OUR LEADERSHIP
At Sojourn, pastors oversee the doctrine, discipline, and direction of the church. They share the responsibility of shepherding our church with wisdom and integrity (Ephesians 4:1-16, 1 Peter 5).
We are committed to providing Sojourn's essential operations with a humility that reflects the character and nature of our God. The following staff members serve in their position in a full-time capacity (thanks to the support of Sojourn Members' giving):
TONY VILLATORO, PASTOR
Tony serves in the role of Pastor of Vision and Leadership. He works to cast and implement vision for the Church and equips and trains the leaders of Sojourn Spring Branch.
Tony is married to Ruthie and has two children, they have called Spring Branch home since they married thirteen years ago. He graduated with a Pastoral Ministries Bachelor’s degree from College of Biblical Studies and completed a Finishing Residency from Houston Church Planting Network.
Believing in the mission God has called him in the neighborhood where he grew up, Tony is trusting God to establish Sojourn in the west side of Houston as he serves in the role of pastor.
ELDERS
Sojourn is an elder-led church. While the word elder is used here and in our foundational documents, Sojourn uses the words pastor and elder interchangeably. At Sojourn, our elders oversee the doctrine, discipline, and direction of the church. These men may or may not be paid by the church, but they share the responsibility of shepherding our church with wisdom and integrity (Ephesians 4:1-16, 1 Peter 5).
At our church, our founding pastor, Tony Villatoro, is the only elder at present. Accordingly, in keeping with the structure of Sojourn, pastor Tony leads Sojourn with the accountability of fellow Acts29 pastors.
DEACONS
Our Community Groups are, in many ways, the backbone of the day-to-day ministry that happens at and through Sojourn. Our Community Groups are led by men and women, each qualified (1 Timothy 3:8-13) and ordained (Acts 6:1-6) deacons for the purpose of fostering gospel family in their parishes.
Community Group Leaders
Joe Deschamps
Hallie Deschamps
Gilbert Garza
Lauren Garza
Juan Alvarado
Arjani Alvarado
Sojourn Kids Ministry Team
Arjani Alvarado
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We believe the Church is marked primarily by submission to the Scriptures. The Bible is the pure Word of God, the only absolute authority for Christians, and all things within the church are governed/managed accordingly. As a broadly Reformed family of churches, we affirm three marks of a true church: (1) the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word, (2) the faithful administration of the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper), and (3) the faithful exercise of church discipline.
Sojourn receives the Nicene Creed, the Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement, and the 5 doctrinal distinctives of the Acts 29 Network. Although we do not require our members to agree on every point, the confession below forms the theological identity of Sojourn.
