ABOUT OUR PASTORS

Our Senior Pastor, Paul Flotho is a native Californian from the Los Angeles area. After finishing high school and a stint in the U.S. Navy, Paul studied painting and sculpture at California Institute of The Arts in downtown Los Angeles while at the same time experimenting with drugs and Eastern mysticism. Paul and Mary were married of February 5, 1966. After earning his BA degree Paul worked as a busboy, dishwasher, spot welder and cabdriver. During this time Paul and Mary’s marriage disintegrated to the point where they separated. Paul left the Los Angeles area and ended up in Westwood, a small logging town in northeastern California and worked in the timber industry. During their time of separation Mary came to the Lord Jesus which led eventually to the restoration of their marriage. Three years later, in 1974, Paul finally came to Jesus through the quiet testimony of his wife and several undeniable miracles. A few months after Paul came to the Lord, Jesus spoke to him that they were to return to Southern California where he was to attend seminary. Paul received his M-Div. Degree at Melodyland School of Theology in Anaheim, ( one of the first attempts at a full Seminary program with a charismatic emphasis). In August of 1975 Paul and Mary made a mission trip to Mexico City with a group from their church. During that trip Paul was called to the ministry of a teacher and the Lord told him that he would return to Mexico City and begin his ministry there. The Lord further instructed Paul that he was to ask no one for money or for a place to preach. Finally on September 6th 1977 Paul and Mary packed their Toyota pickup truck with as many of their belongings as it would hold and their three daughters, headed out across the Sonora Desert for Mexico City. God was faithful to provide for them and taught them to trust him for all of their needs.

Four years later the Lord began to expand the ministry into Central and South America and spoke to Paul and Mary to move their family to the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. They settled in the town of Harlingen, which became their base of operations for eleven years of ministry, which touched fourteen states of Mexico and every Spanish-speaking country above the equator. Paul and Mary also ministered in their local congregation and for part of that time Paul was on staff as an associate pastor in their local Church in Harlingen.
Again the Lord spoke to both Paul and Mary in 1992 to leave Texas and move to San Francisco California where they would begin the next phase of ministry. They began to attend the San Francisco Vineyard Christian Fellowship where Paul soon became part of the ministry team as an associate pastor. Paul and Mary continued to make ministry trips into Latin America and also doors began to open in Southeast Asia.
In 1998 Paul resigned from the Vineyard in San Francisco and they began to attend Northbay Vineyard, pastored by their longtime friends Michael and Liz Flowers. During this time they were involved once again in full time traveling ministry in Latin America and Southeast Asia as well as ministering in their local Church. Then in May of 1999 the Lord moved Michael and Liz on to their next assignment and spoke to Paul and Mary that they were to take over the pastorate of Northbay.
Paul and Mary have been married for thirty-seven years, they have three children and five grandchildren.