11 min read ⭑
“The church is the key component of vital spirituality. Worship on Sunday isn’t a negotiable part of the Christian life but the divinely ordained place where God showers us with otherworldly gifts.”
Adriel Sanchez has been pastoring North Park Presbyterian Church in San Diego since he planted the church in 2014. With his profound love of theology and ancient Christian literature, it’s no surprise he also hosts the “Core Christianity” podcast for Sola Media and has written two books: “Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer” and “Why We Worship: Experiencing Heaven on Earth at Church.” Today, Adriel is giving Rapt readers an exclusive glimpse into what his life really looks like — from his deep-rooted love for rolled tacos and spicy salsa to learning Latin during cardio sessions and reading the Bible daily as a family. Read on to be challenged and inspired.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
Food is always about more than food; it’s also about home and people and love. So how does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?
My favorite meal growing up was rolled tacos from Los Panchos on Palm Avenue in Imperial Beach. It was on the way home from football practice. My single mother didn’t have the time to cook dinner, so she would take us there after practice. I could have eaten rolled tacos every day. Unfortunately, the price of a taco has gone up in San Diego! But when my wife or one of my kids asks, “Can we get rolled tacos tonight?” I almost always say yes.
Most people think you’re supposed to dip the rolled taco into the little plastic salsa container (I always go for red). Naturally, this makes sense, as the salsa holder is just big enough so that you can dunk each bite. I prefer to take a bite of the rolled taco, and then drink from the small cup of salsa (the spicier the better). I didn’t see my dad often as a kid, but one of my memories of him was watching him eat. He had a serrano pepper, and he’d alternate between bites of beans or rice, and then a bite of the pepper. Impressed, I began eating “chile” from a young age. There’s always a bag of serranos in our kitchen. What does this reveal about the true me besides the future likelihood of gastrointestinal issues? I am not entirely sure. Perhaps I’m reckless and lacking manners. I do promise not to drink from the salsa bowl if you invite me over for dinner, though. Please just make it spicy.
Annie Spratt; Unsplash+
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
What “nonspiritual” activity have you found to be quite spiritual, after all? What quirky proclivity, out-of-the-way interest or unexpected pursuit refreshes your soul?
I find it difficult to shut off. I’m always thinking about the next thing that needs to be done and can feel guilty if I’m not producing something. It’s when I force myself to stop and be silent — doing nothing — that I feel refreshed.
I struggle with the “Martha mentality.” You know Martha, the sister in the Gospels who busied herself serving Jesus and then judged everyone around her for being so lazy? I want to be more like her sister, Mary, who sat at Jesus’ feet and didn’t do anything but listen. There’s something sacred about sitting in silence, and for people who are tempted to tie spirituality to productivity, doing nothing seems “nonspiritual.” In truth, it’s a vital component of genuine spirituality. We can’t really serve unless we’ve first learned to rest in and receive the divine service of Christ.
I’m also learning to appreciate beauty wherever it’s found. The voice of a singer, or the strokes of a painting. These things don’t have to be explicitly “Christian,” and yet the excellence they exhibit has moved me to thank God for the common gifts he spreads about humanity. The natural world is constantly talking to us, and if you’re quiet enough to hear it, it too will give you a wonderful sermon.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness; every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you confront its power?
In the words of Michael Scott, “I work too hard. I care too much. And sometimes I can be too invested in my job ... Well, my weaknesses are actually strengths.”
Honestly, though, I was raised by a hard worker. My mom never took “I can’t do it” for an answer, and she always pushed us to finish what we started. Watching her shaped me positively in many ways, but I’ve also inherited the “sí se puede” stubbornness. I’m tempted to try to accomplish things in my own strength rather than relying on God’s Spirit. That, together with the Martha mentality I mentioned in my previous answer, can be a bad recipe. I confront these temptations by reminding myself that at the end of the day, I can’t build God’s kingdom. We are living stones in the temple Jesus is constructing. The kingdom of God, therefore, isn’t something we build as much as a gift that we receive. On my good days, I rest in that, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have bad days.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
I like lifting weights at the gym, but I just discovered zone two cardio. I can walk on the treadmill at an incline for 60 minutes, and it’s good for my heart! During my zone two sessions, I’m studying Latin because I want to read the untranslated works of Peter Martyr Vermigli. Vermigli was a 16th-century Italian Reformer known especially for his writings on the Eucharist. My recent interest in Vermigli is in line with a passion I’ve always had for Christian worship. I didn’t grow up going to church, and since my conversion, I’ve wrestled to understand why Christians do what we do when we gather. I’ve found guidance from the ancients — not just men like Vermigli, but St. Augustine and the Cappadocian Fathers. So yeah, I’m invested in old books! In fact, I recently came upon a first edition of one of Vermigli’s biblical commentaries, published in 1561! My kids said it looked moldy and smelled funny. I love it.
My book on worship, “Why We Worship,” was a love project that traces some of my findings related to Christian liturgy. I want to help Jesus followers recover something of the wonder and weight of the Sunday service. If you’re disillusioned with church or looking to better understand what the Bible teaches regarding worship, I hope you’ll check it out! I’m currently working on another book for Crossway on the beauty of Christ’s person and work. I hope to have that finished in early 2027.
Most of my time, however, is spent in the trenches of pastoral ministry. I planted a church in 2014 and have been privileged to pastor North Park Presbyterian Church since then. Alongside my pastoral duties, I make videos for a Christian media organization called Sola Media. You can find us on YouTube!
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Whether we’re cashiers or CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need God’s love flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I’m energized by the people God brings into my life. The best part of my day is around 8 a.m. when the whole family is sitting around the breakfast table. I have six kids (ages ranging from 1 to 14), and we’re packed into a small craftsman home in San Diego. We try to have consistent “Bible time” with our kids, which usually looks like reading a chapter out loud (we just finished Second Kings) and then singing a couple of psalms and praying. We use a psalter hymnal called the “Trinity Psalter Hymnal,” and since I don’t know how to read music, I can pull up the tunes with an app on my iPhone. It’s there, with my family, talking about Israel’s kings or something Jesus did in the Gospels, that I’m vivified (espresso helps, too).
My wife is my greatest encourager, and through her, God often shows me his love.
In pastoral ministry, I’m invigorated by my study of Scripture and meetings at Caffe Calabria with church members and visitors who are just learning about Jesus for the first time. At Sola Media, I’m invigorated by the talented team of people I get to work with.
Prayer is the foundation of everything. I lose steam when I don’t pray and often find myself the most revitalized after times of prayer. It’s OK if prayer feels like work sometimes. It falls under the umbrella of what Paul called “train yourself for godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7, ESV), and exercise is often the last thing we feel like doing. But you don’t need to be super spiritual to pray, just poor in spirit. When I find that I have trouble putting words together, I like to pray the Psalms or meditate on the Lord’s Prayer. I’ve written about this in my book, “Praying With Jesus.” The Holy Spirit invigorates me through prayer.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?
I guess I was getting ahead of myself in the previous question, but there’s more I can say about the habit of prayer. Prayer is best in conversation with God. When one of my older daughters was around 3 or 4, she asked me one day, “Papa, how come God don’t talk?” It struck me that she’d heard us talk to God a lot in prayer, but that she hadn’t heard him say anything back! I tried to explain to her that God is always speaking to us. The heavens declare his glory, and day unto day utters speech (see Ps. 19). Creation is telling us a story every day, but God hasn’t stopped there. He’s also given us his revealed will in the sacred writings of Scripture. Through them, he’s speaking if we have ears to hear. It’s in response to God’s manifold revelation that we realize prayer isn’t just a one-way street. We’re responding to God in prayer as much as we’re trying to get a response from him. Time in the Word often generates times of prayer.
I also believe strongly that the church is the key component of vital spirituality. Worship on Sunday isn’t a negotiable part of the Christian life but the divinely ordained place where God showers us with otherworldly gifts. Sadly, I think many professing Christians have stopped seeing it that way. The preached Word and the Lord’s Supper/Communion have become increasingly precious to me as I’ve come to see them as telescopes through which we behold and savor the beauty of Christ. Indeed, in Communion, we don’t just have Christ exhibited to us clearly, but by faith, we feed on him truly. Many of us are starving for authentic spirituality, and Jesus reminds us in the Lord’s Supper that he gives himself to us.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and changed your heart?
A book that really impacted me was St. Augustine’s “Confessions.” I was introduced to it in college and remember feeling a special affinity toward this man who lived so long ago. I marveled at his honesty and could sense the love he had for Christ in the prayers that were embedded throughout his confessions. I wanted then and still long to love Jesus like him.
Another brutally honest writer I think every Christian should read is the German Reformer Martin Luther. Luther is raw and has no problem being open about his desperate need for God’s grace. Pick up Luther’s Galatians commentary published by 1517 Publishing. If you’re new to the work of the “Magisterial” Reformers, it might take some getting used to. He’s pretty salty about the pope, but if you understand the history of the medieval papacy, you can sympathize. What I love most about it is that, like Augustine’s work, it’s a kind of confession itself. Luther wore his heart on his sleeve.
Most of the books I like to read were written by people who are alive in heaven, but if I had to recommend something by someone who is still a part of the church militant, I’d point you to the writings of my friend, Mike Horton. Michael Horton is a theology professor I had the privilege of studying under and with whom I work at Sola Media. I love his stuff, not just because it’s so rich but because I know him personally. Sometimes the more you get to know someone, the less inclined you are to believe what they say. But that hasn’t been my experience with Mike. If you’re looking to cultivate long-term faithfulness to Jesus and avoid the spiritual burnout that seems so common in the church, pick up his book, “Ordinary.”
Certain things can be godsends, helping us survive, even thrive, in our fast-paced world. Does technology ever help you this way? Has an app ever boosted your spiritual growth? If so, how?
Technology is a sword that requires wisdom to wield. Lots of people are gripping the blade and swinging, doing harm to themselves. But if you can figure out where the handle is (and remember that a sword isn’t meant to fix everything), you’ll be all right.
I appreciate the connections I’ve been able to make with like-minded people on X (formerly Twitter). I like the convenience of Bible software that lets me look up words with one click instead of hours of flipping pages. Tech has definitely helped me be more efficient as a pastor, but it can also be a distraction. I’m probably most grateful for the way it’s helped people connect with our church. Many of the people who have found us over the years have done so through my work with Sola Media and our YouTube channel or podcast, “Core Christianity.” The internet has been a feeder for our local church, and in that sense, it’s been a godsend!
QUESTION #8: dream
God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
One of my favorite things to do is sit down with retired pastors who are still loving Jesus after decades of serving in the church. I want to be like them one day. It’s not so much that I’m longing for retirement; rather, I want to finish well. I want to be faithful right now and tomorrow and the day after that. In your kindness, pray for me if you would.
I’d like to see our church continue to grow and serve San Diego. San Diego is a very transient city, and people are always coming and going. I dream about our church having a long-term presence here and serving families for generations. I’m praying that one day God provides for us to have a building of our own. I know the church isn’t a building, but there are ministry opportunities that open up for you when you have a spot of your own. I want to see our people grow in a greater devotion to Christ and one another.
I hope to continue to serve the broader Christian community through writing and video content. Recently, I’ve also become interested in pursuing additional education/research related to some of my theological passions. I’m not entirely sure how God is going to develop that, but I’m excited!
When life gets busy, we all too often treat church like a task on our weekly to-do list. Physically we’re there, but our hearts are pulled somewhere else. We’re thinking about lunch or dinner afterward. The project we need to finish. Our kids, who have somehow managed to get into trouble before the end of the first worship song.
But as Adriel points out in his interview, gathering as a church is far more sacred than we might realize. It’s in that place, together, that we experience the mystical union of Christ and his corporate bride. “For where two or three are gathered in my name,” Jesus said, “there am I among them” (Matt. 18:20, ESV).
Next time you attend church, before you utter one word in song or prayer, ask the Lord to show you where he is — in the people sitting next to you, in the words the pastor preaches, in the conversations afterward. He’ll answer. I know it.
Adriel Sanchez is the pastor of North Park Presbyterian Church and host of the Core Christianity podcast for Sola Media. He’s the author of Praying With Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer and Why We Worship: Experiencing Heaven on Earth at Church. Adriel lives in San Diego and is married to Ysabel. Together, they have six children.