Sonny Arguinzoni Sr., pastor and founder of Victory Outreach, which planted hundreds of churches in the United States and abroad, has died at age 85.
Victory Outreach of Chino, California, which served as Arguinzoni’s main church, announced on its Facebook page Tuesday that Arguinzoni died on Monday.
“Sonny wasn’t just a man; he was a movement,” stated Victory Outreach Chino. “His unwavering faith and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ inspired millions around the world. Through his vision and leadership, countless lives were transformed, and entire communities were uplifted.”
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“Sonny’s legacy is one of hope, compassion, and relentless dedication. The impact he has made globally is immeasurable, and his love will echo through the hearts of many for generations to come. He was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.”
The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and pastor of New Season Church in Sacramento, took to his X account to offer his condolences.
Rodriguez called Arguinzoni the “Godfather of inner city ministry” and a “man of God that led countless lives into the hands of the redeeming Savior.”
“The follower of Jesus that changed the world. … Sonny Arguinzoni passed into eternity. We will miss you,” tweeted Rodriguez. “My hero, your legacy lives on!”
Arguinzoni was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1939. As a teenager, he was involved in gang activity and was a drug addict until becoming a born-again Christian in his early 20s.
In 1967, Arguinzoni and his wife founded Victory Outreach, a ministry that currently boasts around 700 churches in 33 countries, with ministries focused on helping those in inner-city environments.
Victory Outreach Chino was the first church of the ministry, founded in 1967 and based in Los Angeles, California, before being moved to La Puente, California, in 1985.
In 1989, Arguinzoni appointed his son, Sonny Arguinzoni Jr., to the position of senior pastor of the congregation, which eventually moved to its present Chino location in 2007.
“Since 1967, we have helped thousands of people take control of their lives. From our simple beginning, we have grown into an international organization, carrying the hope and message of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the earth,” stated the church.
“We have taken steps to make sure the legacy of Victory Outreach continues for generations to come. In Victory Outreach churches and centers worldwide, it is compassion that triumphs … faith that endures.”
