Mission
WE SEEK TO GLORIFY GOD BY REACHING PEOPLE FOR GOD’S FAMILY AND LEADING THEM TO GROW AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS.
Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18–20
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
REACH People
We are an outward-focused church that seeks to engage with and love our community, city, and world. We believe God has called us to show his love to our neighbors and tell them about the good news of Jesus. As a church, we commit to love God and love others.
CONNECT to God’s Family
We want to see as many people as possible become connected with God and a part of his family. We believe that as a believer in Jesus, you are part of God’s family. We want people to connect to God’s family and find our church to be a family where you belong.
GROW as a Disciple
We want our church to be full of people living through God’s Spirit, growing in love for God, and devoted to following Jesus. We take spiritual growth seriously. We want our church members to grow in Jesus through God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, and being a witness.
FOLLOW Jesus
We want our church to center their lives on following Jesus. We want everything we do to proclaim the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to a hurting and broken world. We want our church members to follow Jesus and change the world for him.
Vision
WE WANT TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY, CITY, AND WORLD CHANGED BY THE GOSPEL.
We believe that God has given the church everything it needs through the power of his Spirit using the preaching of the gospel. The world’s greatest need is salvation from sin, and the greatest hope for the world is Jesus. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the good news the world needs to hear. There is hope in the gospel, and there is power in the gospel. We want to be faithful to share the good news of Jesus with all nations and see God change the world.
History
Catalyst Church started in 2013 under the leadership of Pastor Manny Sanchez as a church plant of Shadow Mountain Community Church. On September 29, 2013, the church began meeting weekly at the Moniker Warehouse in downtown San Diego. In 2016, the church moved to the Sherman Heights area of San Diego, meeting weekly at Sherman Elementary School. In 2020, Catalyst Church moved to the Paradise Hills area of San Diego and merged with Paradise Hills Southern Baptist Church to form one church called Catalyst Church San Diego. In March 2022, Pastor Manny Sanchez left to lead another ministry. That month the church selected Pastor Jason Soto as the new Lead Pastor.
Pastor Jason
Pastor Jason Soto is the Lead Pastor of Catalyst Church San Diego. He started serving the church as an elder and volunteer pastor in December 2019 and became the Lead Pastor of Catalyst in March 2022. Pastor Jason moved to San Diego from New York City in 2011 and has preached in many churches in Southern California. He served as a counselor in a Christian homeless ministry for seven years, teaching Bible classes and preaching. Since 2011, Jason has provided leadership for two church plants. He graduated from Southern California Seminary with two Master’s degrees, acquiring his Master of Divinity in 2021. Pastor Jason is a former police officer, serving seven years in the New York City Police Department. In addition to his pastoral ministry, he serves as a Professor of Christian Ministries at San Diego Christian College and as a Chaplain for the San Diego Police Department. Pastor Jason is married to his wife Jeannette and has two sons, Tyler and Kevin. Click here to hear his testimony.
Beliefs
- We believe the Bible was written by men inspired by God and is authoritative for life.
- We believe in one God consisting of three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- We believe Jesus is the perfect and divine Son of God who was born miraculously of Mary, died on the cross for the sins of others, and was physically resurrected from the dead three days later.
- We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person who indwells and empowers the church to be a witness for Jesus.
- We believe the church consists of God’s people and is used by God to reach people for Jesus.
- We believe humans are fallen in sin and need salvation through Jesus.
- We believe people will live eternally in either heaven or hell.
- We believe Jesus will return to bring judgment and establish his kingdom on earth.
Values
God's Word
We value hearing about God through reading, preaching, and teaching Scripture.
Prayer
We value communication with God through prayer and fasting.
Fellowship
We value gathering together with God’s people and participating in his community.
Witness
We value being a witness for God to others through baptism, our words, and our lives.
Leadership & Staff
Lead Pastor: Jason Soto
Associate Pastor: Johannes Cardenas
Worship Leader: Ji Pangan
Women’s Ministry: Melody Stevens
Children’s Director: Corina Sanchez
Preschool Director: JoeAnn Brownlee
Office Manager: Paula Lange
Administrative Assistant: Clarynda Buckner
Audio/Visual Tech: Josiah Northcutt
Sound Engineer: Gabriel Cutri
Music Team Member: Ty Sager
Facilities Manager: Sam Keckler
Custodian: Lee Landrum
