Who Is Raul Ries?
Raul Andrew Ries (born August 30, 1947, in Mexico City, Mexico) is a Mexican-American pastor, author, and Vietnam veteran.
He has served as Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Golden Springs in Diamond Bar, California, since founding it in 1974.
Known for his blunt, no-nonsense preaching style and his dramatic conversion story, told in his autobiography Fury to Freedom, Ries built a congregation of more than 12,000 out of a home Bible study that started in his Kung Fu studio.
Raul Ries at a Glance
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Raul Andrew Ries |
| Born | August 30, 1947, Mexico City, Mexico |
| Age | 78 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | Mexican-American |
| Spouse | Sharon Faith Ries (m. 1968; passed away May 5, 2024) |
| Children | Three sons: Raul Jr., Shane, and Ryan Ries; nine grandchildren |
| Parents | Not publicly disclosed |
| Education | |
| Graduate degrees | Master of Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Religion, Azusa Pacific University (1976-1990) |
| Doctorate | Doctor of Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary (1992) |
| Military | |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Service | Vietnam War; awarded two Purple Hearts |
| Ministry | |
| Title | Senior Pastor |
| Church | Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, Diamond Bar, California |
| Denomination | Non-denominational, Calvary Chapel movement |
| Ordained | November 29, 1975, by Chuck Smith |
| Website | calvarygs.org |
| Career | |
| Books | Fury to Freedom, Seven Steps to a Successful Marriage, Raising a Godly Family in an Ungodly World |
| Radio | Somebody Loves You, syndicated on 350+ stations |
| Net worth | Estimated $4-5 million (unverified public estimate) |
Early Life and Background
Raul Ries was born in Mexico City in 1947. His father drank heavily and beat both Raul and his mother. When Ries was about 10 years old, his mother finally left, taking him and his siblings to the United States in 1957.
Growing up angry wasn’t a metaphor for young Raul. He carried real rage from a childhood spent watching his father hurt his mother. That anger followed him straight into adulthood.
From Street Fight to the Marines
Right after high school, Ries got into a fight serious enough to land him in front of a judge. He was given a choice: prison or the military. He chose the Marines.
At 19, he shipped out to Vietnam. He’d already trained in Kung Fu San Soo, and that background made him a sharp, capable Marine. He survived two near-death experiences in combat and came home with two Purple Hearts. He also came home carrying the war with him.
Ministry Journey and Career
A Marriage on the Edge
While overseas, Ries fell in love through letters with Sharon Farrel, a missionary’s daughter he’d met at Baldwin Park High School. They married on July 6, 1968.
But peace never came home with him from Vietnam. Ries brought his anger into the marriage, and by his own account, things got physically and verbally abusive.
On Easter morning in 1972, Ries reached a breaking point. Convinced Sharon was about to leave him, he waited at home with a gun, intending to kill her when she returned from church.
As he waited, he came across a television broadcast of Pastor Chuck Smith preaching. Something shifted. Ries couldn’t pull the trigger. Instead, he put the gun down and prayed, and by his own telling, he felt God change him completely in that moment.
From Kung Fu Studio to Calvary Chapel Golden Springs
Ries wasted no time putting his new faith into action. In 1974, he started a home Bible study with seven other people and began preaching to teenagers at his old high school, Baldwin Park High.
Chuck Smith ordained him on November 29, 1975, at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, part of a wave of new pastors coming out of the Jesus Movement that Smith had helped launch.
His growing Bible study outgrew his home and moved into his Kung Fu studio. From there it moved to a movie theater, then into a converted Safeway grocery store in West Covina, where 800 people gathered weekly by 1979. That congregation became Calvary Chapel West Covina.
In 1993, Ries stepped out again. He bought 25 acres in Diamond Bar, California, and converted an empty office building into what’s now Calvary Chapel Golden Springs. Today the church draws between 12,000 and 14,000 people weekly and ranks among the largest churches in America.
Somebody Loves You Ministries
Ries founded Somebody Loves You Ministries in 1993 to carry his message beyond Diamond Bar. The ministry runs a daily syndicated radio program heard on more than 350 stations across North America and New Zealand.
It also organizes EXIT Festivals in the United States and Escape Festivals in South America, high-energy Christian concerts built around a simple altar call.
Since it began, Somebody Loves You Ministries has drawn over 340,000 people to its events, with more than 23,000 recorded decisions for Christ.
Ries also leads So Send I You, the church’s international missions arm, which has planted churches across Central and South America.
Studying After Ordination
Ries had a limited education before ministry, and he knew it. Rather than lean on his ordination alone, he went back to school, earning a Master of Ministry, Master of Divinity, and Master of Arts in Religion from Azusa Pacific University between 1976 and 1990. He completed a Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary in 1992.
Books, Films, and Public Ministry
Ries has written several books, including his autobiography Fury to Freedom, which has been translated into six languages.
He also wrote Seven Steps to a Successful Marriage and Raising a Godly Family in an Ungodly World, both drawing on his own painful journey from an abusive marriage to a restored one.
His story has also reached screens. Fury to Freedom became a feature film dramatizing his conversion. He also produced A Quiet Hope, a documentary about the Vietnam War, and Venture in Faith, along with a later project called Taking the Hill.
What Is Raul Ries Doing Now?
Ries, now in his late 70s, remains the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Golden Springs. He continues to preach regularly, host his daily radio program, and lead Somebody Loves You Ministries.
He also serves as a Regional Oversight Team leader for the Calvary Chapel Association, covering the Monrovia and San Gabriel Valley region in Southern California.
He remains close with other pastors from his generation of the Jesus Movement, including Greg Laurie of Harvest Ministries and Skip Heitzig of Calvary Church Albuquerque.
When Laurie’s son Christopher died in a car accident in 2008, Ries was among the first people Laurie’s friends called, and he showed up to comfort the family personally.
Personal Life
Raul and Sharon Ries were married for 56 years, from July 6, 1968, until her death on May 5, 2024. Sharon led the church’s women’s ministry for more than 40 years and received an honorary doctorate from Calvary Chapel Golden Springs Bible College for her work. She battled breast cancer for over a decade, first diagnosed in 2009, before passing away in 2024.
The couple raised three sons: Raul Jr., Shane, and Ryan Ries. They have nine grandchildren. Ries has an eighth-degree black belt in Kung Fu San Soo and still teaches martial arts as a tool for ministry and discipline, drawing on the same discipline that shaped his years as a Marine.
Theology and Ministry Philosophy
What Denomination Is Raul Ries Part Of?
Calvary Chapel Golden Springs identifies as non-denominational, though it’s firmly part of the Calvary Chapel movement that Chuck Smith started in Costa Mesa in the late 1960s.
That movement emphasizes verse-by-verse Bible teaching, personal conversion experience, and a straightforward, unadorned style of preaching. Ries reflects all three, mixed with the directness of a former Marine.
Why Did Calvary Chapel Split Up?
After Chuck Smith died in 2013, tension built inside the Calvary Chapel movement over who would carry his vision forward. In 2016, Smith’s son-in-law, Brian Brodersen, left the Calvary Chapel Association (CCA) and formed a separate group called the Calvary Chapel Global Network. Both sides said the split wasn’t about doctrine but about direction and philosophy of ministry.
Ries stayed with the original Calvary Chapel Association. He currently serves on its regional leadership team for Southern California, placing Calvary Chapel Golden Springs firmly on the CCA side of that divide rather than with Brodersen’s network.
Influence and Legacy
Ries represents a specific kind of American pastor: a man whose credibility comes from having lived the wreckage he now preaches against. His congregation didn’t grow because of polish.
It grew because a former Marine with a violent past stood up and told the truth about what almost happened in his living room on Easter morning, 1972.
That honesty shaped an entire ministry model. Somebody Loves You Concerts, EXIT Festivals, and Escape Festivals all carry the same DNA as his personal testimony: loud, direct, unfiltered, and aimed at people who’ve written off church altogether. Over three decades, that approach has reached hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and Latin America.
Criticism and Controversies
Ries has drawn criticism from a few corners of the Christian world. Independent watchdog blogs covering the Calvary Chapel movement have questioned his compensation from Somebody Loves You Ministries, based on figures pulled from the nonprofit’s public IRS filings.
Ries has not issued a detailed public response to these specific claims, and the church has not released independent financial statements confirming or disputing the numbers.
Separately, a fringe website critical of Calvary Chapel theology has labeled Ries a “false teacher,” largely because of his association with the broader Calvary Chapel movement and his public praise of other well-known ministers. This criticism reflects a narrow doctrinal dispute rather than any documented ethical or legal finding against Ries.
Net Worth and Financial Information
Raul Ries has never published an official net worth figure. A handful of websites estimate his net worth between $4 million and $5 million, and one unverified source puts his annual salary near $145,000.
None of these numbers come from a confirmed financial statement, tax filing shared by the church, or a direct statement from Ries. Treat any specific figure with caution until a primary source confirms it.
Awards and Recognition
Ries received two Purple Heart medals for wounds sustained during his Vietnam War service, the clearest and most documented recognition of his life.
He hasn’t pursued industry or denominational awards, focusing instead on the reach of his radio broadcast and the size of his congregation as measures of impact.
Interesting Facts About Raul Ries
- He holds an eighth-degree black belt in Kung Fu San Soo and still uses martial arts training as a ministry and discipleship tool.
- His first Bible study met in his Kung Fu studio in Covina before it ever had a church building.
- He converted to Christianity while holding a loaded gun, moments before he intended to use it on his wife.
- His autobiography and film, both titled Fury to Freedom, have been translated into six languages.
- He survived a serious PTSD-related health crisis in February 2007, tied to flashbacks from Vietnam, and hasn’t experienced one since.
Raul Ries Timeline
- 1947 — Born August 30 in Mexico City, Mexico.
- 1957 — Immigrates to the United States with his mother and siblings.
- 1966 (approx.) — Joins the United States Marine Corps at age 19.
- 1968 — Marries Sharon Faith Farrel on July 6.
- 1972 — Has a life-changing conversion experience on Easter morning.
- 1974 — Starts a home Bible study with seven people; Calvary Chapel West Covina begins to take shape.
- 1975 — Ordained by Chuck Smith on November 29 at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.
- 1992 — Completes a Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary.
- 1993 — Moves the congregation to Diamond Bar, founding Calvary Chapel Golden Springs and Somebody Loves You Ministries.
- 2007 — Experiences a serious Vietnam-related PTSD crisis in February; recovers through prayer.
- 2016 — Calvary Chapel movement splits; Ries remains with the Calvary Chapel Association.
- 2024 — Sharon Ries passes away on May 5 after a long battle with cancer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pastor Raul Ries?
Raul Ries is a Mexican-American pastor and Vietnam veteran who leads Calvary Chapel Golden Springs in Diamond Bar, California. He’s known for his direct preaching style and his testimony of transformation from a violent past to full-time ministry.
When was Pastor Raul Ries born?
Ries was born on August 30, 1947, in Mexico City, Mexico.
Where is the origin of Pastor Raul Ries?
He was born in Mexico City and moved to the United States around age 10, settling in Southern California, where he still lives and ministers today.
What is Raul Ries doing now?
He remains Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, continues his daily radio broadcast, and serves in a regional leadership role with the Calvary Chapel Association.
Is Pastor Raul Ries still alive?
Yes. As of 2026, Ries is alive and continues to serve as Senior Pastor at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs.
Did Raul Ries’s wife pass away?
Yes. Sharon Faith Ries, his wife of 56 years, passed away on May 5, 2024, after a long battle with cancer.
How old is Raul Ries?
Ries is 78 years old as of 2026.
Does Raul Ries have children?
Yes. Raul and Sharon Ries raised three sons: Raul Jr., Shane, and Ryan. They have nine grandchildren.
What happened to Pastor Raul Ries?
Ries survived a violent, abusive past before a dramatic conversion in 1972 turned his life around. He later survived two Purple Heart injuries in Vietnam, a serious PTSD crisis in 2007, and the 2024 loss of his wife, Sharon.
What is Raul Ries’s net worth?
His exact net worth hasn’t been officially disclosed. Public estimates range from roughly $4 million to $5 million, though these figures aren’t independently verified.
Was Raul Ries in a car accident?
There’s no verified report of Ries himself being in a car accident. He was, however, closely connected to the 2008 car accident that killed Christopher Laurie, the son of his close friend Greg Laurie, and he personally supported the Laurie family through that loss.
Why did Calvary Chapel split up?
The Calvary Chapel movement split in 2016 after founder Chuck Smith’s death, when Brian Brodersen left the Calvary Chapel Association to start the Calvary Chapel Global Network. Ries remained with the original CCA.
Raul Ries’s story is proof that God can turn even the worst season of your life into a testimony that helps someone else. If his story of transformation moved you, take a look at our guide on how to strengthen your faith during difficult times, and share this article with someone who needs to hear it today.
