Two Sunday Services on Third Avenue
International Christian Center sits on Third Avenue in Chula Vista, just minutes from San Diego Bay, and has been a steady presence in South Bay for more than three decades. The congregation marked its 36th anniversary in 2026, and the rhythms that mark a week at ICC are rooted in family. Sunday mornings open with two identical services at 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM, each running an hour to an hour and a half.
The format is built around a mix of contemporary and traditional worship, the occasional special number from the kids' ministry dance, a young adults skit, or the worship team debuting a new song, followed by a passionate, Bible-driven sermon. The dress code is wide open: flip-flops and a T-shirt are as welcome as a suit and tie. Newcomers with children are taken care of through on-site childcare and a Sunday School class for kindergarten through sixth grade.
What ICC Believes
The church holds to a Pentecostal statement of faith grounded in four pillars. The first is the inspiration of Scripture, taught as the verbally inspired Word of God and the rule of Christian faith and conduct. The second is the salvation of man, presented as a free gift received through faith, with the Bible verses that anchor it - Titus 2:11, Luke 13:3, Romans 10:13, Ephesians 2:8, John 3:3, and others - posted in full on the church's belief page.
Two more commitments round out the statement: divine healing, taught as part of the gospel and a privilege of every believer who follows James 5:14-16's instruction to call the elders and pray; and the Blessed Hope of the return of Christ, drawn from 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15.
The mission statement distills the church into one line - Loving God, loving people, make disciples - drawn from Luke 10:27 and Matthew 28:19. The vision statement lays out four movements: bring people to Christ, include them in the family of God, nurture them with the Word, and disciple them for missions. Six core values guide the work: Growth, Relationships, Accountability, Prayer, Empower, and Supernatural, with the last value teaching that signs and wonders, including praying for the sick and the gift of tongues, accompany those who believe.
Growing as a Disciple: 101 and Pathway to Leadership
Discipleship is built into the calendar at ICC. The flagship class, Discipleship 101, meets one Saturday morning a month from 8:00 to 9:00 AM, with food and coffee provided. The series is open to anyone who wants to deepen their walk with Jesus and is the entry point for new believers and visitors alike.
For those who sense a call to ministry, Pathway to Leadership Level 1 & 2 meets on occasional Sunday mornings during the 10:30 service window. The class walks through four commitments: helping believers learn and obey God's Word daily, equipping people for ministry and service in the church and community, building relationships that encourage accountability, prayer, and spiritual growth, and multiplying disciples who can disciple others.
Fourth Saturdays of Prayer and Worship
The prayer culture of the church shows up most clearly on the fourth Saturday of every month. From 9:00 AM to noon, the sanctuary fills for Corporate Prayer & Worship, a three-hour block set aside for prayer, worship, and what the church calls embracing the presence of the Holy Spirit. All are welcome, and the rhythm is one of the oldest on the ICC calendar.
Each year, the church also gathers for a 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer at the start of January, following a Daniel Fast model with three flexible fasting windows: 6 AM to 6 PM, 6 PM to 6 AM, or a full 24 hours. Together, these set a tone of seeking God together as one church body.
Children's, Youth, Young Adults, Men's and Women's Ministries
Ministry at ICC is built around every stage of life, and the church invests in leaders for each one. Michelle Twano leads the children's ministry, which pairs Sunday School classes for K through 6 with childcare for younger children during the services.
The youth and young adults ministries share a leadership team of Alex Fausto, Bernice Fausto, Mei Twano, and Rhamil Rana. Beyond Sunday mornings, the group meets Friday nights at 7:00 PM for worship, fellowship, and small-group Bible study. The annual calendar for the youth ministry includes a spring ICC Youth Retreat, a Worship Night led by the students themselves, and participation in the multi-church SoCal Youth Convention, held in San Diego and supported through fundraisers like the fall rummage sale.
Adult men and women gather through their own ministry tracks, meeting for fellowship, Bible study, and service projects. The community table turns out for dinners like the annual ICC Thanksgiving Dinner and the ICC Christmas Dinner, both open to friends and family in the broader Chula Vista community.
The Worship Team
The blended style of Sunday morning is shaped by the Worship Team led by Harwell Ontoy. The team blends contemporary and traditional music and occasionally introduces new songs to the congregation during services. Worship Night, hosted by the students, opens the door for the next generation of musicians and singers to lead the church in a setting the description calls a safe space alongside a familiar community.
Home Cell Groups Across San Diego County
Mid-week connection happens in small-group Bible studies called Home Cell Groups. These meet weekly across San Diego County in homes and are designed to keep members of the ICC family plugged into one another outside the Sunday gathering. Visitors and newcomers can connect with the team through the church to find the cell group nearest them.
Outreach and Hospitality
The Outreach Ministry carries ICC into the surrounding neighborhoods. Free community events anchor the year: the Hallelujah Festival on Halloween night, with games, prizes, and food; the FILAM Rally, a spirit-filled gathering with worship, teaching, food, and breakout sessions, sponsored by Chick-fil-A; and the family picnic at the MCRD Boathouse on Neville Road in San Diego, where members register in advance for base access and bring a favorite dish.
Behind the scenes, the Hospitality Ministry keeps Sunday running smoothly through teams of ushers and greeters, Sunday School teachers, parking attendants, drivers offering transportation services, an alternative-languages team for non-English-speaking guests, and church office assistants. Recovery needs are met through the Saturday night Celebrate Recovery meeting at 5:00 PM.
Pastors, Office, and Giving
David Montajes serves as Lead Pastor and Ermer Twano as Associate Pastor. The church office is open weekdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the pastors can be reached through the main church number at 619-585-8717 or by email at pastor@myicc.org.
Services are livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person, with the option to watch on the church's YouTube channel or Facebook page. Giving can be done online through Tithe.ly or by texting the word GIVE to 619-649-8553. Prayer requests can be sent through the prayer page on the church's site, and a newsletter keeps subscribers in the loop on events and seasonal opportunities.
Thirty-six years after its founding, International Christian Center continues to gather in the same South Bay neighborhood it has called home since the early 1990s, holding to a Pentecostal faith, a family-first culture, and a steady invitation to come as you are.