Follow-Up Pastor - Pancho Flores       

Pastor Pancho’s journey with Oak Park Christian Center began in 1967 when he accepted Christ and began a lifelong walk of faith and service. Since those early years, God has placed in his heart a deep passion for helping people know Jesus personally, understand the Gospel, and grow in their relationship with Him.

Throughout his ministry, Pastor Pancho has faithfully walked alongside people in many seasons of life. Through New Heart, Friday Fellowships, Sunday School classes, personal discipleship, counseling, and premarital counseling, he has dedicated himself to encouraging and equipping others to follow Christ. His ministry goes beyond teaching—it is about building relationships, listening, encouraging, and helping people discover that God’s grace and love are available to them wherever they are in their journey.

Pastor Pancho earned his B.A. from Bethany Bible College and has devoted much of his ministry to training and equipping others for evangelism and follow-up. His heart for ministry is beautifully reflected in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4, which reminds us that God comforts us in our own struggles so that we may extend that same comfort to others.

For Pastor Pancho, this truth is more than a Scripture—it is a way of serving. His desire is that no one feels alone in their walk with God, and that every person has the opportunity to experience the hope, restoration, and transforming love found in Jesus Christ.

Pastor Pancho met his wife, Judy, at Oak Park Christian Center, and they have shared more than 50 years of marriage and ministry together. Judy holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and has faithfully served both the church and the community. Together, they are blessed with four grown sons, nine granddaughters, and one grandson.

Whether you are beginning your journey with Christ, returning to your faith, looking for spiritual guidance, or simply need someone to walk alongside you, Pastor Pancho would be honored to connect with you. There is always a place to begin again, grow deeper, and experience the love and grace of God.

CONNECT PASTOR PANCHO: newbelieverconcepts@usa.com

Children's Director  & Associat.  e Worship Director -

Ari Navarrete - Childrens Ministry Director/Assistant Worship Director

Ari’s story at Oak Park Christian Center began when she was just 10 years old. From the moment she arrived, she felt drawn to the music ministry, having loved singing since she was three. She joined the children’s choir, which later became the youth choir, and during her youth group years she was given the opportunity to lead worship for Sunday School. What began as a love for music would become something much greater—a gift God would use to shape her life and prepare her to serve others.

Music has always been an important part of Ari’s journey with the Lord. She studied piano for seven years, enjoys playing classical and jazz music, taught herself guitar, and also played trumpet throughout middle and high school. Yet beyond the music itself, worship became a way for Ari to express her love for God and help others experience His presence.

Ari is a beautiful example of Oak Park Christian Center’s commitment to building generations for the Kingdom of God. The same church that poured into her as a child would later become the place where God called her to pour His love into the lives of others. Her passion for worship and ministry led her to serve for two years as a music teacher at a Christian school, an experience God used to prepare her heart for the next season of her calling.

In 2022, Ari joined the OPCC staff as the part-time Associate Worship Director, and in June 2024, she was appointed full-time Children’s Ministry Director. Today, her ministry is about much more than programs or Sunday activities—it is about creating a place where every child can feel seen, loved, valued, and welcomed into the family of God.

Ari has a deep passion for nurturing the next generation and helping children discover that God loves them personally and has a purpose for their lives. Her greatest desire is that every child who walks through the doors of Oak Park will not simply learn about God, but will come to truly know Him, trust Him, and experience His love in a way that remains with them for a lifetime.

Feeling a growing call to pastoral ministry, Ari will soon begin formal studies to continue preparing for the path God has placed before her. Her heart remains centered on one purpose: helping children build a lifelong relationship with Jesus through the truth of God’s Word, worship, prayer, and a church community that genuinely loves them.

Ari graduated from Hawaii Pacific University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She married Christian Navarrete in 2010, and in 2014 they welcomed their daughter, Izabella—a precious miracle and gift from the Lord. Outside of ministry, Ari enjoys arts and crafts, hand-lettering, karaoke, and spending meaningful time with her family.

For Ari, serving at Oak Park Christian Center is more than a position—it is part of the story God has been writing in her life since she first walked through its doors as a child. Today, she has the privilege of helping a new generation take their own first steps of faith, reminding them that they are deeply loved by God, created with purpose, and always have a place in His family.

If you would like to connect with Ari, learn more about Children’s Ministry, or discover how your family can grow in faith and experience God’s love together, she would be happy to hear from you.

 CONNECT ARI: ari@opccag.org

Youth Director - Aleigha Patino

 Spanish Services Director & Young Adults - Christian Patino

Christian was born in San Francisco and raised in the church under the guidance of his uncle, Pastor Anthony Garcia, who played an important role in shaping his spiritual foundation. Growing up in a Mexican-American home, surrounded by both English and Spanish cultures, Christian sometimes felt caught between two worlds. Over time, however, he came to understand that what once felt like a divide was actually part of the purpose God had been preparing for his life.

His family began attending Oak Park in 2011, and in 2018 Christian fully surrendered his life to Christ. Between 2021 and 2022, he walked through one of the most difficult seasons of his life, losing three close family members, including his uncle. In the midst of grief, God met him there, strengthened his heart, and used that season of loss to draw him closer and deepen his calling to ministry.

Christian joined Rooted Young Adults in 2019 and later stepped into leadership. He has also served as a Genesis Youth Ministry intern and continues serving alongside his wife, Aleigha. Through each of these experiences, God has shaped in him a heart for serving others, building relationships, and helping people discover the hope and transforming love found in Jesus.

Today, Christian leads the Spanish Ministry and Rooted Young Adults at Oak Park, serving people from different generations, backgrounds, and cultures. His own journey has given him a passion for building bridges and creating a place where people can feel seen, heard, welcomed, and loved as part of God’s family.

His calling is to bridge generations and cultures with one purpose: to point hearts toward Jesus. Through his leadership and service, Christian desires for every person who comes to Oak Park to find a community where they can experience God’s love, grow in their faith, and discover that no matter their story, language, or culture, there is a place for them in His presence. Because beyond all our differences, there is something that brings us together: the love of God and the hope we find in Jesus Christ.

If you would like to connect with Christian or learn more about the Spanish Ministry or Rooted Young Adults, he would love to hear from you. You can contact Christian at christian@opccag.org.

CONNECT CHRISTIAN :christian@opccag.org

Worship Director  - Zac Smedley

Zac grew up at Oak Park Christian Center, where his relationship with God and his love for music began at an early age. After accepting Christ, he started developing his musical gifts by singing in choirs and eagerly learning any instrument he could get his hands on. What began as a childhood passion for music gradually became something much deeper—a way to serve God and help others experience His presence.

As a young teenager, Zac became involved in Oak Park’s worship ministries and eventually led the youth worship team for several years. Those early years of serving helped shape not only his musical abilities, but also his understanding that worship is more than music—it is a response to who God is and an opportunity to lead others closer to Him.

Zac later attended Azusa Pacific University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music. After college, he returned home and married his high school sweetheart, Allison, who also grew up at Oak Park. Shortly after they were married, Zac began directing the Adult Choir, a ministry he faithfully led for 14 years while continuing to serve in other areas of worship whenever his career in live event production allowed.

Today, as Worship Director at Oak Park Christian Center, Zac continues to use the gifts God has given him to serve the church he has called home for so many years. His heart for worship goes beyond creating beautiful music. Through his leadership, he desires to create an atmosphere where people can turn their attention toward Jesus, experience the presence of God, and be reminded of His faithfulness and unconditional love.

For Zac, worship is about helping people connect their hearts with God—whether they are celebrating, searching, hurting, or simply longing to draw closer to Him. His ministry reflects a lifelong journey of using music not for recognition, but as a way to honor God, serve His church, and invite others into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Zac and Allison are blessed with four children: Ethan, Elijah, Charlotte, and Marigold. Outside of music and ministry, Zac enjoys traveling, cooking and eating BBQ, and cheering on the Giants—especially when they beat the Dodgers.

If you would like to connect with Zac or learn more about worship at Oak Park Christian Center, he would be happy to hear from you.

CONNECT  ZAC : zac@opccag.org

Revive Director  - Allison Smedley

Allison has dedicated many years of her life to serving individuals with special needs, a journey that reflects both her professional calling and her deep compassion for others. She began as an in-home respite worker, caring for a young man with disabilities, and later joined the George Miller Center, where she worked in an after-school program supporting youth with disabilities.

As her passion for serving this community grew, Allison pursued her education in Special Education at Cal State East Bay and Chapman University, earning an Education Specialist degree with an emphasis in Moderate-Severe Disabilities. Her education gave her valuable knowledge and experience, but it was her heart for people—and her desire for every person to know they are deeply valued and loved by God—that ultimately shaped her ministry.

In 2013, Allison founded the Special Needs Ministry at Oak Park Christian Center, now known as Revive. Since then, she has faithfully created a place where individuals with disabilities and their families can experience belonging, acceptance, community, and the unconditional love of Jesus.

For Allison, Revive is much more than a ministry—it is a place where every life is celebrated, every person has value, and every family can know they have a place in God’s family. Through her leadership, compassion, and years of dedicated service, she helps create an environment where participants can grow in their faith, build meaningful relationships, and experience the joy of knowing Jesus.

One of Allison’s greatest joys is sharing the love of Christ with Revive participants and their families, reminding them through both words and actions that God sees them, knows them, and loves them deeply. Her ministry beautifully reflects the heart of Jesus: welcoming, serving, and loving people exactly where they are.

Allison is married to her husband, Zac, and together they have four children. In her spare time, she runs a licensed in-home bakery, creating and selling cupcakes, cakes, and cookies. She also enjoys cooking, reading, running, exploring the outdoors, and most of all, spending time with her family.

If you would like to connect with Allison or learn more about Revive and how this ministry serves individuals and families, she would love to hear from you.

CONNECT ALLISON: allison@opccag.org