Carl Westerlund is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.) and has been in pastoral ministry since 1968. Before moving to California, he served as the senior pastor of a church in Grand Junction Colorado. In the late 80's he felt the Lord directing him and his family to come to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. He has been on the staff at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa since 1987. After teaching a Tuesday evening Bible School for a few years, the need for a more formalized training of those going into ministry became apparent. In 1989 Carl started the School of Ministry as a two year intensive program designed to train men in the Bible and ministry. The success of the program is its balance between gaining a deeper knowledge of the Bible and practical application to ministry. That program has been recently expanded to a three-year program and renamed the Calvary Chapel School of Ministry.

He has been married to his wife Barbara since 1966 and has two sons, a daughter-in-law and a grand daughter. With the help of others he began the Calvary Chapel Discipleship Support Groups in 1993.