Pastor Tony Massa
“I was raised in the knowledge of God through regular church attendance where Sunday mass was as “sure as the Sun”! However, I soon realized that “church” could not keep me from sinning and could not save me. Through the leading of a fellow Fountain Valley High School wrestling teammate named Carl Oganeku, I came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in May of 1980 (age 15) at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Soon thereafter, I began to gather a thorough understanding of the Bible under the “verse by verse” teaching of Pastor Chuck Smith from 1980 – 1989 and I furthered my understanding under the teaching of Pastor Greg Laurie (Harvest Christian Fellowship) Pastor Pat Kenney (Calvary Chapel Escondido), Tim Westcott (Idyllwild Bible Church), Mike Madigan (Calvary Chapel Julian), and Pastor Rick Hill (Hillside Community Church!) In addition, some of my favorite contemporary Bible teachers include Vernon McGee, Chuck Smith, David Jeremiah, Ray Bentley, Alistair Begg, & Jon Courson..
I graduated from CSU Long Beach in 1989 with a B.A in Liberal Studies with a linguistics emphasis and earned a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential and a Single Subject Authorization in Political Science and History in 1990. That same year, I met the young woman who would eventually become my wife, Tina Araujo. We were married in 1994 and have raised three children, Nick, Cecilia, and Samantha!
I taught at both the elementary and junior high level from 1990 – 1998. In 1998, I left teaching and accepted a position as an Assistant Director with Camp Alandale, a ministry for abused children. A year later, we assumed the directorship for the San Diego portion of the ministry which we held until 2009 at which point we parted ways and established our own non-profit ministry, Camp Julian Oaks, which continues to be our family ministry. I also greatly enjoyed coaching the Julian High wrestling team from 2011-2017. Go Eagles! “