Joel Ortiz Profile

By: Kimberlee Mitchell, Staff

Alumni: Joel Ortiz (Newark 2021)  

Organization: Calvary Christian Center/Centro Cristiano Calvario (CCC)  

Position: Youth Pastor at Youth180  

 

 Joel Ortiz (Newark 2021) and his wife, Jaliris, co-lead as youth pastors at Calvary Christian Center/Centro Cristiano Calvario (CCC), a predominantly Hispanic church in the Central Ward of New Jersey. They alternate delivering the Youth180 Friday night sermon in English, with Spanish translation available via headset. Youth180 caters to a diverse group of high school- and college-aged youth. By day, Joel is a Newark police officer on the Information Technology team—a desk job he appreciates after eight years on street patrol. He is also pursuing a biblical studies degree online at Liberty University.  

   

Q: Why do you think God called you to this work?  

  

A: God called me to this church at age 18 through an invitation to youth group. I joined small groups, took discipleship classes, and was mentored by Misael Guzman (Newark 2014), the youth pastor who later became my DVULI liaison. Misael held me accountable for my actions and behavior, and I began to transform due to his love, correction, and guidance. I enjoyed inviting friends to church and eventually began to disciple them. I met my wife here, and we wanted to serve as a couple. After Misael stepped down, we plugged in and have served together for six years.   

Uniquely, my work as a police officer on the streets of Newark gave me insight into the various challenges that today’s youth face. It also kept me updated with what was happening with this generation and helped me stay relevant. When I encountered youth on the streets—whether I was arresting them or preventing them from getting into trouble—I would try to turn a negative experience into a positive one whenever God gave me an open door. Everyone has a story, so I started talking to them whenever I could. They weren’t used to a police officer trying to connect in this way, but you’d be surprised how much they shared about why they did what they did when I took the time to ask and listen. They saw a young man behind a badge and uniform approaching them differently. Seeking to see their humanity allowed them to see mine. I use a similar approach to youth at church.  

  

Q: What do you hope to accomplish in this capacity?  

A:  We take a similar approach to the police academy in that we train youth before they graduate high school or head to college and encounter the world as adults. You would never send officers out on the job without preparing, training, and equipping them with the proper techniques and strategies to survive on the streets. There’s a level of confidence that you have in your job when you’ve been properly trained—it’s the same for youth.   

At Youth180, our goal is a warm welcome and connection for each newcomer, regardless of their background and mistakes. I love hearing them share how they felt when they walked in: “No matter how I looked, no matter where I came from, they just embraced me.” 

When they are ready, we encourage youth to serve on a sound board running AV, singing worship, or serving on the Spanish translation or welcoming teams. Working with others allows them to use their gifts, sharpen their collaboration skills, develop trust and leadership traits, and ultimately develop their character and heart for God. We offer an array of classes, including new believers, discipleship, and college-prep apologetics, which is led by my wife, who is currently working on an apologetics degree at Biola.    

  

 

Q: What challenges have you had to overcome?  

  

A:  Youth180 offers a hybrid Friday night service that draws youth from high school to college. Since we never turn anyone away, our service also draws older age groups—some regulars are in their late 20s. This wide range of ages can make tackling some subject matter a challenge. We make it a practice not to avoid hard topics during Friday night service, but sometimes, we need to break into age groups to discuss some topics in an age-appropriate subject matter.  

Initially, filling the room with youth was a challenge. I remember that first night at our grand opening. We were so excited and nervous, but it was so deflating when only five people showed up. I cried out to the Lord, asking, “Why all this prep for so few?” When it was time to deliver the message, I preached like the church had a thousand youth. My wife and I poured out God’s love on each of them. Every gathering after that, we continued with full effort and faith that He would bring the people—and He did and still does! We now serve 40–50 young people every week. 

  

Q: What are you most proud of?  

A: Seeing youth age out of our ministry and come back to serve makes me proud. One young man, Freddy, grew in his faith significantly during his time in Youth180. When he received football scholarship opportunities outside the area, he was concerned about leaving the church and losing this connection. After much praying, he decided to attend a local college, which allowed him to serve on our youth leadership team.  

Our church is in the heart of the city, surrounded by many college campuses, and God has placed a burden on our hearts to pray over them. Once a month, we go out like a church on the move to share the gospel and talk with willing college students. Our youth are uplifted by being the hands and feet of Christ, and it makes me feel like a proud dad to witness such transformative work.   

Additionally, we are a predominantly English-speaking Hispanic church that believes in and supports women in ministry. Our lead pastors, a married couple, often alternate preaching, with the female pastor also preaching on Sundays. This has served as a pastoral model for my wife, and we pray to continue to do the Lord’s work for His Glory!