John Privitt

John accepted Christ in 1971 in a small church in Westwood, California.  He was raised with his mother’s maiden name Carter. John spent his early years touring with his band as country music artist John Cody Carter, as well as writing, performing, and recording with many well-known country music artists including  Merle Haggard, Johnny Paycheck, Willie Nelson, Hank Cochran, Dottie West, Shelley West, and others. He was a staff songwriter for Tree Publishing, Sony ATV Music Publishing, Wrensong Publishing, and Famous Music Publishing in Nashville, Tennessee.

John met Skip Heitzig (Pastor of Calvary Church in Albuquerque) in the early 80s and attended his weekly Bible study at the Lakes apartments in Albuquerque, NM. This was a major turning point for John. He had never experienced verse-by-verse Bible study before.  John has said, “I learned more in one Bible study under Skip than I had in the first ten years of my Christian experience.” John came to an understanding that night that not only was it possible, but it was the responsibility, privilege, and inheritance of every believer to study, learn, and understand the word of God.

John was introduced to the teaching ministry of Chuck Smith (Founding Pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa) and began studying through the Bible verse by verse with pastor Skip Heitzig, and Pastor Chuck through his radio program, The Word For Today. John attended Butte College ( Chico, Ca.), Hope International University (Fullerton, Ca.),  and Lancaster Bible College and Graduate School (Lancaster, Pa.).

John started in ministry as one of the first worship leaders of Calvary Albuquerque in the early 80’s. He served as an itinerate pastor at Calvary Chapel Ukiah, CA., as Assistant Pastor at Calvary Chapel Franklin, TN., and served as pastor of  Calvary Chapel Nashville, TN. for 10 years. He has been the Pastor of Calvary Taos for 10  years.

John authored a Discipleship Training Course focusing on Christian Discipleship and the Systematic Inductive Bible Study Method. John has taught the course in many American churches as well as in Iraq, North India, the Philippines, Uganda, Kenya, and Mexico. John spent two years in Balad, Iraq.

John and his wife, Stephanie, moved to Taos in 2013. They have 3 children Joe, Jessica, JB, and 16-year-old Grandson DJ.  They also have  7 other Grandchildren; Maverick, Maddie, Luke, Gabriel, Sophia, Samantha, and Abbey.