Ryan Houssein is the founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Sweet Hills in Banning, California.  Born into an abusive home and raised in South El Monte, he joined a gang at fifteen; a world filled with violence and immorality.  Like many kids in the San Gabriel Valley, the gang became his life.  In the prime of his life, he felt like an old man—tired, having put in work for what seemed a lifetime as a member of a clique.  His journey would take him to Orange County where his path crossed with an older co-worker, Sue Cast.  She began sharing the gospel and praying for Ryan.  She encouraged him to attend services at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs in Diamond Bar, where he eventually gave his life to the Lord.  After a year at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, he began to attend services at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa (CCCM) under Pastor Chuck Smith where he would later meet his wife, Clarissa.  Sue continued to invest in Ryan and became a spiritual mother to him.  She had Ryan join her on a trip to Israel with CCCM in 2001 where he met Pastor Gerry Brown who became a mentor, and father figure to him.  Ryan continued to grow in his faith serving under Pastor Gerry Brown at Calvary Chapel Romoland and U-Turn 4 Christ Ministries.  He was ordained by the church in December 17, 2003 and served there as an assistant pastor.  In 2009 the Lord called Pastor Ryan and his wife out to plant Calvary Chapel Sweet Hills in Banning California.  Ryan and Clarissa live in the Pass area with their two beautiful children.

Sweet Hill’s Campus
Pastor Ryan was taken by the beauty of the Pass area, with the San Gorgonio and San Jacinto Mountains that surround Banning.  These mountains draw our eyes upward towards God, our Help, as they did the psalmist in Psalm 121, our church theme and the inspiration behind our name. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
CCSH’s first meetings were held in Pastor Ryan and Clarissa’s home before they began renting schools in the Banning Unified School District.  At the onset of the Covid 19 event in 2020, Pastor Ryan felt a strong burden to continue meeting because he saw the hypocrisy in the government’s restrictions.  The government allowed liquor stores, strip clubs, and marijuana distribution centers to remain open but threatened pastors with jail time if they opened their churches.  CCSH continued to meet in backyards and in homes.  The school district indefinitely canceled their rental agreement with the church.  A month later, an employee with the City of Banning reached out to CCSH inquiring what had become of the church.  There had been an increase of elderly suicides along with an alarming rate of depression amongst families in our community and offered to host CCSH Sunday worship services at Repplier Park’s outdoor amphitheater, saying, “You guys are essential!”  The church took him up on the offer, and met at Repplier Park that June.  In July, Pastor Ryan received a phone call from a man selling an unused church building in Banning.  Although his price was under market value, it would still require a huge step of faith for CCSH to fund the down payment.  After much prayer, and by the grace of God, CCSH purchased the building in May of 2022. Calvary Chapel Sweet Hills continues to be a beacon for the truth seekers, a hospital for the weary hearted, and a place where the Word of God is taught.  We believe God’s Word informs us in all things that pertain to life.  We stand against the ideologies of the world, woke agendas, celebrity pastors, and the progressive theology creeping into the church today.  Instead, we follow the example of Jesus, our Shepherd King, who made Himself of no reputation Philippians 2:05-11.  We hold fast to the doctrines outlined in the Calvary Distinctives , and are a part of the Calvary Chapel Association.