Back in late 2019, the Zuniga family took a big leap of faith and started Kingdom Church in the Crescent Park Baptist Church complex at 3002 E. University Blvd.
It took lots of work to paint, remodel and put in new electrical wiring, flooring, plumbing and lighting, but their efforts have paid off with strong attendance at two Sunday morning services each week and enough contributions to donate to other churches that have struggled during the pandemic.
The family is Senior Pastor Josh Zuniga, his sister Elsa Marie Rodriguez, who is the executive pastor and children’s pastor, and his brothers Marc and Jon, the creative pastor and youth pastor.
Kingdom Church adopts a theme each year and for 2022 it is “warfare,” suggesting the seriousness of seeking to save the lost and strengthening the faith of the redeemed, and the Rev. Zuniga said it has turned out to be especially apropos with the war in Ukraine.
He declined to give attendance figures for the church’s 10 and 11:45 a.m. services, saying spiritual growth is more important than how many people attend or how much they give.
“We have given quite a bit to other churches and we’re looking at going to three services,” said Zuniga, who took a bachelor’s degree in leadership and communications at UTPB and studied at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla. He is not married.
“We’re praying about what the next step is, but we love where we are,” he said.
His parents Marcos and Letticia helped to start the church.
Formerly youth pastor at New Life Chapel, where Marcos was the senior pastor, Josh said Kingdom Church’s vision “is to hear God’s voice every week.
“Jesus didn’t have an original thought,” he said. “He says in John 5:19-30 that he only said what he had heard the father say and did what he had seen the father do.
“A lot of times we’re scared when we think of warfare, but the victor always gets the spoils and the Lord is leading us into a place where we can inherit and see more souls come to him,” Zuniga said. “Our word last year was ‘purity,’ focusing on coming before the Lord with our hearts to see what things he wanted us to do or not be doing.
“He’s asking us to come to him with a pure heart and have a relationship with him. Our goal is to know Jesus, hear his voice and follow him closer to get his provision. We cannot live without God’s blessing.”
The Rev. Joe Acuff, worship leader at Crescent Park Baptist Church, said Zuniga “is a very fine young man and an excellent preacher and pastor.
“Josh is very energetic and easy to talk to,” the Rev. Acuff said. “He is always willing to share the word of God and I feel honored to be able to call him a friend as well as a fellow clergyman.”
