The New Face of Victory: Jonathan DeCuir Set to Become Lead Pastor

At Victory Bible Church in Pasadena, a new era is dawning. On Friday, March 8, the congregation will welcome Jonathan DeCuir as its new Lead Pastor.

DeCuir, who currently serves on the Pastoral staff at the Church, represents a blend of musical talent, spiritual passion, and social activism.

In an interview with Pasadena Now, DeCuir said that his family legacy influenced his calling to ministry.

“It started with my parents,” he said. “My dad was a very prominent pastor in Pasadena, Rogers DeCuir, and my mother, Linda DeCuir. They were over the Holy Deliverance Pentecostal Church in Pasadena. And so growing up in a household where my father was prominent, that gave me background in the church.”

DeCuir also credited the late Bishop James Edward Henry, the founder of Victory Bible Church, as a mentor and a role model. Henry, who passed away in 2019, was known for his authenticity and his devotion to God.

“The thing that attracted me to Victory was Bishop James Edward Henry — a pastor who was both human and spiritual at the same time. He didn’t put on facades. He was a very real person,” DeCuir said. “He prayed and fasted, but he also had fun. He danced and laughed. I feel very humbled to be able to continue the legacy that he already started.”

As the new Lead Pastor of Victory Bible Church, DeCuir said he has a clear vision for the future. He wants to empower his members to discover their gifts and their mission and to help them serve God and others.

He also wants to engage with the community and address the issues that affect them, such as poverty, racism, and injustice.

He said church is not just a place to worship, but a place to make a difference.

“I’m spending more time getting people connected to the vision of themselves,” he said. “My first priority is to get people to understand…your purpose.”

Victory Bible Church’s congregation is predominantly Black. It has long been a cornerstone of the Pasadena community. Pastor DeCuir said the congregation is deeply rooted in Northwest Pasadena, and the Church’s engagement with the community extends beyond the church walls.

Central to Victory Bible Church’s outreach efforts is Palm Leaf Management, a nonprofit organization that embodies the church’s commitment to education, community development, and global outreach. Pastor DeCuir cites the organization’s annual Christmas Experience Concert as a beacon of generosity and goodwill. Palm Leaf Management also administers the church’s scholarship program.

“We want to really process the importance of education and to promote the importance of children,” he said. “In addition to that, we also have both foreign and local missionary efforts, and those are the things that we’re focused on right now in terms of our community.”

In the digital age, Victory Bible Church leverages technology and social media to engage with a diverse audience and inspire younger generations – millennials and Gen Z members.

“The key is going to be innovation and being able to speak to culture because in transcending culture, you’ve got to be able to speak to culture,” DeCuir continued. “So that’s our engagement plan – just getting Gen Z and the millennials involved and letting them lead us on how to engage social media.”

DeCuir will be installed as Lead Pastor on Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m.

To learn more about Victory Bible Church, visit www.vbcpasadena.org.