Rafael Paz, pastor of Iglesia Restauración la Senda Antigua in Pacoima, California, died Aug. 30, 2025, at the age of 72 after a brief battle with cancer.
Paz began his pastoral ministry in 1990 and served until his death. During Paz’s ministry, the congregation started eight daughter churches, including three in California, one in Missouri, one in El Salvador, one in Guatemala and two in Tijuana, Mexico.
“Pastor Rafael Paz was a visionary leader devoted to reaching the lost, nurturing disciples, raising leaders and planting churches,” says Xavier Piña, Hispanic Council chair, in an email interview. “His passing is a profound loss to the Hispanic Council, the USMB Conference and the wider church.”
Paz was born in Guatemala to Jose Paz Garcia and Virginia Ramirez Lemus on Oct. 21, 1952.
He married Irma Escobar on Sept. 13, 1973, and they had one son. On April 15, 1990, he started a church in North Hollywood, California. In 1993, the congregation began the process of joining the Pacific District Conference.
Under Paz’s leadership, the church grew. The congregation purchased a property in Pacoima, California, where he served as pastor of Iglesia Restauración la Senda Antigua for the rest of his life.
“(Rafael) faithfully served for more than 30 years in our family of churches, and he will be dearly missed,” says PDC district minister Jordan Ringhofer. “He was a pastor who was not concerned with just his own church’s benefit and flourishing but also with planting other churches and seeing the kingdom grow.”
Paz is survived by his wife, Irma, his son, Edwin, and two grandchildren.
Read the obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/newhall-ca/pastor-rafael-paz-12507387
With files from Juan Wall and the PDC.
Janae Rempel Shafer is the Christian Leader associate editor and joined the CL staff in 2017. Shafer is an award-winning writer, receiving multiple awards from the Kansas Press Association and Evangelical Press Association. A Tabor graduate with a degree in communications and religious studies, she and her husband, Austin, attend Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kansas.
My Pastor was a great man of God. He loved Christ and loved the lost souls. He was an example of Love, Endurance, perseverance and most importantly faithfulness.