OUR FAMILY OF CHURCHES

Sojourn Spring Branch is a member of Sojourn Houston, a multi-congregational church reconciling neighbors and neighborhoods to God and one another. We believe congregations in community are able to accomplish more by working together, whether shepherding the flock, planting new churches, caring for the poor, or bringing about systemic change in a sprawling city.

 
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OUR LEADERSHIP

At Sojourn, pastors oversee the doctrine, discipline, and direction of the church. These men may or may not be paid by the church, but they share the responsibility of shepherding our church with wisdom and integrity (Ephesians 4:1-16, 1 Peter 5).

We are committed to providing Sojourn's essential operations with a humility that reflects the character and nature of our God. The following staff member serves in his positions in a full-time capacity (thanks to the support of Sojourn Spring Branch Members' giving):

 
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TONY VILLATORO, PASTOR

Tony has been married to Ruthie for eleven years. They have two children, Eden and Amos. He graduate with a Pastoral Ministries Bachelor’s degree from College of Biblical Studies in 2015.

After living a version of the Christian life from his childhood and youth, Tony had an encounter with the God of all grace and discovered the doctrines of grace in his early twenties. In 2010, Tony planted and led a bilingual church in the Spring Branch area. After being a church planting resident in 2015 with the Houston Church Planting Network (HCPN), he was trained to plant a new church in Spring Branch.

Believing in the mission God has called him in the neighborhood where he grew up, Tony is trusting God to establish Sojourn in the westside of Houston as he serves in the role of pastor.

 
 

ELDERS

Sojourn Spring Branch is an elder-led church. While the word elder is used here and in our foundational documents, Sojourn uses the words pastor and elder interchangeably. At Sojourn, our elders oversee the doctrine, discipline, and direction of the church. These men may or may not be paid by the church, but they share the responsibility of shepherding our church with wisdom and integrity (Ephesians 4:1-16, 1 Peter 5).

At our church, our founding pastor, Tony Villatoro, is the only elder at present. Accordingly, in keeping with the structure of the Sojourn Houston family of congregations, pastor Tony leads Sojourn Spring Branch Church under the oversight of his Sojourn Houston Elder Oversight Team.

 

DEACONS

Our neighborhood parishes are, in many ways, the backbone of the day-to-day ministry that happens at and through Sojourn Spring Branch. Our Neighborhood Parishes are led by men and women, each qualified (1 Timothy 3:8-13) and ordained (Acts 6:1-6) deacons for the purpose of fostering gospel family in their parishes.

Hallie Deschamps
Joe Deschamps
Gilbert Garza
Lauren Garza
Carson Morey
Natalie Morey

 
 
 

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe the Church is marked primarily by submission to the Scriptures. The Bible is the pure Word of God, the only absolute authority for Christians, and all things within the church are governed/managed accordingly. As a broadly Reformed family of churches, we affirm three marks of a true church:  (1) the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word, (2) the faithful administration of the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper), and (3) the faithful exercise of church discipline. These marks, in addition to the Sojourn Houston values, characterize each and every Sojourn congregation. 

The Sojourn Houston Confession of Faith receives the Nicene Creed, the Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement, and the 5 doctrinal distinctives of the Acts 29 Network. Although we do not require our members to agree on every point, the confession below forms the theological identity of Sojourn Spring Branch.

 
 
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