The Process and the Product: An Interview with Pastor Marco Contreras

As the collective interviews in our local pastor series have exemplified, ministry is not for the faint of heart. Few people see the hours, the weight, and the pressure that pastors carry behind the scenes. It's a process. But these are the moments that build the church. That mature the church. The outworkings of faith are the journey, not just the destination. The product is formed in the process. The gold is refined in the fire. 

Join Dr. Lisa Dunne for this week's interview with Pastor Marco Contreras as he shares the ups and downs, the memories and milestones of the process that have brought him to where he is today. And if you're local to San Diego, tune in for news on the grand re-opening of the church campus and what you can expect to experience in this brand new rebuild. 

Pastors, ARM is calling on you for the survival of the faith in the youngest generations. Will you open your doors to an academic outreach mission that will reunite families and transform your community? Education is formation. Join us on the Academic Rescue Mission from preschool to college, and let's take back education for the next generation. 

K to 12 Rescue Mission: https://www.academicrescuemission.com  

Christian Community College: https://www.veritascc.us

CVCU degree programs: https://www.cvcu.us

Book Dr. Lisa to speak: https://www.DrLisaDunne.com

@DrLisaDunne

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Hi, I'm Dr. Lisa Dunn, and thanks for joining me here today on the Communication Architect. Each week, we'll share content that will empower you to grow your personal leadership capacity through the development of communication competencies that build emotional health and relational resilience. We'll unpack some practical applications of interpersonal, intrapersonal, family, and organizational communication. And we'll connect with stories of transformation that will inspire you to achieve personal and social change. Now, let's build the scaffolding you need to become a communication architect. Hello everyone and welcome to the show. I'm Dr. Lee Sidan, a lifelong homeschooling parent, author, and president of Chula Vista Christian University, a university model that centers on mentor-driven, debt-free higher education. Education is formation. Why send a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, into a pagan system of education? Parents, your kids don't have to go woke or broke to earn their college degree. Join us for transformative education that's not yoked to a woke government system. Visit us at cvcu.us to see how we are taking back education for the next generation. Pastors, we can help you arm your congregation against secular indoctrination. Go to Academic Rescue Mission.com to find a support academy or start one of your own. If your eighth to twelfth grader is ready for more academic challenges, join us for our new community college dual enrollment program. Visit VeritasCC.us to learn how you'll get affordable classes in a safe, supportive, in-person environment that you can transfer to a Christian university. Take it once and count it twice. And of course, our flagship program, Chula Vista Christian University, starting in 11th grade. Students can take a full load of college courses in our in-person, debt-free faith-based model. Go to cbcu.us slash apply to learn more. Find all of our books, blogs, and resources online at cbcu.us. That's Tru La Vista Christian University. Well, I'm very excited about today's guest. And I think all of our listeners are going to be so excited to hear what he and his wife are doing in the South Bay community, Chula Vista, Southern San Diego County. Pastors Marco and Natalie Contreras are the campus pastors of Awaken East Lake and Chula Vista. They were high school sweethearts and they've been married for nearly 18 years. They share a deep passion for serving the local church and growing the kingdom of God. And as of July 2025, they are the campus pastors of a thriving congregation of approximately 1,200 people, which includes English services and a Spanish service. Along with his pastoral calling, Pastor Marco is a marketplace leader. He's the founder and owner of Rancho Customs Brokers, which was established in 2013 and is now one of the most well-known custom brokerages serving produce distributors in California, with operations extending through Arizona and Texas. Pastors Marco and Natalie are the proud parents of two children, River, who's 15, and Harper, who's 13. And together they are committed to building strong families, developing and empowering leaders, and advancing the kingdom of God in the church, the marketplace, and their community. Pastor Marco, thank you so much for being on the show today. What a joy to have you with us.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

Oh, what an honor to be on your show, Dr. Lisa. Thank you so much for having me.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Well, let's talk a little bit about your background. When and how did you become a believer?

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Well, if I may, if I can first honor you, Dr. Lisa, for the work that you're doing in Chula Vista. What a powerful and timely uh really work of what God is doing and wanting to do in the next generation. So thank you so much for that.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:44

Okay, tell me all about your upbringing, a little bit about your background. When and how did you first become a believer?

SPEAKER_00 3:51

Oh my gosh. You know, I was 19 years old. Uh, I grew up as a in the Catholic church, and um, I was uh attending the University of San Diego, and a fraternity brother uh invited me to a Christian church. And uh I was so ready. I was going through depression at the time, um, just really um having a bit of identity crisis because of sports, and I wasn't playing football at the time. So my friend invites me to church, and I hear a message that really spoke to my heart. Uh, I really felt like like like Jesus was was speaking to my heart and I responded to the altar, had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit where I felt like like all the weight that I'd been carrying on my shoulders for a long time was lifted off. I felt free, I felt joy, I felt the peace that I never felt before. And right then and there, I felt like I signed up, signed up for the ministry. I'm like, I need everyone that I know to know that there's a God and they can feel this good in their life. So that's when I started doing Bible studies and uh, you know, went into the ministry, full-time ministry, and it's been uh about 22, 22 years now.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

That's incredible. And you have a unique kind of a tent maker modality, which we don't hear that often in the modern church, as we shared in your intro. You have a business, a thriving business, and you pastor a church. How do you do it all?

SPEAKER_00 5:16

Great, great question. Um I would say, you know, we launched a business in 2013, and looking back, I know the hand of God was was on my life and and really orchestrating what was happening. And so for I'd say five to six years, I was at the office every day, uh, really building the business with uh my COO and uh who's one of my best friends. And so we're building the business and then uh together and um 2020 comes. And uh that's when I I ran for office, I ran for state assembly, I ran for city council in 2021, 2022. And that's when I I handed off uh a bit of the operations and and it just became this thing where um I was able, you know, by the grace of God, I was able to build a great team that handles a lot of the operations, and then I can just focus on the things that that only I can focus on. And so it frees me up a little bit to to be able to invest in in building the church. Um, and so it's been a it's been a beautiful uh little model that that you know God gave me that has been working really well.

SPEAKER_01 6:30

Yeah, and it's unique. It gives you a foot in the in the door. A lot of Christians are only surrounded by other believers, they don't have an opportunity for evangelism, and you have you're able to speak into both of those worlds. You had a unique upbringing. What's one of the most powerful lessons that you learned in childhood or young adulthood that still impacts you today?

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Great question. I would say because I grew up in a bit an area in Tijuana, Mexico that was surrounded by lack, uh, lack mentalities, um, where people didn't really dream that that life could could look different. Uh, my mother, who always gosh, loved me, cared about me, invested in me, she would send me to these like self-help courses. You know, she was trying her best. She's like, uh any, you know, any class, any course she heard about, she would just send me into this decent. Um, and then that's where I began to to learn how to think outside the box, I think. And so um, you know, by the grace of God, looking back, I think I began to tap into the power of your imagination and dreaming. And so I would say, even though we we lived in a place of lack, my friends growing up in Mexico, you know, my mom did everything she could to send me to a private school. And so all my friends were the rich kids of Tijuana, and I wasn't. They would invite me to their homes, and uh, and I was exposed to what life could be like someday. And so I I it it kind of like I began to imagine myself out of poverty, out of lack. And so I feel like if, you know, it's I I really believe it's something that God did in my life that that I would say, you know, where you are today, it's it's not where you have to be in your future, you know. If if if you partner with God, if you, you know, if you tap into the visions that God gives you, uh, because when you focus on expanse, uh, I began to see how uh that really began to um have a massive impact in my life. Like my dream was to play football in America. And so I was going to school in Mexico and I began to dream and just almost like pray and expect that I would have an opportunity. And so my coach in Mexico said, I want to bring you to Marian Catholic High School in San Diego, and I want to see, I believe you can play there. So he brings me to the school, and um and you know, the coach said, I would love to have you. So I was 16 is when I moved to San Diego. And so, but I began to see that principle, you know, at play in different areas of my life. So I'd say that's probably one of the things that really impacted me the most.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

And how remarkable that you spend time around someone who lives really in an ideal world and you're still stuck in your real world. I had a similar situation when I was a child, and but it gives you hope for your future, it gives you an ability to dream, it gives you a language. And so I love that. One of our major focal points at CBCU is connecting students and mentorship roles. Talk to me about the role that mentors have played and are playing in your life.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

Oh my gosh. Because I I my uh my father wasn't super present in my life. He tried his best, but um, but you know, he was going through his own difficulties and struggles. Uh, I it was kind of like uh, I would say, a theme in my life since I was very young. Like my older cousins became mentors to me. Then I started playing sports, and my coaches became mentors to me, and they would always provide guidance and I would look up to them. Uh, even in high school, I lived with my um high school, my my football coach uh in America and uh here in San Diego, and he was another mentor. And then, you know, I became a Christian, my pastors became my mentors. So that was honestly the grace of God on my life. And and I I love how God designed the church that whatever you you're lacking or you feel like you're lacking in life, He provides in the church, whether it's wisdom, mentorship, opportunities, uh, you end up meeting people that have exactly what you need and actually want to help you with. You know, so I I would I would say it's it just just for me personally, I wouldn't be where I am today without the the role of a mentor in my life. And I still have mentors. I'm 42 years old right now. And when I have issues, uh, you know, whether it's in business or, you know, I have questions about pastoring, um, you know, marriage, whatever, I still reach out to my mentors. Hey, talk to me about this. Because the Bible says, you know, that there's safety in the multitude of counsel. So it's a beautiful principle principle to live by.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

It really is. And he puts the solitary in families. And I I we always tell our students reach up to someone 15 years older, but then also reach out to someone 15 years younger. Don't let it stop with you. So it's so beautiful. When you look back over your years in ministry, what's one of the most rewarding or memorable experiences you've had so far? I mean, you have a lot of years ahead of you, but so far, what what really stands out to you?

SPEAKER_00 11:30

Uh, I I would say seeing the the growth and development in people, you know, ministry is one of those jobs that, gosh, you pour your whole um your whole life into, you know, it's you pour your heart into it, your spirit, your soul, your body, and uh, and at times, I wouldn't say all the time, but at times it could be one of those jobs that is kind of thankless at times. But but when when you begin to see the the fruit of of your labor and seeing a life transformed, a life changed, one of the most beautiful moments that I've I've I've shared before, I was leading this Bible study in uh in college. And uh and I had led this one guide to the Lord, uh, one of my teammates. I saw him, I want to say probably um five or six years later, he had made it to the NFL and uh hadn't seen him in forever. And I saw him, I said, Eric, do you remember me? He's like, Marco, of course I remember you. He said, I'm still serving the Lord. And so it was just uh so rewarding and so fulfilling. And even today, like the people that you have around, you know, that you're discipling, that you see the transformation and and because the goal is, you know, we want to become more and more like Christ. And when you begin to see that in people's lives, that that God is, you know, using you, like you just feel like it's it's I don't know if there's anything more rewarding, to be honest.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Yeah. Yeah, it's much like being a parent. They're your children don't thank you for changing their diapers or cleaning up or cooking for them, but later, later in life come the harvest years and you see that incredible fruit. Well, ministry, as it said, is not for the faint of heart. And a lot of pastors have said on the show that you know, people don't see the sacrifice behind the scenes. What are some of the battles you face to get to where you are?

SPEAKER_00 13:20

Ah, great, great question. You know, um, I would say one of the the um I'd say pillars of Christianity or uh foundations of Christianity is the ability to endure the process of God, to um uh to to stay planted in God in Christ. Um if you look at the Bible, uh you'll see that every great man and woman of God had to go through a long process. So I would say today I'm I'm living in the harvest of 22 years of process. And so, you know, in those moments, you go through a lot of difficult uh times like disappointment. I go through hurt, um, you know, I had a uh big disappointment, a big uh uh I would say injury in my life and in my wife's life and and in our early years in Christianity at a different church. And so, but but you somehow, by the grace of God, you still believe in him and you still believe that the church is hope of the world, and and and and you don't bail, you know, you just walk away because you know, let's say a pastor mishandled you. So now every church is God may not be real, but you stick to the plan. Um I would say you know, the the the the process of God is is is one of those things that you know I it's it's actually what I'm gonna speak on on Sunday. Um it's the the the ability to to to trust in a God is and I think it comes down to trust, you know, to trust in a God that that has hit your best interest in mind. So so for me, yeah, it's been injury, difficulties that I've experienced, um, disappointment. Um and even, you know, you have dreams or ideas that you feel God gives you, but then you know, God will send a pastor or a mentor and say, Hey, not yet. Let's wait. You know, there's still more, more work that God is wanting to do in you. So it's it's a beautiful thing. Um, and I'm I hope I can answer, I was answering your question. I can't remember exactly. No, no, it's perfect.

SPEAKER_01 15:28

It's perfect. When you look out over the landscape of San Diego, San Diego County, even our nation, what are some things that concern you most right now as a pastor?

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Um I would say um our um our ability as a church to to speak the truth to a generation that is being um discipled by by social media, um, by the wrong sources, uh, that that concerns me. I feel this um passion and and uh I would say um like an urge in my heart to to to reach out to the young adults, let's say to the 20s and 30s, to the high schoolers, uh, to rescue them from um from the snares of of what the kingdom of darkness is trying to present to them. And you, you know, you look looking back, you see the enemy will use different types of tactics throughout the generations. And uh and I would say right now the confusion. Uh I loved in your intro, you know, CBCU uh is you know, you you speak against the woke spirit, uh, which is the spirit of the antichrist. And so, but I do believe that in these times God raises up uh uh churches, ministers, pastors to to speak the truth, uh to stand on the word of God, to to not uh lean into being politically correct because you don't want to offend anybody because the truth offends people. And so I I think it's I do feel like as pastors, there is a call from God to stand on the truth and and to preach it from the house tops and call the you know the the next generation to uh to serve God because he's still alive and he's he's alive and well.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

That's right. Incredible. Well, every church in our city has a unique fingerprint. What are some of the special qualities that make awakened church stand out?

SPEAKER_00 17:32

Oh, great question. Yeah, I would say, you know, we we we like to say we're at church is fresh, real, and powerful. I'd say fresh because um we we love to speak to the issues of of today. I I would say right now, what we're experiencing at our church is and what we we're feeling God is leading to is to to awaken the men uh of our community, the men of our city. That that God is is is doing an awakening uh to and calling men to rise to their rightful place of leadership and home, uh to be the spiritual leaders that God has called them to be, uh, to be the leaders that carry the burdens that that we as men are meant to carry. I would say there's been uh we've abdicated as a society, men have abdicated that responsibility and uh in turn putting on the you know on the wife or on the partner, and um, and so you know there's dysfunction in families, but I believe that God is bringing families back to order. So, you know, for example, for us, that's that's a fresh message. You know, we feel like God is doing this today. We we like to say the word church is real because we like to be authentic, we like to be vulnerable. Uh, and you know, trust is it's it's really uh I'd say founded on the basis of vulnerability, uh, genuine authenticity. I love what you told me one time. I was telling a story. You said, Oh, could you see, could you feel the oxytocin in the room? I'm like, what is that oxytocin? What does that even mean? You're like, yeah, when you were telling your story, the oxytocin was releasing in people. I'm like, oh, I never heard about that, you know? You know, I would say that at awaken, we we just love to be love to be vulnerable, real, like speak from our out of our weaknesses and what God has done in our lives. Uh and then we're we believe we're a church is powerful. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. Uh, we've seen miracles in our church. Uh, we believe that God is a God of miracles. Not only do we believe in them, but we depend on them. Um, and so, you know, for us, uh, and and and I really believe is it's one of the pillars of our church that it doesn't matter what you may be going through, because we believe in the greatness of God and that the Holy Spirit is alive today, you can get through anything because God can get you through it.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

Obviously, a lot of negative press about Gen Z today, anxious, depressed, atheist. What are some markers, some signs of hope that you see rising up in this generation?

SPEAKER_00 19:54

Oh, great question. Well, I I just I've seen God work uh through the generations, and the darker, the darker it gets, uh, God always shows up because he's faithful. Uh, and I do see the youth responding to to the gospel. I see a hunger to the word of God, like I haven't seen before uh in the young adults. Um, and uh, for example, our youth pastor has been going to the high schools ministering, and uh just a couple weeks ago, he was able to lead 40 uh high schoolers to Christ at the in a in a public high school. Um before that, a few weeks before that, there was a hundred a gathering of 170 uh high schoolers at this public school for a rally, and people came to Christ. So I I do uh I believe that God is faithful, and uh I do believe God has given us a message for them. Um, but at you know, at the same time, we're so in discovery of how do we unlock, because I'm dreaming of the Jesus movement. You know, how do we tap into that kind of movement, movement that awakens the heart of the next generation? And um, you know, I'd love to talk about it once we discover it. You know, if you have any insight, please tell us.

SPEAKER_01 21:07

Well, tell us. That's so good. Tell us what's coming up at your church and where listeners can follow you or learn more about your ministry.

SPEAKER_00 21:15

Oh, well, we're we've been in this wilderness season at Awaken East Lake for I would say five years, uh, where we started a renovation project at our building that because of a series of circumstances was delayed for a long time, five years. And so April 5th for Easter, we're having our grand reopening at District Place in East Lake. We'll have three services, uh, two in English, nine and eleven, and one in Spanish at 1 p.m. And it's it's it's gonna be incredible. We've been praying. We're we're in a season of prayer and fasting right now for 21 days. And just the life we're experiencing at our church right now. I mean, you walk in it, you would think it's a conference right now, every service. The high The expectation, the life. You know, one of the things we like to say about Awakened Church is it is a life-giving church. And I do see when people come into church, even at our old building right now, they leave full of life, full of faith, full of hope. So uh we'll we'll we will be having our grand reopening at our brand new building with a brand new auditorium, brand new cafe. The kids' church, uh, Dr. Lisa, it is unreal. Uh the rooms are beautiful. Um, the we have a playground. There's a three-story playground for the kids. I mean, it's it's gonna be our stand, what we're believing for for our kids' church is gonna feel like Disneyland, like the the level of joy and happiness, and then our intentionality too to disciple the next generation. Uh, so that's what we have happening. We're really excited, and we're inviting the whole community. We've invited thousands of people, and we're believing it's gonna be it's gonna be full. God is gonna meet us there. A lot of people are gonna come to Christ, and uh, and we'll be able to uh invite uh a lot of new people on this journey of transformation, you know, to become more and more like Christ and growing our relationship with God.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

Incredible. Well, thank you, Pastor Marco Contreras, for serving our city, for your shepherd's heart, and for taking the time to be with us on the show today. God bless you.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Absolutely. My honor. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 23:20

Friends, we become like the company we keep. Community is vital to our health. Get plugged in to a local church. One of the amazing offshoots we see at CVCU is not only the academic support and structure, but whole student development that comes from having mentors, from having your voice matter. Our children need relational, emotional, and spiritual fortitude to thrive. So, out of the overflow of our hearts and homes, just like you heard Pastor Marco say, let's strengthen the bonds of community within our realms of influence. For the continuance of the church and the faith, I'm calling on pastors and parents across the U.S. to be part of the solution. Start a rescue mission, an academy. Go to academicrescue mission.com. We will come alongside you and coach you every step of the way. Go to Veritascc.us if you're ready to rescue those public schools out of the public schools indoctrination system and bring them into a biblical worldview. And for our full university degree programs, go to cvcu.us. That's Chula Vista Christian University. If you're new to the show or you're homeschooling for the first time, you can catch all my episodes on the Communication Architect Podcast. Just scroll back for interviews and tips of the trade. Don't forget to check out my two latest books, The Mentor Method and Outsourced Why America's Kids Need an Education Revolution. You can find all of our books, blogs, and podcasts on the homepage at cbcu.us. Again, I'm Dr. Lisa Dunn, and thanks for re joining me on today's show. I'll be back next week with more tips and tools of the trade. We'll see you then. Thanks again for joining us here on the Communication Architect. If you have questions about today's episode or if there are topics you'd like to see us address, send your comments via Instagram to at Dr. Lisa Dunn or via email to contact at drlisadunn.com. That's D R L I S A D-U-N-E-M.com. And remember, strategic communication will help you build greater emotional health and relational resilience. So don't miss the next episode. I'm Dr. Lisa Dunn and I look forward to talking with you next time right here on the Communication Architect.