At Home with Pastor Jose A Cavazos

Articles

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Where did you meet your wife?

We met when we were attending a youth group at Good Shepherd Church. It was in September 1982 and we were 16 years old. Even then, I knew she was going to be my companion for life. We worked together in youth ministry and at age 19 I asked her to marry me and she accepted. It was in 1986 when we join our lives … And we will celebrate our 26^th wedding anniversary this December.

Are you from the Valley?

I’m originally from Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas. I was born in May 1967 and immigrated to the United States in 1977, receiving our legal residence and subsequently our citizenship in 1998.

When did you feel the call to become a Pastor?

In 1987, my wife, my in-laws and I felt the call to start our own congregation. My father-in-law began a small church in the garage of his home, that’s where he began to pastor a small group of brothers in Christ, in 1988.

My wife and I supported him in everything he need. For many years we shared the word of Christ from that small garage. One day my Father-in-law felt it was time to step down from being Pastor. It was then that God called me to take the leadership of the congregation. Together we all prayed for that decision, considering how difficult it was, we were a little afraid of calling and responsibility.

When we all have fear, we feel the need to hide … Just as when God called Adam in Genesis 3:10 “And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

This is also reflected in the passage of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30.

I hid from that call of Christ at first. I hid behind my work. I hid behind the business. I hid behind my family. I came up with thousands of excuses so as not to hear the call God … Until He hit a little harder and I surrendered to Him .. I said: “Here is my life, all fear aside and I’ll believe in you. I’ll have faith in you and your promises, I know you have a legacy in my life, but show me your will “… And I was accepted as pastor of the church.

What is the mission of your church?

First, I see what is important to God and one of those things is that we worship Him. For this reason, we want to strive to be some of the best church worshipers of the world!! When we worship, we are in the presence of God.  His presence is with us and He loves it. So we show Him that we love Him. Just as the husband tells his wife that he loves her and wants to be with her and intentionally sets aside time to enjoy her company, we make time to love our God with all our heart, soul, and strength.

Second. We take care of people. The word says in Matthew 12: 29-31 “Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is: … Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.

And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself ¨.

There is no other commandment greater than this.  So we as a church, learn to show our neighbors our witness by learning to care for our neighbors…showing, teaching and caring for them.

No words, but actions, service and care.

Third. We train people and win souls.  Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you; And surely I am with you always, until the end of the world. Amen.

We have opened a training school, to disciple the people. The people need to be discipled in the school of life and we have 10 levels … we are currently providing the 5th level, each level consists of 4 months of preparation.

Soul-winning is important to us, so we teach how to evangelize the world.

Could you tell us about the miracle of your child?

Sure, everything started when Joshua Daniel, my eldest, was only 4 years old. His eyes began to blink uncontrollably, his arm went limp and he would faint, We realized that my little suffered from seizures. So we made an appointment with a neurologist from San Antonio, who was visiting the Valley. He ordered several tests including an MRI. The following week we said that our son had a brain tumor, just behind his left eye and it appeared to be the size of a golf ball. He was quickly transferred to San Antonio for Emergency treatment.

It goes without saying that my wife and I were broken by the situation. They were able to perform the surgery and  remove the tumor however, the doctor told us that this type of tumor tends to originate in the spine and it was vital to order another MRI. Unfortunately the doctor’s suspicions were true and he gave us more bad news, the tumor had spread to the spine. They told us that we would be there a long time and he would have to receive a year of radiation and chemotherapy. The doctor was not optimistic and said it was more than likely that he would just continue to deteriorate and not surive but for more than a year. We cried and we asked him if he would let us return to the Valley for a while. The Doctor gave us one condition, we had to come back to San Antonio in one week so that our son could began his treatment. Once home and back in our congregation, we prayed for our young son for a week non-stop.

We fasted all week. I remember being locked in the closet of my room praying

that the Lord will heal my son and make him very strong.

The following week we returned to San Antonio, and had all the necessary tests  inorder to start chemotherapy.  That evening the doctor visited us and gave us another story.  “I just came from the lab and according to the tests, there is no cancer in the spine, the child is clean … the MRI shows no tumor.” Yes! God performed the miracle, my son was healed. The doctor did not understand. He just said “It’s a miracle.” We were given radiation for 6 weeks to eradicate the root and prevent the cancer from returning. Now my little boy is 24 and is a tremendous worshiper!

Why did you choose Harlingen for your church?

We have seen how most parts of the Valley has deteriorated over the years.  The economy is bad all over and we felt called to establish roots here in Harlingen. We wanted to do our part to help make sure that Harlingen is a city competitive in business, finance and education. We want the city to have a genuine revival. We pray that people, through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, open their hearts and minds. This city is the heart of RGV, we are in the center and we are confident that we will win Harlingen for Christ.

How are you able to work full time AND be a pastor?

Phew, I also wonder that!! [chuckles] But God has entrusted us with His message and I can only do it by His grace. This is a gift we did not deserve, the Bible speaks of a salvation. But grace is more than a lifesaver, it takes the grace of God to be a mom, pastor, boss. Whatever you do, He gives us the grace to preach, to speak, to work. I can’t hardly believe that I became pastor of a church, with my construction business and as a  Federal Agent of the United States. As you can imagine, my time is very limited and I have to plan my schedule, and use the time that He gives me, because one day we will have to give an account. You have to plan for everything. It is only by the grace of God! for He is good … I always ask: Lord, give me grace to go ahead with the challenges that I have … for Him.