The leaders of the San Diego Mission Team – Vic & Aurora Gonzalez – at San Diego State University!
“Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 1:7-8
Luke records Jesus’ Great Commission as, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Interesting parallels can be made between God’s movement in the first century and His movement in the 21st century. In God’s new movement, Los Angeles – a city of 20 million and planted with sold-out disciples from Portland in 2007 – corresponds to “Jerusalem,” the center of leadership for the churches. Let’s not forget that Jesus ministered in the little towns of Galilee for three years – about the same amount of time Elena and I served the Lord in the smaller municipality of Portland! After gathering His disciples in Galilee, the Spirit began the church with these same disciples in “Jerusalem,” the population center of Israel – “all Judea and Samaria.” Therefore, “Judea” could be likened to Southern California. “Samaria” might be compared to the United States and “the ends of the earth” are “the ends of the earth!” Our plan for “the ends of the earth” is The Crown of Thorns Project, where – Lord willing – we will establish discipling churches in the next five years in Cairo, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Santiago, Sao Paulo and Sydney! The evangelization of “Samaria” – the United States – is well underway with dynamic discipling churches in America’s four most influential cities – New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington DC – as well as having awesome congregations in Eugene, Hilo, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, and Syracuse.
As for “Judea,” the City of Angels Church oversees a small group of six disciples already living in San Diego. After much prayer, the decision has been made to send a full-time couple – Vic & Aurora Gonzalez – accompanied by loyal disciples – Sameer & Loidy Frenzley, David & Margarita Jackson, Gabe Morillo, Brandon Rasha and Ray Underhill – to compose the San Diego Mission Team. The team will arrive in December and will be sent out on Sunday, January 3, 2010 at our Winter Workshop. The Inaugural Service of the San Diego International Christian Church will be Sunday, February 7, 2010 – Super Bowl Sunday!
San Diego – almost annually selected as “The Most Livable City in America” – has four million lost souls! There are approximately 210,000 college students in San Diego County. The most notable of these 24 colleges and universities – University of California San Diego (28,200 students), San Diego State University (44,200 students), and the University of San Diego (7,000 students) – will be the focus of our campus ministry.
Our mission team leaders are the dearly beloved couple, Vic Jr. & Aurora. Vic, the oldest of ten children, came to Portland when his parents Victor Sr. & Sonia moved there with their entire family in the Spring of 2004, just nine months after the Spirit sent Elena and me to the Rose City. (Victor Sr. & Sonia began the Portland Latin Ministry and now serve as the leaders for the very fruitful Latin Region of the City of Angels Church.) Aurora was baptized on December 10, 2004, while attending Pacific University, located about an hour from downtown Portland. Vic & Aurora dated as they both attended Portland State University. They were married December 17, 2006. After moving to LA on the mission team in May 2007, they were blessed by the Lord with their daughter Zoe on June 24, 2008! From the beginning of the City of Angels Church, they have served as the leaders of the UCLA Campus Ministry. In the past two-and-a-half years, the Lord has used them to help raise up several interns and campus leaders: Joy Axelson (Honolulu), Ricky Challinor (Orange County), Gordo Esparza (Portland), Jake Ramsier (Honolulu), Mike Underhill (New York City), and Coleen Untalan (Orange County).
Two weeks ago, Elena and I accompanied Vic & Aurora to San Diego to “spy-out the land.” As we drove around this gorgeous city, my mind was flooded with many pleasant memories as my father was stationed at the San Diego Naval Base during my early years in the ministry. We prayed with the Gonzalezs for the first time on the journey, as we stood in awe of God, while viewing the vastness of the Pacific Ocean and the cute fur seals in La Jolla Cove. Next we prayed beside the Cabrillo Monument on Point Loma, which overlooks the entire downtown San Diego. We also entreated God’s favor at the UCSD and San Diego State campuses. To end our day, we travelled across the mesmerizing Coronado Bridge onto Coronado Island, where we likewise prayed to the “Lord of Harvest.” (Matthew 9:38)
At the Cabrillo Monument, which is hundreds of feet above San Diego, we saw an incredible number of ships that came in and out of the San Diego Naval Base – which is the second largest in the United States. San Diego is home to the Pacific Fleet. In 1969 during the Vietnam War, since the United States was not experiencing the level of superiority in air-to-air combat it had enjoyed in previous hostilities, the Navy established the “Top Gun” School at the Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego. “Top Gun” quickly achieved its goals by selecting the best naval aviators for a month-long intensive training course. In time, these pilots began to dominate the skies. In 1986, one of my favorite movies called Top Gun immortalized the adventure and danger of being a Navy aviator. In 1997, the Miramar Air Base changed to become a Marine Air Base and the “Top Gun” School was moved to Nevada.
Cognizant of the rich heritage of the Armed Services in the San Diego area, one of the first disciples selected for the team was Ray Underhill, who served two tours of duty in Iraq as a Corporal in the Marine Corps. Raised as a “kingdom kid” by Lance & Connie Underhill, Ray upon his retirement to Los Angeles was baptized this past summer! In the Marines, he served valiantly at one of the most dangerous posts – Hadigha. Now, as a full-time student, this same courageous character is focused on winning many souls from the Armed Services and from the campus!
The other members of the mission team are equally inspirational. Three of the team members – Brandon, Loidy & Sameer – all moved to the West Region of LA a short time ago from Palm Springs. For the two years prior to their move, their convictions about being sold-out disciples with “the dream to evangelize the nations in a generation” were demonstrated as every Sunday they drove 125 miles from Palm Springs to downtown LA to attend worship service! Gabe was an unfaithful “kingdom kid” in Gainesville, Florida. He was helping Ken & Liliana Zindler pack to move to the City of Angels Church, when Vic – also helping the Zindlers move – challenged Gabe to go with them the very next day. This he did, and Gabe was baptized shortly after his arrival in LA at the 2007 Jubilee! David & Margarita, both baptized in Portland during our days there, moved to LA as a dating couple and were married. The Gonzalezs found kindred hearts in the Jacksons, and raised them up to become the leaders of the Santa Monica College Ministry.
Awaiting this incredible mission team in San Diego are six gallant disciples, who have often travelled two hours to attend services in Los Angeles: Christina Cregg, Violet Fuller, Maria Neto, Odie Neto – the son of Maria, Violet Swan and JD Walters. Of special note, Odie is the 2003 NAGA World Champion in Ju Jitsu. He owns dojos in San Diego and Japan. Special thanks for sustaining the San Diego disciples goes to Lance & Connie Underhill, Raul & Lynda Moreno, Larry & Christy Wilson, and Chad & Erin Welch.
Let us pray for the preparation of the San Diego Mission Team and our brothers and sisters already in San Diego. If anyone would like to join or simply learn more about the San Diego International Christian Church, please contact Vic at 636-443-3387 or Aurora at 480-221-4645. Truly, the Bible is coming alive in our day as we see the gospel going out “from Jerusalem, to all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth!” And to God be all the glory!
