Meet Our Pastors

  • Matt Amargo

    Lead Pastor / Congregational Pastor - North

    Matt was born and raised in a military family, and spent much of his life living abroad at different duty stations. He was born in Okinawa Japan, and bounced back and forth between San Diego and Japan until high school, when his parents felt the Lord calling them back to the Philippines to serve in ministry. Matt lived in the Philippines for 7 years, attending high school at International Christian Academy and earning a BA in Organizational Communication at the University of the Philippines in Manila. 


    Upon returning to San Diego in 2002, Matt began serving at San Diego Christian Fellowship - then known as Filipino-American Christian Fellowship - in the areas of worship and youth ministry. Matt attended Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, graduating with a BA in Biblical Studies in 2005. Matt began working in the financial services field, progressing over a 7 year span in his firm to the role of operations manager. He continued to serve in SDCF as worship leader, youth and young adults leader and elder.


    Matt was called to be the full time congregational pastor of SDCF North in September 2013, and earned his Master of Arts in Theology from Bethel Seminary San Diego in 2019.  Matt stepped into the Lead Pastor role at SDCF in 2023. He and his wife Heather have an action packed boy named Caleb, a joyful girl named Madeline, and a rambunctious preschooler named Jonathan.  


    rightarrowVisit North Congregation

  • March Villareal

    Congregational Pastor - South

    March was born in Cavite, Philippines and immigrated with his parents to San Diego, CA in October 1989. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1998, continuing his enlistment until he retired in March 2021 after 22.5 of service. During 1999 to 2021, March has served in various ministry roles, while actively serving in the military.

     

    Between 1996 and 2005, March served with multiple ministries in the San Diego area, functioning in various ministry roles including youth ministry, teen and young adult ministry.  In early 2005, he was transferred from San Diego, CA to Norfolk, VA due to regular Navy assignment. In 2006, he co-founded “The LounGe”, a ministry reaching a young adult demographic in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Between 2006 and 2012, he served as the vision and training/teaching lead for The LounGe.

     

    March entered pastoral ministry in April 2012, and shortly after, planted Paradigm church in Chesapeake, Virginia. From 2012 to 2016, he served as senior pastor / elder with Paradigm church. In August 2016, Paradigm church merged with another local church called “Radiant Fellowship”. March became the senior pastor of the newly merged congregation, under the name Radiant Fellowship. From August 2016 to December 2017, he served as senior pastor of Radiant Fellowship, in Chesapeake, VA.

     

    In early 2018, he was transferred to Alameda, CA due to a regular Navy assignment. He retired from military service in March 2021, and shortly after he joined the pastoral staff at Calvary Chapel San Ramon (CCSR) CCSR in April 2021, serving as the assistant pastor/elder.  In November 2021, CCSR and Calvary Chapel, Calvary TriValley (CTV), merged to be one church, with the elders and pastors of CCSR assuming the leadership of the newly merged church, but retaining the name CTV. March was as the assistant pastor/elder of CTV, in Pleasanton California, until his return to San Diego in January 2023.

     

    On July 1, 2023, he joined the San Diego Christian Fellowship pastoral / elder team. On July 16, 2023, March was installed as the congregational pastor for SDCF's South congregation in Chula Vista. 

     

    The Lord has blessed March and his wife, Jucel, with over 22 years of marriage. They have two unstoppable boys, Ellias and Silas.


    rightarrowVisit South Congregation

  • Rick Barreyro

    Congregational Pastor - The Filipino Congregation

    Rick Barreyro, Jr. is an Electronics and Communications Engineer who graduated from University of Santo Tomas in 1985. His U.S. Navy opportunity came in February 16, 1988. He completed Boot Camp at Recruit Training Command San Diego with flying colors, and later graduated top of his class at the Airman Apprenticeship School and meritoriously promoted to Petty Officer Third Class after attending Basic Hospital Corpsman “A” School. While stationed in San Diego from 1988-1995, God allowed him to serve as Deacon/Sunday School Coordinator at Bible Christian International Church. 


    He received military orders to Pearl Harbor Hawaii where he served as Mini-Church pastor for Hope Chapel Kapolei from 1995-1998. While in Hawaii, Rick attended Wayland Baptist University for his Theological Studies. Selected for Navy Instructor billet, he returned to San Diego, CA. He served as an Elder, Sunday School Coordinator, assisted in preaching for Love of Christ Fellowship (LOCF) from 1998-2002. God brought them to Okinawa, Japan from 2002-2008 where he served as an Elder, Council Chairman, Men’s group leader, and assisted in pulpit ministry for Hope Chapel Okinawa (HCO). Ultimately, he received his Ordination at HCO.


    God graciously returned the family back to San Diego. He served as an Elder, Chairman of the Board, and eventually as an Assistant Pastor for Love of Christ Fellowship until God led his family to San Diego Christian Fellowship in November 2013, where he served as a Life Group Leader, an Elder, Chairman of the Board of Elders, Elder in Residence, and ultimately as a Congregational Pastor of SDCF TFC (The Filipino Congregation). He is a Certified Church Executive (CCE).


    He retired in the US Navy as a Naval Officer after 25 years of faithful service.  He holds a Master’s Degree in Health Services Management from Webster University and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Healthcare Administrators (FAAMA). Additionally, he served as President and CEO of the AEPF USA, a non-profit organization based in San Diego, CA.


    He is blessed with his marriage of over 30 years with the former Rosalie Roy.  Rick and Sally are Certified Church Planters at Converge.  They have four children; Faith, 33; Sarah, 30; Leiana, 27; and Micah, 22.


    rightarrowVisit The Filipino Congregation

  • Lukas Suarez

    Pastoral Resident

    Not only a San Diego native, Lukas was born and raised at San Diego Christian Fellowship. There was he saved and grew up serving in youth and worship ministries as well as preaching. 


    After graduating from San Diego State University with a degree in Communication, Lukas then moved to Phoenix, AZ in 2018 to pursue his Master of Divinity in Biblical Theological Studies at Phoenix Seminary. While there in the Valley, he was a member, intern, and pastoral resident of worship at Trinity Bible Church. Upon graduating from Phoenix Seminary in 2023, Lukas accepted the call to serve on staff at SDCF as a pastoral resident. 


    Lukas desires to see healthy churches in Southern California. He has been known to enjoy film photography, well-designed coffee shops, a compelling narrative, and a cozy sweater.

Pastoral Care

It's our joy to be able to pray with and minister to one another during this time. If you have a specific need during this time please reach out to our congregational pastors at

pastors@sdcfchurch.com.