of high school he was named "The Most Outstanding Junior Boy" and "The Most Outstanding Senior Boy"; he was also the senior class president. It was during his senior year of high school that our pastor's dad was dying of cancer. Though God had specifically called him into the ministry, Pastor Kaneshiro had resigned himself to staying at home to take over the family farm. God had other plans though, for in the spring of 1958--just before his high school graduation--our pastor's dad was graciously healed by God. God then, clearly led him to Bob Jones Universtiy where he majored in Bible and minored in secondary education. As a ministerial student, our pastor participated in various outreach ministries, which God used to give him good experience in preaching God's Word; and as a senior, the Lord enabled him to be voted as one of the top three among all the ministerial students participating in the preacher boy contest.

After graduating from BJU in 1963, Pastor Kaneshiro served in several churches, but his main ministry was at Hanalani Schools where he taught sixth grade for 36 years. In 1994, his first wife, Amy died after a long battle with cancer ~ this furnace of affliction was used of God to purge and draw our pastor into a very close relationship with God. In June 1994, in addition to his responsibilities at Hanalani, Pastor Kaneshiro accepted the call to be the pastor at Poamoho Bible Church. In 1996, he married his second wife, Blanche, who was a widow--they have one grown daughter who is married to a missionary in Mexico. In 1998, Pastor Kaneshiro accepted the call to be the senior pastor at Calvary Independent Church. God has used the deep trials of his first wife's illness and death to give him a pure and precious relationship with our Lord, as well as a heart for the Lord's people--and the unsaved who are without God's peace, comfort, and eternal security.

Update: (1/8/12) Pastor Kaneshiro officially retired from head pastor on December 31, 2011. He and his wife continue to serve faithfully at Calvary Indpendent Church.