Helping out where help is needed: Meet The Leader of Victory Outreach, Sonny Arguinzoni
Victory Outreach International is a worldwide Christian ministry network of 700 churches as well as training locations and missions with a presence in dozens of countries. Founded in 1967, it began as a small church in East Los Angeles and has since grown to ministering the teachings of Christ to all corners of the United States and in other countries.
Today, over one-third of all of Victory Outreach churches are outside the United States — all of them serving Christ through an array of unique cultures. Within the U.S., Victory Outreach’s primary mission is to minister to, and help those who live in inner-cities and often endure poverty, violence and an environment of drug use.
Each Victory Outreach church operates autonomously, makes its own organizational decisions and supports itself. The core belief is faithfully serving the Great Commission of Christ, which he gave to his disciples in Galilee in Matthew 28: 18 through 10:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
All of our church leaderships, do, however, require adherence to the tenets of Victory Outreach’s Statement of Faith, which are written to maintain diligent adherence to the Word of God.
Victory Outreach was founded by Sonny Arguinzoni Sr. and his wife, Julie, when they began to invite troubled individuals from the rough streets of East Los Angeles into their home to feed them and nurture them with the Word of God. As they established their first congregation in a modest building in Boyle Heights, the church grew in size, sprawling throughout the State of California, they reached on through numerous international missions, ultimately establishing ministries in Mexico and Europe.
Born in New York City, he experienced a troubled youth that veered him away from the ministry work of his parents. But after giving his life to Christ at 19, he became a licensed minister and attended L.I.F.E Bible College and earned his degree there. Since then, he has led a life of reformation with a mission of helping those that are troubled just as he was. The tone of his ministry is that of hope and redemption, that can only be achieved through faith in Christ.
Arguinzoni has written four books, “Sonny, The Account of HIs Life Story,” “Treasures Out of Darkness, Expounds on the Birthing of Victory Outreach International,” “Internalizing the Vision,” and “Vision For the Outcast.”
