Sonny Arguinzoni

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sonny Arguinzoni is an American Evangelical Christian pastor, author and youth counselor who founded Victory Outreach International, an international ministry of Evangelical Christian Churches. Since its founding, Victory Outreach has grown throughout the United States and in over 33 countries.[1]

Arguinzoni has authored four books about leaving gang life and drug abuse. In 2017, he was depicted in a film

Early life[]

Arguinzoni was born in 1939 in New York City to a family of Puerto Rican descent. According to Arguinzoni , while growing up in Brooklyn, he began associating with the local Viceroy gang and began abusing heroin and other drugs.

In 1960 at age 21, Arguinzoni befriended Nicky Cruz,.at a Teen Challenge in Brooklyn. He credits Cruz with influencing him to become a born again Christian. While attending the Latin American Bible College, Arguinzoni met his future wife Julie. After marrying, the couple moved to Los Angeles,

The couple began to minister to individuals in the Aliso Village area who were involved in street gangs and drug abuse. In 1967, after using their house for meetings, Arguinzoni and Julie founded Victory Outreach in a small building in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in East Los Angeles. The ministry grew throughout different cities in California. During the 1980s, the ministry experienced a rapid growth throughout the United States, which precluded an international expansion in the 1990s and moving forward.[2]

Victory Outreach International[]

Victory Outreach consists of over 700 churches,[3] 40 percent of which are outside of the United States.

According to Victory Outreach, each location maintains sovereignty and autonomy in key decision-making processes. Arguinzoni often travels to many of Victory Outreach churches to minister in person. His son, Sonny Arguinzoni Jr., is currently the Senior pastor of the Victory Outreach Church in Chino, California.

In 2017, the church commemorated its 50th anniversary[4] at the World Conference in Los Angeles. At the conference, the film, "Sonny",[5] a biography of Arquinzoni, was premiered.

Recovery Homes work[]

Arguinzoni helped to establish Victory Outreach's Recovery Homes Ministry, which include men's and women's drug and alcohol recovery homes. Located in inner-cities throughout the United States and around the world, the recovery homes house over 10,000 people in recovery.[6]

Written works[]

Arguinzoni is the author of four books,[7] "Sonny," "Treasures Out of Darkness," "Internalizing the Vision," and "Vision For The Outcast," all of which detail stories of people who successfully left gangs and stopped drug abuse..

References[]

  1. ^ "Sonny Arguinzoni Biography". www.sonnyarguinzoni.org.
  2. ^ "The History - Victory Outreach InternationalVictory Outreach International". victoryoutreach.org.
  3. ^ "Sonny Arguinzoni Sr". 22 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Victory Outreach International to Commemorate 50th Anniversary in July at World Conference in L.A."
  5. ^ "Sonny The Movie".
  6. ^ Charisma. "Former Gang Member Plan to Take Cities for Jesus — Charisma Magazine". www.charismamag.com.
  7. ^ "Sonny Arguinzoni - Books by Pastor Sonny Arguinzoni".

www.sonnyarguinzoni.com

Retrieved from ""