Embrace! Church was born on July 14, 2019, out of a clear calling from the Holy Spirit to bridge a painful divide in the modern church landscape: to build a community that is unapologetically rooted in the Word of God, yet fiercely and fully affirming of all people. This unique DNA was shaped by our founding pastor, Joseph Cuestas, whose background blends rigorous study in Pastoral Theology and Music, five years of honorable service in the United States Marine Corps, and a passion for education and learning.
Like many profound movements, our beginnings were humble, with our very first gatherings held in a living room. As our vision of inclusive hearts and Bible Roots resonated, we quickly outgrew that space, entering a shared sublease with the Adventist Christian Fellowship on Thousand Oaks in September 2019. But our greatest leap of faith came during the height of the 2020 pandemic. While physical gatherings were paused, we trusted God's timing, signed a commercial lease for Suite 8 on Fredericksburg Road, and completely remodeled it with our own hands and resources to prepare a home for our returning congregation. God continually blessed that faith, leading to a major expansion in February 2025 when we acquired the adjacent Suite 9. Today, Suite 9 serves as our dedicated Worship Center while our original space has transformed into our Life! Center. From a living room to a multi-suite site, our core mission remains exactly the same as day one: to ensure that whoever you are, you are Beyond Accepted, More Than Welcomed… Embraced!