Pastor Cesar Alfonzo Joins the Morgan Hill and Gilroy SDA Churches

Since childhood, I’ve been passionate about youth ministry, Pathfinders, and music, and I eventually dreamed of becoming a pastor. As the years went by, I had to make a decision: study something else or pursue theology. God opened the door and kept the pastoral path open for me.

During my studies, I felt like the "minor" in many ways, especially among my fellow students who were already evangelists, elders, or had significant spiritual experiences. There were times when people doubted whether I would make it. But God placed a deep desire in my heart to serve, to be willing, to inspire, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Throughout these years, prayer and music ministry have been my refuges, and the best ways I could share God’s love. When I started my ministry back in Venezuela, I witnessed miracles: people being healed in hospitals, homes, and through my visits to the brethren. I learned from experienced pastors the saying, "Pastors have to smell like sheep," which deeply resonated with me as I walked alongside the people in their struggles. We prayed for finances, and He provided. We prayed for healing, and He healed. We prayed for restored relationships, and He poured out His love.

By the way, I’m deeply grateful for every person that God placed in my path to counsel me and help me grow— from my parents to a diverse group of pastors and mentors who never hesitated to help me out.

After three years of pastoral ministry in Venezuela, I felt called to become a missionary. I seized the opportunity to volunteer at Monterey Bay Academy, and after a year, God called me to serve the beautiful and welcoming people of the Gilroy and Morgan Churches in the Central California Conference. We are excited to see how God will use us and our brethren to comfort a community experiencing pain, doubts, and sorrow.

One of my guiding Bible verses is Psalm 37:5: "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act."

Written by Pastor Cesar Alfonzo