By Rev. Gian Carlo Villatoro
Founding Pastor, Victory Church Odessa
It seems like a long time ago, but at the same time it feels like it was just a few months ago. What I know is that I witnessed the love and faith of people around me. What an honor! What a privilege!
What is what moves people to believe in church? What is that thing that compels us to agree to go to church? Why is it that we are willing to work, put effort and give money for something that seems so irrelevant in the eyes of the world? Faith.
Faith in the Name of Jesus. Faith in God and in The Bible. The power of the Holy Spirit inside of us. This unexplainable force that takes us to a location where together, with other believers, we feel the need to say prayers, sing songs, lift our hands to Heaven, and read the Holy Scriptures to keep on going in life.
This super extraordinary Energy that can’t be compared to anything else. Invisible and indivisible. Powerful and sweet. Strong and subtle. The Love of our Lord God in our hearts. His Presence in us.
We invite people to come join us, and we receive new church members, sometimes they stay, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they become family to us, sometimes they argue and question us until the day they leave. And yet, from time to time, we think of them and we pray for them. That is the right thing.
We continue believing that our job is to reach out, to share with everyone the message of the Son of Man, who was crucified on a cross, who died, but conquered the grave, and He has risen as the first fruits for the Lord God, to be the One who we follow and adore.
That is the reason why on Sept. 25, 2016, we started Victory Church Odessa. Thank you, Lord God, for this honor. I don’t deserve it, but I thank you for this gift! I love you, Lord!
