journey church winter park florida

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A Group Effort: Journey Church

Blame it on prayer.

That’s the top reason Journey Church in Winter Park, Florida, has grown exponentially since it launched three years ago, says Executive Pastor Joey Salazar.

“We put God before everything,” he says. “We pray for our meetings. We do 21 days of prayer and fasting one time a year, and we have a prayer team.”

While prayer has been a huge factor in the church plant’s success, it’s not the only one. Journey’s culture and organizational structure also play roles. Salazar says the church is transparent about its values: know God, find freedom, discover purpose and make a difference. The church also strives to show how much it loves people.

“We are friendly, and that doesn’t happen by accident,” Salazar says. “We’re intentional.” A group of volunteers called the Dream Team welcomes people as they arrive, and the pastors encourage churchgoers to take a moment to greet each other during worship services.

Church leaders aren’t exalted above members of the congregation, Salazar says, and worship services are held in an easy-to-grasp way. Moreover, Journey clearly communicates next steps for visitors and offers a leadership academy, or full-time internship program, that includes hands-on ministry experience for young adults through Southeastern University.

The church draws a considerable number of students because Winter Park is home to Rollins College, Full Sail University, Central Florida College and other academic institutions. To appeal to this crowd, the church “dims the lights and plays modern songs so they can just enjoy the atmosphere,” Salazar says.

But the church isn’t just a Generation Z magnet. It also attracts young families and workers from the tourism industry, since nearby Orlando is the home of Walt Disney World and other theme parks.

Community outreach allows the church to connect with people who might not hear about Journey otherwise. On the first Saturday of the month, church volunteers participate in a program called First Saturday Serve, during which Journey has donated free gas cards to low-income communities and helped with neighborhood events, such as marches. The church has also provided labor to families in need.

“One particular family comes to mind,” Salazar says. “They needed help moving. It was a single mother with her child and dad who has cancer, so he wasn’t able to do a lot of moving or physical labor. A group of us showed up to help move their belongings from the fourth floor into the U-Haul. That was their first impression of Journey Church.”

Volunteering requires a team effort, and over the past year, Salazar has recognized the importance of team building in the church in general.

“It’s one of the keys to success,” he says. “It’s not a one-man show or a one-woman show. It’s really a community of hundreds of volunteers who’ve stepped into their purpose. We want to empower as many people as we can.”

Ivelisse Matamoros and her husband, James, are examples. Three years ago, the couple served as church volunteers who found it easy to connect with middle and high school students. Today, they are youth pastors at Journey.

“We started with three youth in a living room, and this past May we had over 100 students gathered for our monthly student worship experience,” Ivelisse says. “It’s an incredible experience to see how God moves within your life when you allow him to.”

As youth pastors, the couple’s faith has deepened as well. They no longer focus just on their own relationship with God.

“Our relationship with Christ has grown because we realized that it’s not just about us and what we take in Sunday after Sunday, but it’s about others,” Ivelisse says. “We genuinely strive for others to come in and leave feeling new. Not only do I have that mentality on Sundays, but now every day I ask, ‘How can I help someone come to know Christ today?’”

—Nadra Kareem Nittle

JOURNEY CHURCH Winter Park, Florida Lead Pastor: J.J. Vasquez Twitter: @JJLVasquez Website: JourneyORL.com Founded: 2016 Affiliation: Assemblies of God Locations: 1 A 2019 OUTREACH 100 CHURCH Attendance: 1,079 Growth: +595 (123%) Fastest-Growing: 10

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Nadra Kareem Nittle has written for Outreach magazine since 2009. She has written about faith and other issues for a number of publications and websites, including the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, About.com's Race Relations website, TheLoop21.com, PRISM magazine and the Inland Valley Times. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles.

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Journey Church

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Review Highlights

“ Pastor JJ and his wife Liz are two of the most loving, positive, encouraging, and influential leaders I have ever met. ” in 4 reviews

“ I attend and serve at East Campus, it has a family atmosphere and embodies the way I enjoy seeking Jesus . ” in 4 reviews

“ I'm so glad this is my home church ! ” in 2 reviews

About the Business

You can expect a welcoming environment, passionate worship, a safe and fun space for kids, and a message that will leave you with practical steps each week to see your life begin to change. …

Location & Hours

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6405 S US Hwy 17 92

Fern Park, FL 32730

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Great place to attend for worship very relatable. Easy to understand, keeps you engaged, very uplifting and positive.

Journey is not just a church it is a community. I have been attending for 1 year now and the people are warm and welcoming. The church services are 9am, 10:45, and 12:30. Every Sunday and our mission this year is Pray first so they have Saturday morning prayer 9-10am. I love journey and anyone you ask will say the same! If you are looking for a church please give us a try you won't be disappointed with our amazing pastors.

Journey Church Orlando has become my home away from home, and I can't sing its praises enough. From the get-go, the messages have been an absolute game-changer. They're not just well-taught but also delivered with a refreshing transparency that makes you feel connected. Love, care, and support are woven into every word, and the absence of negative undertones sets the tone for a genuinely uplifting experience. Let's talk about Pastor Jj - this guy is truly God sent. His teachings resonate, and you can feel the passion behind every word. It's evident he genuinely cares about the congregation's well-being, and that authenticity makes a world of difference. He inserts a lot of humor making the sermons fly by! Coming from a church where the pastor used his pulpit as a way to take on his personal vendettas on members and airing out everyone's secrets, journey has helped heal my church hurt. The staff deserves a standing ovation. Friendly doesn't quite capture it--they're genuinely welcoming. Walking into the church feels like coming home to a big, loving family. Safety is a top priority here, and that sense of security is priceless. As a parent, the children's church process has been a game-changer. It's not just about keeping the kids occupied; it's about giving parents peace of mind. Knowing that your little ones are not only cared for but also engaged in a meaningful way during the service is a huge relief. Now, let's talk small groups. It's like they've thought of everything. There's a group for almost every situation imaginable, and if you don't find what you're looking for, they actively encourage you to help create it. It's a community that thrives on inclusivity and actively involves its members in shaping their own experiences. In summary, if you're on the lookout for a church to call home, Journey Church Orlando is the answer. It's a place where the messages inspire, the pastor leads with unwavering solidity, the staff feels like family, safety is a given, and the community actively encourages you to be a part of shaping its future. Pleased doesn't quite cover it--I'm downright grateful to have found this incredible community. Five stars and then some!

I attend and serve at East Campus, it has a family atmosphere and embodies the way I enjoy seeking Jesus. This church is so welcoming and accommodating to make Jesus accessible to anyone. They want everyone to participate and become one large community through small groups that perpetuate our faith. I was also fortunate enough to go on a mission trip with this church to El Salvador, which was life changing.

Loved the Christmas eve service we saw online. The praise and worship was awesome and so was Pastor JJ's message. The only suggestion is to turn background music down so we can here the Pastor more clearly when he is preaching. There were times when the keyboard just drowned out his voice. In spite of that the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart thru his words. Will visit in person when we return to Florida again! God please continue to bless this ministry!

Great church def recommend to friends and family will feel the holy spirit can be your home church , pastor jj is great teachings has great visiting pastors teachings aswell, i just dont think they should let a woman who is not the pastors wife preach a whole sermon, 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 "The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission," i get the new gen perspective still dont agree with that though

I've been coming here for 11 months now and this church has truly been a blessing in my life. A church that celebrates diversity and is composed of people from every age, it's nestled in Winter Park taking residence in Winter Park High School on Sundays. This family (because everyone here treats each other as such) has small groups for support throughout the week, a children's ministry, a youth ministry, and an amazing worship experience! I first checked them out on their website: journeyorl.com If you've been looking for a church to call home, you should definitely check this church out!

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CHURCH TO CALL HOME.. LOOK NO FURTHER. The second you hear the pastors/leaders at this church it'll be an easy decision for you to make this your community. Such a humble, kind, and inspiring group of people. I am coming up on 1 year attending this church and I am so grateful to have found them. Thank you for everything you all do in the name of Jesus.

If you're looking for a new place to call home, you landed on the right page. I started going to Journey in January of 2017 and felt like I was part of a family. There's so many small interest based groups to choose from for you to connect with other likeminded Christians. There's also missions trips which I had the opportunity of going to Nicaragua and I was able to do photography for the church which I really enjoyed. Journey is growing and influencing our city and across the nations. Pastor JJ and his wife Liz are two of the most loving, positive, encouraging, and influential leaders I have ever met. I'm truly thankful for their guidance, encouragement, and leadership. God is in this place. Welcome home!

Amazing Church, Amazing energy, and amazing pastor!! Gifted and definitely filled his calling with being a leader and sharing the word of God! Young and full of life, great church for all ages - has a talent of tying in real life situation while preaching.

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Christian Church in Fern Park, Florida

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Journey Church exists to build a community of people that does life around the presence of God.

Our mission, our mission is to see our cities transformed by the power of the gospel for the glory of god in our generation., our unique characteristics, we are a presence driven church.

We are not built around any person or ministry. We are built around one thing, the presence of God. Through worship, prayer, and God’s Word, we lead people from corporate encounters with God to daily personal encounters with God.

We Put People First

People matter to God, so they matter to us. We prioritize relationship over ministry. We are more intentional about building people than we are programs.

We are a Diverse Church

We are a church of various cultures, backgrounds, and ages. We are all one body, called to be in unity with God and His mission.

Seek His Presence. Build His People. 

TAKE GOD ENCOUNTERS AND GIVE THEM AWAY We value the urgent responsibility and privilege given to us by God — to proclaim the Gospel to all people, tribes, and nations. We evangelize by sharing the knowledge and understanding of God that we receive in our daily encounters with Him.

PRAY FIRST In every situation, whether good or bad, we pray before we act. Prayer is our first response, not our last resort.

Discipleship

NEVER STOP As disciples of Jesus, we will never stop growing in our relationship with Him. We believe Jesus’ best plan for this is discipleship. We will be disciples that make disciples.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP We believe the greatest leadership is service to others. Every leader is a servant first. From the parking lot to the pulpit, everyone serves. Every role is different, but they are all important.

REAL PEOPLE We are real, not religious people. We don’t hide behind a mask or image. We all fall short at times, and we aren’t afraid to admit our shortcomings to one another and build one another up.

Celebration

TESTIFY GOD’S GOODNESS If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong! We make time to celebrate wins by testifying God’s goodness in our lives.

MAKE IT BETTER We represent the Lord by doing the best we can with what we have. Everything has room for improvement, and we will have an attitude of whatever it takes to make it better than yesterday.

TALK IT OUT We build the trust, character, and relationships of tomorrow by engaging in the tough conversations today.

PULSE CHECK We remain healthy by prioritizing personal encounters with God, pursuing purity, putting family first, and protecting our Sabbath so we can lead others in health.

Edification

SPEAK LIFE We see people the way God sees people. We call out destiny in others by speaking life and not death.

GIVE IT AWAY TO KEEP IT

We will be generous with pure motives, knowing God blesses the pure in heart. We give our time, treasure, and talents from a heart of compassion.

LEADERSHIP STANDARDS

Daily encounters.

We engage the Lord through daily personal encounters by welcoming the Holy Spirit, asking the Lord to speak to us, digging into God’s Word, praying the Lord’s Prayer, and listening for His response.

We honor the Sabbath and keep it holy by stewarding our time according to God’s teachings. We balance productivity with a commitment to take time away and recover in order to not risk our health, well-being, and effectiveness for the Kingdom.

We protect the unity of our church by acting in love toward other members, refusing to gossip, and submitting to leadership. We exercise forgiveness at all costs by asking for God’s forgiveness, forgiving ourselves and forgiving others. We believe there is no spiritual growth without forgiveness.

We recognize the difference between good ideas and God ideas. As we seek his wisdom, we will respond like Moses, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” We will be leaders who only go where He is leading and operate in His giftings to get there.

Stewardship

We honor what God has given us by tithing faithfully, using our resources effectively, stewarding His presence with humility, and using our time productively.

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