Our Pastors

Luiz Gustavo Assis

Pr. Luiz Gustavo Assis is originally from Brazil and has lived in the USA for ten
years. He is married to Marina Garner Assis, an assistant professor in the School of Religion at Loma Linda University. Together, they have two vigorous boys, Isaac and Thomas.

Pastor Assis started his ministry in 2008, serving the Seventh-Day Adventist
Church as the sole pastor of several congregations in Brazil. When he moved to the USA, he was actively involved with churches in Illinois and Massachusetts before moving to Southern California in June 2022. He holds an MA in Biblical Archaeology and Semitic Languages from Trinity International University
(Deerfield, IL). He is finishing his Ph.D. in Old Testament at Boston College
(Newton, MA).

As typical South Americans, the Assis family enjoys being around people, good food, and soccer! They feel honored with the opportunity to spend time with the Anaheim SDA Church in prayer, studying the Bible, and in fellowship.

I feel so privileged to be a pastor and doing this work for God in the Anaheim Church and Community. I would be lying if I said I always knew I would be a pastor. For as long as I could remember I wanted to a professional basketball player. Growing up I would spend every waking hour either playing or preparing my body for performance. Unfortunately, when I entered senior year of high school, I had multiple serious injuries and felt God was closing this door. Though I received basketball scholarships from a number of universities I felt this was not the path for me. I began to search. The path of ministry began in 2005 after I graduated high school and attended a 10-week colportuering (selling Christian books door-to-door) summer program. Towards the end of the program I believe God called out to me to surrender my life to Him and when I did He called me to be a pastor.

After the program, I attended La Sierra University in Riverside, California and completed a Bachelors of Arts in Religious Studies/Pre-Seminary with a minor in Biblical Languages in 2009. Upon graduation, I was hired by the Southeastern California Conference and was sent to Andrews University Theological Seminary in Berrien Springs, Michigan, where I completed the Masters in Divinity Program with an Emphasis in New Testament Studies and Youth Ministry in 2012. While in Michigan I was an assistant pastor at South Bend Indiana SDA Church (Fall 2010-Summer 2012). Since then I have pastored at Riverside Community Church and Celebration Center for 4 months, Victorville SDA Church (September 2012-July 2016) as the Associate Pastor for Youth, Laguna Niguel SDA Church (July 2016-March 2020) as the Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Young Families, and now here at Orange SDA Church as the Associate Pastor.

If I had to choose one bible verse that encapsulates God’s call in my life it is found in Psalm 40:2, “He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” Life is very uncertain but God calls us to experience His abundant life here on earth today. I invite you to join us on this journey here at Orange Church where we truly believe God is in the business of transforming lives to make us better reflections of His love, grace, and truth. Come check us out!  

When I’m not working, I will always love playing basketball and recently badminton, running, and swimming, eating Thai food and going to the park with my two handsome mini-me boys; Joash and Jalon.