Rock Harbor Staff

Senior Pastor

Brandon Holthaus

Brandon is married and has three children. Brandon was saved at nineteen after listening to a series of radio messages through the book of Revelation. Brandon was called into the ministry by the Lord, and he has been in full-time ministry since 2000. He has had various ministry positions such as Young Adult Pastor, Adult Pastor, and Minister of Education. He now serves as Rock Harbor’s Senior Pastor.

Brandon’s call to start Rock Harbor Church was birthed from the scriptures of Revelation 3:7-13 and Matthew 25:14-30. The LORD JESUS opened the door to start a new “remnant” church (Revelation 3:7-13).  On August 28, 2011, Rock Harbor church was born as a “remnant” church in this age of apostasy and continues to proclaim of the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, evangelize, disciple, discern the signs of the times, connect dots prophetically, and contend for the faith.

Brandon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Columbia University, New York, NY. He also holds both a Master of Arts in Religion degree, (Cum Laude), and a Master of Divinity, (Cum Laude) from Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA. Brandon’s areas of emphasis include: prophecy, discernment, apologetics, Jewish culture and background, and Biblical worldview polemics. Brandon also has weekly prophecy updates, sermons, and other Bible studies on YouTube (Search: Rock Harbor Church Bakersfield) Rumble (Search: RHC Bakersfield) and Vimeo (Search for: Rock Harbor Church Prophecy).  All audio presentations can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and Pod Bean (Search for: Rock Harbor Church’s The Anchor), and sermonaudio.org (Search for: Rock Harbor Church or Brandon Holthaus). Brandon is also a professor of Eschatology at Summit Bible College

Associate Pastor/Men’s Ministry Pastor

Rory Franklin

Rory was born and raised in Bakersfield. He married his wife in 2001. They have two children and two cats. Rory was brought up in a secular family. After a struggle to reconcile his obligations in marriage with his secular upbringing, Rory began searching for the truth in God. In 2003, Rory joined Pastor Brandon’s Sunday school class. Then in October of 2003, Rory accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and was baptized a month later.

Rory has been a member of Rock Harbor Church, since 2012. He has served in the ministry as an Adult Bible Study Teacher, Youth Bible Study Teacher, Deacon and Youth Director.

Associate Pastor

Dave Howell

Born in Kansas, David grew up in Montreal, Quebec, and Canada.  He started college on a football scholarship to Southern Illinois University in 1967. Graduating in 1970, he began a Master’s program in European History and finally left Illinois in 1972 to go on a two-year mission to France.  For 24 years he taught history and Bible, at Emmanuel Christian School in Montreal (1977-2001).

David gave his first sermon at age 18 and preached and led hundreds of Bible studies while he taught high school.  His motto for Christian service is “He must increase, and I must decrease.”   The thing that made the biggest difference to David’s training for public ministry was the regular reading of the Word of God.  In 1972, he took a vow to read his Bible at least 5 minutes every day.  He soon expanded that to reading the entire Bible through each year, three chapters a day.  He has read the Bible through about 50 times.  It is that familiarity with the whole Council of God that has marked David’s ministry.

In 2017, he moved to Bakersfield and he and Leanda began attending Rock Harbor Church regularly.

In 2019, David took over the Koinonia Bible Class and it turned out to be a wonderful fit.  In 2020, Pastor Brandon asked David to join his new pastoral team to help him with the rapidly growing church and, to preach occasionally.  We are delighted to serve in such an exciting church, led by such a visionary pastor.

Associate Pastor/Evangelism Director

Frank Montoya

Frank was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. He married his high school sweetheart in 1998. They have six children.

Frank was raised in the Catholic Church, however, after a deployment in Iraq he began searching for the truth and eventually left the Catholic Church.

Frank began listening to Pastor Brandon’s messages online and attended his Sunday Bible Study Class. During a Wednesday night church service, Frank received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and a month later was baptized.

Frank has been a member of Rock Harbor Church, since 2011. He has served in many different ministry roles at RHC. Frank started off serving as an Usher, then served as a Deacon, and Youth Leader. Frank has taught Adult Bible Studies, and Children’s Sunday School.

In 2016, Frank was licensed and ordained as a minister of the gospel.

Frank is currently serving as an Associate Pastor and Evangelism Director. Pastor Frank oversees all outreach, evangelism ministries, the worship team, and youth ministry. He currently teaches a Sunday school class focusing exposing false religious beliefs and teaches a weekly Zoom bible study for RHC’s online and in person church members and attenders.

Pastor Frank holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Phoenix and has several units from Liberty University towards his Masters in Divinity.

Associate Pastor/Audio-Visual Tech/Worship Team

Eric Becker

Eric was born in Bakersfield but grew up in the small, central CA town of Dos Palos. He grew up in a Christian home and accepted Jesus Christ at a young age. He married his childhood friend, Stephanie, in 1989 and they have 3 grown children.

He learned his skill of audio/visual intricacies from assisting his father behind the soundboard at the churches they attended. His heart soon showed the same passion-also getting behind the sound board and involved in audio ministries at every church he attended. From there, his heart grew to appreciate music and the integral part worship plays in a church service. He felt the tug on his heart to come from behind the soundboard to the stage with lots of trepidation. He currently plays guitar with the worship team.

Eric has been a member of Rock Harbor Church since 2012. He faithfully worked on the set up/tear down team in the church’s first years. He has served behind the soundboard, led an adult bible study and taught an adult bible class. Having received sound biblical teaching, a passion has been stirred in his heart to aid fellow believers in discipleship, thus resulting in him accepting the call into ministry.

Executive Assistant & Women’s Ministry Leader

Monica Vendsel

Monica grew up in Southern California. She married a local Bakersfield boy, in 1993. There is never a dull or quiet moment as their home is bursting with love and laughter as they celebrate life with their four fabulous kiddos! Monica was saved, baptized and began her journey as a follower of Christ at age eight.

Monica has been a member of Rock Harbor Church since 2011. She and her family were actively involved in discipleship, Sunday School, and Children’s Ministry, which helped to establish a strong foundation in her walk with God.

Monica’s education includes an Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education from North Idaho University followed by a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Organizational Development from Fresno Pacific University. She has been on staff part-time at RHC since 2012.

Assistant Media Director

Tye Blake

Superintendent of Rock Harbor Academy

Marci Davis

Marci grew up in Bakersfield, CA. She was saved at age 5 while attending a Sunday school class. She has a son, Tyler, daughter-in-law, Adrianna, grandson, Alex, and granddaughter, Adalynn. Marci’s adult education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Spanish, A Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, An Administrative Services Credential, a Reading Authorization Certificate, and a Bronze Medallion through Koinonia Institute. Marci Worked in public education for 27 years, both as a teacher and an administrator. She became a member of Rock Harbor Church in 2014, where she serves in various ministries, including Evangelism, worship, children’s ministry, and media coordination. Marci is also the Superintendent for Rock Harbor Academy.

Finance Coordinator

Peggy Collins

Church Administrator

Keith Newsome

Keith and his family moved to Bakersfield in 2007. He married his wife in 2007. They have four children and two Labrador Retrievers. Keith was raised in a secular single parent household. As a troubled youth, Keith began searching for God in 1986 through various 12 step programs and infrequent visits to Church services. Keith finally surrendered his life to Christ and was Baptized in 2004.

Keith and his wife have been members of Rock Harbor Church since it was founded in 2011. He has had several ministries positions such as, safety team member, teacher, Deacon, and Church Advisory Committee. He now serves as Rock Harbors’ Church Administrator.

Keith has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and over thirty-four years of experience in the Oil and Gas Industry leading small to mid-size organizations. As Church Administrator, he is responsible for ensuring the day-to-day operations of The Lord’s Church is run efficiently and with integrity.

Associate Pastor

Michael Collins

Michael was born and raised in Bakersfield, occasionally attended Church with his maternal grandmother as a child. At the age of 14, while attending his grandmother’s Church, he put his faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and got baptized. While attending college in 1999, he became serious about his fellowship with Christ and began to become a disciple of the Lord. He obtained his degree in civil engineering and eventually became a manager at an engineering firm. Throughout his discipleship in Christ, he often felt the internal pull toward pastoral ministry. In 2021, the Lord provided the opportunity to become an Associate Pastor at Rock Harbor Church.

Michael started to follow Christ in discipleship while in college, in 1999, because of his struggle to know why Jesus Christ was different than any other religious leader. The key verse which had the greatest impact on his life in the early days of his search for the truth of Christ’s identity is 2 Corinthians 11:3. The NKJV verse reads, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

Michael and his wife became members of Rock Harbor in 2012. In 2016, Pastor Brandon ordained him Deacon as which he is currently serving in addition to serving as an Associate Pastor. He is married and has two sons. From 2017 to 2022, Michael and his family resided in Fresno because his work transferred him. As his work assignment started coming to an end in 2021, Michael and his wife followed the Lord’s lead back to Bakersfield for the purpose of serving Rock Harbor Church and reconnecting with their Church family. Before they returned to Bakersfield, and while they still lived in Fresno, Michael and his family commuted to Rock Harbor Church almost every Sunday for one year from May 2021 to May 2022.

Children’s Director

Crystal Montoya

Building and Grounds Superintendent

Bill Voelkers

Facility Manager

Gabriel Gamez

Youth Director

Jacob Schollian

Jacob Schollian was born and raised in Finksburg Maryland. He grew up attending a Baptist Church where, at a young age, he put his faith In Jesus Christ for his salvation. After graduating two years at the Word of Life Bible Institute he Enlisted in the United States Army where he began to live as an apostate Christian. While on a deployment rotation to Iraq Jacob began to feel the conviction of the Holy spirit again after reading his Bible.

After returning from Iraq Jacob began to date Emily who He had become friends with six years prior at Word of Life Bible Institute. Emily had rededicated Her life to the Lord shortly after Jacob and Her got married. Emily began to convict and encourage Jacob to fully rededicate His life to the Lord and to resume attending Church. After Jacob Got out of the Army in March of 2020, He moved to Tennessee for a job. Upon arrival the COVID lockdowns affected his employment and with nothing to do his wife Emily encouraged him to watch pastor Brandon’s sermons online.

After watching and learning from pastor Brandon Jacob made the decision to rededicate His life to the Lord. Unfortunately, Jacob and Emily could not find a remnant, Bible believing church in their area in Tennessee. As a result, in 2022 Jacob and his wife made the Decision to sell their house and possessions and move to Bakersfield to become members of Rock Harbor Church. Jacob has since served as a greeter, assisted with slideshows to help prepare others for their Sunday lessons, and Is currently serving as the Youth Ministry Director.

Assistant to Youth Director

Emily Schollian

Emily grew up in Bakersfield. Raised in a Christian home, Emily accepted Christ as her Savior at a young age. She was later baptized in the Jordan River on a trip to Israel when she was 13. Growing up in the Lutheran church, and her family later leaving it, Emily has empathy for those who come to Rock Harbor having been taught wrong doctrine who are looking for the right way to interpret God’s Word. She attended Bakersfield Christian High School. During that time, in 2011, Emily began to attend Rock Harbor church.

In 2013, Emily moved to upstate New York, where she attended and also served at Word Of Life Bible Institute. Word of Life focuses their ministry efforts on evangelism and discipleship towards children, teenagers, and young adults. This gave Emily the tools and experience needed to work with teens and meet them wherever they are at. While serving there, she met her future husband, Jacob. They became friends, but parted ways for several years. In 2019, by the Lord’s hand, Emily and Jacob both ended up in Texas and reconnected. They began dating and married later that year.

In March 2020, they moved to Tennessee for a job opportunity. While being unable to work and nowhere to go during the quarantine, both of them began to follow Rock Harbor online. They searched for two years to find a good, whole Bible teaching, remnant church in Tennessee. After attending and leaving several churches that did not align with the Word of God, they prayed about the possibility of moving. Emily and Jacob were part of Rock Harbor’s online audience during this time. The Lord strongly directed them that He was calling them to move out to California to be at Rock Harbor in person. In 2022, Emily and Jacob moved to Bakersfield. Since then, Emily alongside Jacob, has served as a greeter, is involved in the Young Adults Bible study, and is currently serving as the Youth Ministry Events Coordinator.

Media Director

Alfonso Gonzalez

Worship Leader

Jeremy Ruiz

Jeremy was born and raised in Southern California as the youngest of four. His father served at a local Calvary Chapel as the worship pastor, and his mother stayed home to take care of the tribe. At the age of 14, he started leading worship for the high school ministry and desired to grow more in his talents and biblical knowledge.

At the age of 17, he began attending Calvary Bible College in Murrieta California, where he earned an Associate’s Degree in Theology. After graduating he then went through a year-long program based on Worship Ministry and Church Leadership at the Calvary School Of Worship in Costa Mesa. Through his early twenties, he traveled in South California leading worship at small local churches, while attending and leading worship at his home church of Calvary Refuge in Huntington Beach.

At the age of 25 Jeremy went back to school to earn his Associates of Fire Science, and EMT License, and eventually got hired at a local fire department here in Kern County at the age of 27, where he continues to work.

Jeremy found Rock Harbor Church in 2021 and began listening to Pastor Brandon’s teachings online. In early 2022 Jeremy relocated from Newport Beach to Bakersfield and began attending RHC in person. Soon after, he became a member and started serving on the worship team. After the church move in September of 2023, Jeremy took over as Worship Leader. In February of 2024, Jeremy married his beautiful wife Ali and is excited to grow in life and ministry with Rock Harbor Church.

Marketing Director

Kaeli Lowe

Kaeli grew up in Chino Hills, California, and was saved at the age of 14. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, where she met her husband, Chad. They got married in 2017 and relocated to Chad’s hometown of Bakersfield in 2020.

After college, Kaeli worked as a Marketing Coordinator in a mental health clinic in Costa Mesa, specializing in SPECT imaging. In this role, she assisted the company in social media, website editing, blogging, opening new clinics, writing their PBS shows, and email marketing.

When Kaeli and Chad decided to start a family she transitioned to freelance work at home and worked as an esthetician to prioritize her time with her 3 girls.

In 2021, they settled in her husband’s hometown of Bakersfield to raise their family. The Lord led them to Rock Harbor Church in 2022 and she became the Marketing Director in December 2023.

Counselor

Claudia Gonzalez

Claudia was born in Compton, CA, and raised in Bakersfield by farm laborer parents. Although she grew up in a Catholic home, the Lord had other plans for her. In kindergarten, she became best friends with a Christian girl whose entire family was deeply rooted in their faith. Through this friendship, Claudia learned how she could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. At the age of 11, her friend and her friend’s older brother invited her to a small Christian church near an orange orchard, where she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. 

Later in life, Claudia’s mother, Teresa, also accepted Jesus as her Savior, becoming a strong pillar of faith and a daily example of what it means to be a true “fisher of men” and a servant of the Lord. Claudia was blessed to have her mother as not only a parent but also a friend. Although her mom Teresa went to be with the Lord on November 3rd, 2019, Claudia looks forward to their reunion in the sky and is committed to continuing her mother’s legacy. 

As a young adult, Claudia spent years searching for truth, “unlearning” much of what she had been taught through the study of scripture and Holy Spirit revelation. In the fall of 2019, she found her spiritual home at Rock Harbor Church, where she became a member the following year, thanks to an invitation from her brother. 

Claudia is a mother of four sons, one of whom has special needs, and she has two dogs and a recently adopted feisty cat. Over the years, she has enjoyed a variety of hobbies, including event planning, cake making, sewing, gardening, creating tinctures, photography, reading, and most importantly, studying Scripture and deepening her personal walk with Jesus Christ through many trials and tribulations. 

She attended Bakersfield College and the University of Phoenix as a single working parent, earning a bachelor’s degree in business management in 2002. Claudia worked in the same career field for 32 years, starting in entry-level positions at age 18 and rising to the level of director by June 2024. Throughout her career Claudia worked in every area of human resources and safety, however, Claudia’s expertise was in serving people through employee relations, soft skills training, personal and business strategy, coaching, and personal development. She worked with employees at all levels, creating leadership development plans, programs, and training others to overcome obstacles for personal growth for multiple companies. The saying “we spend more time with our work families than our own” resonated with Claudia, as she often found herself helping employees navigate life’s challenges while maintaining their work responsibilities. As the years passed, employee relations issues became more frequent and complex. Claudia provided coaching, developed plans, and even led some people to the Lord during these interactions. Glory be to God! 

In recent years, Claudia felt the Holy Spirit leading her to leave her career due to the growing conflict between her job responsibilities and her faith. After much prayer, reflection, and listening to powerful sermons at Rock Harbor Church, she decided to step away from her 32-year career in human resources to follow her calling. On July 1st, 2024, she officially began her new role as a counselor at Rock Harbor Church, dedicated to serving the Lord by pointing people to Jesus and helping them discover and embrace their true identity in Christ—a lifetime and eternal honor in her eyes. She is currently attending Liberty University to earn her master’s in Christian counseling, further developing and refining her biblical counseling skills.