Cesar Monico Panameño

Miralvalle Campus Pastor and Director of Small Groups

Bachelor of Theology, Seminario Bautista Vida Nueva, October 2013

Cesar, the second of four siblings, was born into a Catholic home in San Salvador, El Salvador, on September 10, 1973. After attending Catholic schools, in 1990 began university studies in Electrical Engineering and strayed far from his religious roots. In college, his path crossed with Mirla Quintanilla, a solid follower of Christ. Their friendship blossomed into a relationship and then marriage one year later. Cesar entered the workforce in 1994 and received his first of three children, Andrea. Vanessa and Cesar Jr joined their family soon thereafter. In 2000, Cesar and his family were invited to a Christian church by Mirla’s sister-in-law. After attending for a month, Cesar gave his life to Christ. Baptism followed soon thereafter as well as a commitment to begin a systematic study of the Bible. Cesar’s heart’s desire was to serve the Lord. He spent three years as a member of that congregation, studying the Bible and serving the Lord.

God had a bigger plan! In 2004, Cesar and his family were invited to a function of “Judgment House” at Vida Nueva. This was followed up by an invitation to attend a four-week topical study at Vida Nueva on Friday nights. Cesar and Mirla attended while their children attended AWANAS. Then the series ended, but the children loved AWANAS so much that they begged their parents to let them continue. Cesar and Mirla had also made exceptionally good friends at Vida Nueva including Koky Lopez (the Lourdes campus pastor). And they decided to stay! Later, in 2006, they formally became members and began to grow and serve in couple’s ministries and Life Groups.

After becoming a deacon in 2010 and serving for three years in a variety of ministries, God simultaneously touched both Cesar’s heart and the heart of Steve and Julio to discuss coming on staff at Vida Nueva. Cesar’s first fulltime position was Coordinator of Discipleship (April 2013). Since then, Cesar has grown into a diligent and compassionate Miralvalle Campus Pastor and Small Groups Director.