I am an ex member of Victory Outreach Santa Rosa. I am going to divulge information if you will on the things that I and others have experienced while at Victory Outreach Santa Rosa.

About 6 years ago Victory Outreach Santa Rosa lost key leaders. They lost 3 ministerial couples, and their worship leader/head church administrator. The ministerial couples left because of the misappropiation of funds. When they asked Pastor Jose questions, his response was that he was he charge and not to question his decisions with the finances. See in Victory Outrach, especially VOSR, the Pastor is not accountable to anybody. There is no church council, church board or a group of elders to keep him accountable. Pastor Jose claims that his accountability is Rick Alanis all the way in San Bernardino.

One of the ministers tried to explain to Jose that he over fleecing the people in the church and that he needed to let up on the offerings and the pledges. He tried to explain to Jose that the church would not be able to afford to stay afloat. Jose never listened. So these families left and everything stayed business as usual. I was in the men's rehab home during this time and boy was I busy. After I worked 10-12 hours a day helping build the church, as did the rest of the men's home I would have to go do a moving job or help cook dinner. Then I had to take a 3 minute shower and do house chores. If I was lucky I would be forced to sign up for General Assistance and earn welfare money to help support the home also. If I complained I was "not loyal" or I was "not dedicated to the cause."

So the church was built and everybody was happy, well kind of. See everybody had given so much money that people in the church had to get food stamps and go on welfare. Then came the part of supporting the new church. Everyweek there would be a new pledge for the church building. People were already giving a 10% tithe to the church and then pledging 100, 200, 500, 1000 and even 2000 and beyond dollars to have paid with 6 months. Being in VOSR everybody had dreams to something great for God. Pastor Jose is really charasmatic and is awesome in increasing your faith to be a preacher, a leader, a pastor, an evangelist or a Pastor's Wife someday. But if you are in leadership you have to lead by example and give first. If you are really serious for God and want to see the vision of Sonny Arguinzoni Sr come to pass you better give. I would hear things all the time like, "put your money where your mouth is," or my personal favorite, "you use to spend all your money on your dope but you can't spend it on God?" There was times where Pastor Jose wouldn't let anyone leave the building until they pledged money. Former Assistant Pastor Richard Contreras even joked about putting a ATM machine in the foyer.

One couple went to Cape Town, SA to help start up the worship team for the new Pastors James and Anna Brady. Before they left, the church picked up a huge offering for musical instruments. When they got there all of the money had already been spent on other things. When they asked where the money was James Brady said that he decided to use it on something else. There was a couple that sold everything they had, and gave up jobs to go start a womens rehab in Cape Town. When they came home they had no support from the church. A man was sent to Santa Rosa to be a missionary in Cape Town. A huge offering was picked up for him to go. A year and a half later he still hasn't gone. When asked Pastor Jose said that the Lord hasn't given him the green light yet. When an ex member called the church office about the $100 that she she gave for the missionary and if she culd get it back, she was told that they would look in to it. That was 3 months ago.

Pastor Jose drives a beautiful Chrysler 300 with 20 inch chromed out rims. He wear the best clothes, has the best watch and has all of his and his wifes needs taken care of by the church. His wife is on payroll also, but mysteriously never works a day in the office and is never available to talk to anybody. His wife even sells knock off purses. When she was confronted about it by a female member of the church, she was ostricized by the church, and treated like an amish kid that left the farm.

Between 2004 and 2006 there was a Pastor by the name of Richard Contreras from the South Asia area that came to VOSR on a sabatical. He was having his own problems with women and money that he needed a break. The congregation at VOSR was told by Pastor Jose that he was here to recuperate and get his health in order. So Richard fit in well. He was very loved and embraced by VOSR. He was a big time Pastor in VO so he had a lot of influence. Richard started to work for a millionaire by the name of Giovanni from the VO in Las vegas. This guy was a Real Estate developer and also made a living on getting people that would never stand a chance a loan. Pastor Jose loved him so much that he had him come to VOSR and preach to the congregation. The sermon was basically about prosperity and how God wants to bless you. Then Richard started wanting people in the church to own their own home. He pumped it up to the point that everyone would have a chance to own theor own home. So tons of people bought in to it including Pastor Jose. The big gimmick was get a home and $10,000 back in cash. Richard pulled strings and got Pastor Jose, Assistance Pastor Elias Gaitan and a lot others their chance to buy a home. He even made it possible for the church to purchase the womens rehab home.

Then it all came crumbling down. Everyone's home became forclosed and Richard was nowhere to be found. He even left left his wife without telling her. Since then business has been usual for Victory Outreach. Lot's of key leaders have left along with other congreation members. If you were to go in to a service or ask somebody you would here them say that the devill got the best of them or that they were not loyal to the vision. or you would here them say that vo isn't for everybody.

Two years ago I contacted the Hayward Victory Outreach and spoke with Pastor Joesy Pineda. Joesy and her husband Steve (who went home to be with the Lord) sent out Pastor jose and Kimberly Guadarrama to Santa Rosa. They were to replace a fallen Pastor named Victor Carrillo who misused money for personal gain and had an affair with a women in the church. I let Joesy know by telephone all that I had seen and heard from other viable sources. She then put me in contact with Pastor Saul Garcia who is the Founder Sonny Arguinzoni, Sr's right hand guy. Saul assured me that they would send a team to investigate the problem and then thanked me for coming to him first. Two years later Pastor Saul has yet to send a team to investigate.

I hope that this information has been usefull to someone. Victory Outreach Santa Rosa as well as Victory Outreach Intl are nothing more than ex gang member, drug addicts who have a very warped sense of power and of what Jesus Christ and the Ministry of the Body of Christ is all about. They are a cult. There agenda is nothing more than to train passionate, loyal converts who will give of time and money to fulfill the greedy desires of its leadership. I love the friends that I once called family at VO and I pray that they get out soon.

I would also like to know if you have any information on Victory Outreach of Riverside or Corona? Let me know, asap!

No I don't.

First I want to apologize to Victory Outreach Santa Rosa and especially to the Senior Pastors Jose and Kimberly Guadarrama. Back in October 2009 I posted something on this website that accused them of all kinds of things that I should not have said. Everything I said was and is not true. At the time I was very hurt by the way I had left the church and was looking at any way to pay them back for my hurt feelings. I acted irrationally and emotionally and that was wrong. I cannot be the spokesperson for everyone that leaves VOSR. Everything that I heard from other people who left is strictly heresay and has never been proven true.

Even though my departure from VOSR was like a bad divorce it doesn't mean they are a bad church or a "cult" for that matter. From the time I entered through their doors till I left there wasn't one person that wouldn't give me the shirt of their back if I needed it. They are good people. They were like family to me at one point. I do regret the things that I said and I sincerely apologize for my actions. One thing that you learn in Christianity is that there isn't a perfect church. I am thakful for VOSR and all that they deposited in me while I was there.

Since the posting I have contacted Pastor Jose and confessed that it was I who posted the comment on this website. I thoroughly apologized and asked for his forgiveness in the matter. Pastor Jose was gracious enough to accept my apology and even extended warm wishes and blessings for me and my family. I figured the least I could do in regards to all of the horrible things I had said about VOSR and the Pastor's was to retract what I have said before to be untrue and let everyone else who see's this on the world wide web that VOSR is a good healthy church, and that Pastor Jose and his wife Kim are awesome Pastors. Anyone who goes to that church will be blessed.

I have to tell you, brother, as a man in recovery for nearly 20 years I am so in love with the truth. I see the truth in your first post. Your last post looks as if you were (a) stricken with a guilty conscience about telling the truth about Santa Rosa Victory Outreach or (b) perhaps you were asked to post the recision as a condition when you tried to get back in the program.

There was too much detail in your first post for it not to be true. The truth is that I've been saved and walking with the Lord and very much involved with the Christian community - many churches - for 13 years. What you've described is no surprise to me. Many of the pastors of big denominations in Sonoma County have been found to be involved in sin of all kinds, including infidelity, long-time infidelity (years and years), misappropriation of finances, etc.

With no real accountability, it's no surprise to read that a pastor has stumbled and/or fallen. He knows better than to be walking a Christian leadership path without accountability. That means that it was a conscious decision on his part to disconnect from any real accountability, and so it's no wonder that so much bad has been going on at SRVO.

It took you two years to post a recision. Give me a break, my friend. You told the truth the first time. Anyone who is in love with, and walking in the truth for any length of time can see that.

Rather than demand that you post a recision, I'm sorry that the Pastor didn't step down and confess what's been going on. No one will buy your recision...because it's probably not true.

Rigorous honesty, my friend. Walk it. Talk it. Live it. Don't let the devil make you lie again.

Thanks doctordad for your insight and wisdom. You are speaking from a true place. In response to your post I was stricken with the guilty conscience of wearing a monkey on my back that I didn't want no more. I was carrying unforgiveness and anger. It has been tearing me up inside. Being in recovery yourself I am sure you and attest to what unforgiveness can do to somebody. I didn't post the recision to get back into the Men's Home. I have been clean and sober for 7 years now.

A Pastor recently told me that I am to honor my fellow brother and sister not because they deserve it but because I am to act as a honorable man of God. What I said about VOSR and the Pastor of the church was the farthest thing from honoring. Despite the differences that Pastor Jose and I have with each other I still honor him as someone that poured into my life. The Lord still used him and others in that church to sharpen me into the man I am today. Now in recovery we always say, "eat the meat and spit out the bones." I received a lot of good and experienced some negative, but I am choosing to not live in the negative anymore.

Everything in that posting were things that other people that had left the church had told me. All of those things I never personally witnessed. In a court of law that would be considered heresay and thrown out as any type of solid substantial evidence. Whether they are true or not yet remains to be seen. I guess it is a matter of opinion. In my opinion, if it were true, instead of gossiping and telling everybody things that supposedly happened why not take it to the authorities and to VO international? If it's such a big deal then why haven't they made some noise about it?

I see (you didn't want the monkey on your back). I understand (unforgiveness and anger tearing you up inside). I agree with your Pastor about honoring one another, but allowing someone to live like Hell without speaking up honors no one. "Acting" like an honorable man isn't the same as honoring the Truth above all else. There is always a way to tell the truth with love, even as one man sharpens another.

I read your original testimony (above). Some of your experience is in there, too. It's not all hearsay, brother, is it? Your schedule was your schedule, and the chores you did were your experience. I've worked for several programs. I know it can get the way you described sometimes, although with good leadership it would not get that way, where anyone is overworked, ever.

To answer your last question: Because people are afraid to speak up. That's why. Why are they afraid to speak up? Because they are afraid...period.

Those of us who aren't afraid speak up.

Congratulations on your 7 years clean and sober, brother. The first 7 are the hardest. It gets easier from here. ;-)

This guy was threatened thats why he apoligized. I went through it with Pittsburg.

I currently an a member of VO Portland in Oregon.

In many ways I respect the Portland church and our leader, Pastor Max. He and his wife genuinely care for the recovery homes and do allot for them.
I know this because I served as Head Staff of the Portland Home.

I was not raised in the VO church, I came from the streets. VO opened their doors for me and gave me hope.

Unlike my predessor who made our guys work, I demanded to my director that we cut the hours to 8 hr's, 5 days a week and he agreed. I expected respect, and tho I didn't believe in discipline,I disciplined my guys when I felt they needed it. On Fridays, I rewarded my guys with a movie and on Sundays we ate a big meal after church.I refused to kick people out on first offenses, and I allowed them to dance and sing during worship services.

I was much loved and respected because I treated my guys well and didn't follow the protocals of the church. Unlike any head staff before or after me, I didn't lose one single guy during my tenure as head staff.

However the leadership in the church thought I was too lenient and eventually I was ousted from my position in favor of someone much tougher. I remained in the home until graduation and oddly enough on staff, but it went downhill quick after my successor went back to the 6 day a week work week.

Currently I am in the church and serve as assistant Head usher. As a graduate and former staff, I still visit the home when I can.

Although its changed over the years, I see great changes and sometimes I wonder if this church is operating for its own benifit or for the benifit of the people who they are attempting to help.

However I agree that money is a big issue in the church. They like to focus on raising money like crazy. Although most don't complain, there are many of us (including some lower level leaders, me included), that wonder where it all goes.

The key is transparency.

Does the group issue an annual budget distributed to all contributors and staff that discloses its finances in meaningful detail?

This must include salaries, compensation and expenses paid out from church funds so that everyone will know how the money is handled.

The overwhelming majority of churches in the United Stated do this.

Most churches also have elected boards. The board is elected to fixed terms by the general church membership. The board oversees finances and can fire and hire staff, including the pastor.