10 notable Christian leaders, influencers who died in 2025
Sonny Arguinzoni Sr. – March 3
Sonny Arguinzoni Sr., pastor and founder of the California-based Victory Outreach, which has planted hundreds of churches in the United States and abroad, died at age 85.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Arguinzoni was involved in gang activity as a teenager and was a drug addict until he became a born-again Christian in his early 20s.
In 1967, Arguinzoni and his wife founded Victory Outreach, which currently boasts about 700 churches in 33 countries, with ministries centered on helping those in inner-city environments.
The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and pastor of New Season Church in Sacramento, called Arguinzoni the “Godfather of inner city ministry” and a “man of God that led countless lives into the hands of the redeeming Savior.”
“The follower of Jesus that changed the world. … Sonny Arguinzoni passed into eternity. We will miss you,” stated Rodriguez. “My hero, your legacy lives on!”
