Our Pastor
Pastor Gabriel Gonzalez, wife Gwen, and daughters ...
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Dear Neighbor, I was born in Rochester, NY to migrant parents from Puerto Rico. From an early age I was brought by my mother to Calvary Bible Baptist Church, pastored at that time by Fred Simpson. I was also brought to First Bible Baptist Church at the same time by my father. I was blessed early on with two parents who valued the gospel enough to make sure I heard it every weekend. It was after one such Sunday in 1986, I told my Sunday school teacher that I needed to be saved. After all the kids had gone, she knelt beside me and showed me how I could be born again. I was 8 years old, and even then my heart burned for others to know my Saviour.
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My introduction to ministry was with my father. He would take me and my brother downtown every Saturday to pass out tracts and witness to passersby. Later, he would be a missionary to the migrant camps that surround our city helping folks as much as he could while preaching to them the gospel. Again, I was stirred as a young boy to reach people for Christ.
I knew I needed to surrender to the Lord, but I allowed the cares of this world to distract me from my calling. I spent the latter half of my teens and the early years of my twenties running and trying to satisfy my heart with all the world could offer. God used the birth of my first daughter to begin the process of softening my heart towards Him. No Son of God can truly be happy out of God's will. At the age of 26, I surrendered to the Lord under the preaching of Pastor Tom Gonzales and got to work right away establishing Westside Bible Baptist Church. A church plant out of Calvary Bible Baptist. I preached my first sermon there.
Shortly after I began Bible school under pastor Jim Gugino and Mike Buscaglia at Lighthouse School of the Bible. I graduated 3 years later all the while preaching and ministering any way I could. I started a children’s ministry, was active in the leadership of the church, ushering, street preaching, etc. Much of my practical experience happened during this time under the Pastorate of Vince Giardino at Gospel Light Bible Baptist Church.
After spending two more years doing inner city work, I found myself again at Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church where in the last six years, I have taught an adult Sunday school, AWANA (a children's ministry) and most recently have been the missions director.
In 2014, I married my wife, Gwen, whom I have known since high school, and we have two beautiful daughters together.
So why do I say all this? It is my belief that at every step of my life, God has been shaping me for this time. I am thankful to all the men God put in my life to equip me to be the man I am today. Those men have given me opportunities to serve the Lord both with success and failure. For those who were there for me in all stages of my life... Now it’s my turn to be that person in the position to help you reach your potential for Christ. Our church motto “See what Christ can do” not only describes my testimony, but it also declares that it can be repeated in your own life.
My family and I look forward to ministering to you the best we can. We are children of this area and your neighbors. Our desire is to please the Lord by serving others. We hope to meet you soon.
I knew I needed to surrender to the Lord, but I allowed the cares of this world to distract me from my calling. I spent the latter half of my teens and the early years of my twenties running and trying to satisfy my heart with all the world could offer. God used the birth of my first daughter to begin the process of softening my heart towards Him. No Son of God can truly be happy out of God's will. At the age of 26, I surrendered to the Lord under the preaching of Pastor Tom Gonzales and got to work right away establishing Westside Bible Baptist Church. A church plant out of Calvary Bible Baptist. I preached my first sermon there.
Shortly after I began Bible school under pastor Jim Gugino and Mike Buscaglia at Lighthouse School of the Bible. I graduated 3 years later all the while preaching and ministering any way I could. I started a children’s ministry, was active in the leadership of the church, ushering, street preaching, etc. Much of my practical experience happened during this time under the Pastorate of Vince Giardino at Gospel Light Bible Baptist Church.
After spending two more years doing inner city work, I found myself again at Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church where in the last six years, I have taught an adult Sunday school, AWANA (a children's ministry) and most recently have been the missions director.
In 2014, I married my wife, Gwen, whom I have known since high school, and we have two beautiful daughters together.
So why do I say all this? It is my belief that at every step of my life, God has been shaping me for this time. I am thankful to all the men God put in my life to equip me to be the man I am today. Those men have given me opportunities to serve the Lord both with success and failure. For those who were there for me in all stages of my life... Now it’s my turn to be that person in the position to help you reach your potential for Christ. Our church motto “See what Christ can do” not only describes my testimony, but it also declares that it can be repeated in your own life.
My family and I look forward to ministering to you the best we can. We are children of this area and your neighbors. Our desire is to please the Lord by serving others. We hope to meet you soon.