Carlos David Mejia – Reinstated Evangelist
Lucy Mejia – Appointed Women’s Ministry Leader

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me… Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.” Psalm 51:10, 12-13

Every Sunday, God pours out His blessings on the City of Angels Church family! On January 27, at our monthly “House Church Sunday,” 311 were in attendance and Justin Andrew was baptized through the efforts of the Orange County House Church! That same weekend, Kyle and Joan Bartholomew, Rob and Burgandie Onekea, and Elena and I were in Honolulu, Hawaii participating in a workshop with our sister congregations of Hilo and Honolulu. In October 2006, after not having a baptism for a year, the twelve sold-out disciples of the Hilo International Church of Christ joined the new discipling movement when it first began. Since that time, the Lord has added 27 baptisms to their number! During that same time period, the Honolulu Church has grown from two, Joe and Mary Santos, to 13 sold-out disciples! Also on Sunday, January 27, not only was Alexia, a Hilo college student baptized, but Jody Tyrell, the former full-time leader of the “Cross and Switchblade Ministry” in Honolulu, was restored after falling away for over five years! After Jody, an imposingly large man, wept at his restoration, his wife and three daughters all rushed to greet him with a long embrace and their own tears of joy! In Los Angeles, this past stormy Sunday on February 3, 309 were in attendance with a budget-smashing $14,000 contribution! So moving were the testimonies of Michael and Michele Williamson of Portland, the announcement by Anthony and Elizabeth Eckels of Portland to start a new discipling church in Orlando, the restoration of Anthony Espinoza, the placing membership to train for the ministry of Chris Van Staden all the way from South Africa and Loidy Frenzley baptizing her mother Berta, after praying for her for 15 years to become a disciple! As the Spirit says, “Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

This Sunday, we will continue to celebrate God’s grace and mercy, as Carlos David Mejia is reinstated as Evangelist and his wife Lucy is appointed Women’s Ministry Leader! Carlos was born in El Salvador in 1970. He was raised alongside his younger sister, Cecy, by a very brave single mom, Bertila Mejia. They came to Los Angeles when Carlos was five, by crossing the border illegally. Carlos grew up in Hollywood in a tough neighborhood with gangs, prostitution and drugs. After being tragically abused as a boy and unable to cope with the emotional devastation of these evil sins committed against him, Carlos lost his zeal to be an honor student, plunged into drugs and dropped out of high school. (He later attained his high school diploma and U.S. citizenship.)

After a few years, Carlos became a lifeguard and swimming instructor at Los Angeles Community College. At this time, when Carlos was 21, he was visiting Cecy’s home and answered the phone. It happened to be Sharisse Lucas, a disciple in the AMS (Arts, Media, Sports) Region of the Los Angeles International Church of Christ (LA ICOC). Sharisse was calling for Cecy as she was given Cecy’s number from Cathi Martinez. Sharisse invited Carlos to church. He visited but drifted away. After a year, Carlos visited again. This time, he began to study the Bible and was baptized into Christ two weeks later on February 6, 1993! Carlos, because of his passion for God, soon became a very effective Bible Talk Leader, winning many to Christ. Then in 1997, he met “his best friend and true love” Lucy Garcia and a year later they were married on April 25, 1998!

Lucy was born in Los Angeles in 1972. In her early years, she was raised with her younger brother Albert by her parents, Timoteo and Graciela, in Pasadena. Then from age 13 to 18, her family lived in Mexico. Lucy was a natural leader and in high school served in student government, was captain of the Cheer and Drill Team, as well as a choreographer for the city dance troup. After high school, Lucy returned to the United States, studied broadcasting and worked in the entertainment industry in public relations. In time, Lucy was employed by the well known recording label EMI-Latin. It was in 1997 that Lucy was met by Claribel Cuevas, who invited her to Women’s Day. In just three weeks, Lucy was baptized on March 23! Shortly afterwards, she met in her words, “her soul-mate,” Carlos!

After their marriage in 1998, Carlos was asked to go into the full-time ministry in AMS. A year later, Lucy was invited to go full-time, serving with Carlos as Sector Leaders. Lucy remembers, “Everyone thought I was crazy to leave my job as it was a highly coveted position. I got to be around famous artists, got to travel to beautiful places to shoot music videos, had free access to music concerts and had an almost unlimited expense account to wine and dine artists. Yet when I went into the ministry, I gave my whole heart and never looked back!”

Carlos remembers the highlights of his ministry years, “I was so honored to be appointed Evangelist in 2000 and the joy of my life were the births of my two sons, Carlos Jr. in 2002 and Andrew in 2003.” Yet it was in March 2003 that the Mejias were devastated when asked to step down from the ministry, because of a lack of funds. This happened as the LA ICOC moved away from their core convictions of discipling and the dream to evangelize the world in a generation to a more mainline Church of Christ theology of autonomy, in both the local church government and in the lives of the membership. With these changes, the confidence of the membership waned, as seen in the massive decrease in contribution.

For four years, the Mejias struggled with bitterness towards God and the leadership that had “deserted them.” During these years, they worshipped in the now differing regions of the LA ICOC, the mainline Churches of Christ as well as in denominational churches. But they did not find what they were looking for. About these years “in the desert,” Carlos and Lucy shared, “God taught us to trust more in God than men, to take responsibility for our spiritual lives and to have boundaries in our lives. We prayed constantly in ‘loud cries and tears’ for the Spirit to guide us. Then in May 2007, God brought us ‘home’ to the City of Angels Church family.”

Through the influence of Lu Jack and Cathi Martinez, Jeff Thompson, Ron Harding and several others, the Mejias learned from Luke 5:31-32 that to be “healed,” they had to “repent” of their bitterness and forgive all who had hurt them, even though those that hurt them might never apologize for their sins. After several Bible studies and breakfasts with us at The Good Earth, the Mejias placed membership in June 2007. Since that time, Elena and I have discipled them alongside the Comisfords. Together, these two couples through God’s power have built the Hollywood Ministry from seven disciples to an attendance of 92 at their recent House Church Service! Especially exciting additions to their ministry have been the placing of membership by Marty and Cathy Wooten – the former Kindgom Teacher couple, Michael and Sharon Kirchner, Robert and Grace Johnson and Jose Otero; the baptisms of Luis and Irma Ramos, Leyda and Ronnie Garcia, Wes Hardin, Kenny Jones, Michaela Foley, Jared McGee, Kyle and Cassie Swann and Leilani Miller; as well as the restorations of Damon and Vicki James, Dave Wiggins, Ana Reyes, Paula Foley and former full-time intern, Albert Wagers.

Today let us praise God for Carlos “David” Mejia’s heart, for like his namesake “David,” by grace the Spirit has restored Carlos to his God-given role of leadership. Let us also thank our God that our dear sister Lucy is recognized for her sold-out love for God and her effectiveness in building women’s ministries. Though tentmakers – not employed by the church – as Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leader, Carlos and Lucy now refined through the fires of loneliness and repentance, will surely live out “the joy of their salvation” by “always [giving themselves] fully to the work of the Lord because [they now understand] their labor is not in vain.” And to God be the glory!

Kip McKean