Bruce Sonnenberg

Graduating from Vanguard University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, Bruce Sonnenberg spent the next 10 years serving as pastor of the Sky Valley Desert Retreat and Renewal Center, near Palm Springs, California.

Moving to Orange County in 1982, Bruce and Joni and their family then founded The Village Church of Irvine in the heart of Southern California where Bruce served as Senior Pastor until June of 2007.

Throughout his years in ministry, Bruce has served on numerous Christian and service organizations such as Youth for Christ of the Desert (1976-78), Families Forward of Irvine (1984-86), and the Orange County Rescue Mission (1982-92). Presently, Bruce serves on the board of Vietnamese Outreach International, Hampton, Virginia; is Fifth District Commissioner on the Housing & Community Services Commission of Orange County; and is a board member of Children’s AIDS Fund based in Washington DC.

As Founder and President of He Intends Victory, Bruce began with a support group of three hurting people in 1990. Today, in over 20 countries of the world and touching many people through radio, television, speaking opportunities, orphanages, homes for those with HIV and providing care and encouragement, He Intends Victory is dedicated to educating the world community and the Church on how to effectively share hope to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Bruce has attended the International Conferences on AIDS in Berlin, Yokohama, Bangkok, Toronto and Mexico City (2008); has co-hosted The 700 Club’s one hour TV special, “Living With AIDS“; has contributed and been interviewed by major magazines and the media: had been a plenary speaker at both of the first “national Christian conferences” on HIV/AIDS in Russia and Malaysia and has spoken before and on behalf of the National AIDS Committee of Vietnam, the Malaysian AIDS Council in Kuala Lumpur and to both the secular and Christian communities in Indonesia, Belize, the Philippines, Cambodia, Venezuela and served in over 40 other countries. In 2001, 2006, and 2008 Bruce was a delegate to the United Nations High Level Review on HIV/AIDS in New York City. Bruce also has spoken at all three HIV Conferences with “Purpose Driven” author Rick Warren of Saddleback Church. As Dr. Warren has stated publicly,

“Bruce is a real pioneer for the Church in HIV/AIDS, one of the first to be on the front lines of this huge need.”

Bruce and Joni live in Lake Forest, California and are blessed with four grown children and eight grandchildren.