For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, For it is the power of God to salvation for all who believe." (Romans 1:16)
"A mans heart plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)
On any given Sunday morning as you enter the front door CCO you will be greeted by a man offering a hearty handshake and a smile as wide as the great outdoors. Meet Adam Riojas, Pastor of Evangelism and Outreach for CCO. Adam has endured an almost unimaginable journey of darkness and pain which ended in the arms of a loving, forgiving Savior.
Adam was born to Josephine and Adam Riojas. His father was abusive and cruelly beat Adam. When the family moved to a gang filled neighborhood in Oceanside, every day of his third year of grammar school Adam was forced to fight any boy who wanted to test him. He refused the temptation to join a gang, but fought gamely and always beat his opponents. Finally, after an unbearable year, he was accepted by the other boys at the school, and left alone.
In Junior High Adam showed himself to be a gifted athlete and broke every athletic record held at the school. His success in sports continued during his years at Oceanside High School (Go Pirates!) where he played football and ran track. Although an attractive candidate for recruitment by colleges he was unable to compete in his senior year because of an injury received during the summer. There would be no scholarship for Adam. His dream of attending college was dead. But Adam was a survivor and after graduating he obtained a real estate license and eventually moved to Hawaii as a successful agent. He was living life large!
Everything seemed to be coming Adams way, he had money and success and who wouldn’t be happy living in Hawaii? But then disaster struck with a vengeance, and his life was forever changed. Adam was accused of perpetrating a murder he did not commit and found himself facing a life sentence in prison. This could not be happening to him! Anger and resentment filled his heart, but God was at work, wooing this angry young man to Himself.
Adam was invited to bible studies in prison and reluctantly began to attend. He was confused by the teaching: for the first time he was hearing that Jesus is God, a previously unknown concept. He kept wondering how that could be, after all Jesus was just a man. But as he listened and began to read the bible for himself he came to understand the truth about this Jesus. Then his eyes were opened. Adam could not accept a man as his savior, but he was compelled to accept the Man who is God. He was astonished as joy, peace and love flooded his heart and soul. Suddenly Adam experienced real love. He was no longer alone and was completely accepted and beloved by the God of creation! His excitement knew no bounds. He could not keep silent. Everyone he came in to contact with in the many prisons he spent the next 13 plus years in heard from Adam about the God who saves. Adam was still Adam though and many of those men heard in adamant terms that they needed to repent before they died and stood in front of a just God! No compromise was accepted, and Adam grew by leaps and bounds in his knowledge of the word of God. He began to teach bible studies that grew in numbers to the point he needed to request larger facilities from prison officials to hold the hundreds who wanted to attend each church service. To this day his greatest joy is the knowledge that God used him in prison to lead hundreds to the throne of grace.
Adam was content to be in prison, but God had other plans for him. After his father’s death bed confession to relatives that he, in fact, was the murderer of the man Adam was serving time for killing, several family members and an attorney began the arduous effort toward release. It took 4 years.
Adam discovered Calvary Chapel on the radio and during those last years of imprisonment he listened every day to the teaching. He was so excited to hear the bible taught expositionally and knew that this was the church for him.
Since Adam had excelled in every vocational program in prison that taught building skills, the day he walked out of prison he was offered a position with a contracting company. In less than a year Adam was running his own company and crew. He was doing very well financially so Adam fulfilled a life long dream and built a home on a large piece of spectacular property in Fallbrook. Adam had begun attending CCO as soon as he returned to Oceanside. It took several years before he responded to the Lord’s voice calling him to active ministry, but the patience of God finally won him over. Adam was free; not only from prison, but more importantly he was free in Christ and how could he possibly say no to service for the God who had set him free? After completing the Intern program Adam accepted the invitation to become the Evangelism and Outreach pastor at CCO. Come and visit sometime, meet Adam and see for yourself what great things God can do!
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