Sylvia Owen was born in Johannesburg, South
Africa to Croatian parents. Her father being a famous figure in that
country, was ranked No 1 for many years as well as a world-ranked
tennis player, playing Davis Cup for his country. She is the
youngest child of three siblings, all tennis players, her two older
brothers both being tennis professionals. Sylvia married David Owen
in 1974 and has a son Grant and daughter Kristy and two
grandchildren, Kaleb and Makayla.
Sylvia has been in the ministry for 34 years with her late husband
David. After successfully planting 4 churches in Johannesburg, South
Africa, they immigrated to Los Angeles in 1992 to establish and
pastor The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Malibu on Super Bowl
Sunday of 1993. Considered the most successful Vineyard church plant
in the USA by the Association of Vineyard Churches with four weekend
services and a membership in excess of 2,500. In 2004 they planted a
new church Mercy Christian Community in Agoura Hills California and
subsequently launched another church plant out of Mercy Christian
two and a half years later. Shortly after launching this recent
church plant, Sylvia became the Primary Caregiver for her terminally
ill husband diagnosed with cancer, for 2 years, until he passed away
just before Christmas 2008.
Through the years of extensive ministry experience , the Lord has
used their ministry to influence and help others in leadership. With
a proven solid track record in planting and helping churches grow,
they have assisted Pastors, Pastors wives and Leadership teams by
casting vision for future direction.
She is loved for her warm disposition and deep love for the people
of God. She is noted for her gifts of encouragement and prophetic
words of uplifting and comfort on a personal and congregational
level.
Sylvia is a personal mentor to many, both young and old, and her
investment in people has produced excellent fruit. She is also a
Lifecoach, experienced in counseling, teaching and motivating. Her
words always prove to be a source of inspiration to all and she has
instilled a sense of hope and faith in many to overcome life’s
problems and hardships. She has a real heart for the elderly and
disadvantaged, who often are the most lonely and forgotten people.
Her work with the Elderly has proved to be a great source of
encouragement and brought dignity and hope to many.
Sylvia communicates with a heart of passion, warmth and grace. She
is compassionate and has tremendous strength, faith and trust in the
Lord, which has been proven through adversity and perseverance.
Testimonies
Matthew Barnett
Senior Pastor of The Dream Center, Los Angeles CA
"Sylvia Owen has a prophetic voice for this generation. Everywhere I
go I meet people who's lives have been dramatically impacted by the
encouraging words of God's love through the prophetic. She is an
outstanding leader of our day who will make a major
difference in peoples lives."
Pastor Bill Dwyer
Senior Pastor of The Valley Vineyard, Reseda CA
"In the past twenty years of knowing Sylvia Owen, her ministry has
blessed my life and church. Sylvia has a powerful prophetic gifting.
I've always found her ministry to be
biblically sound, authentic, pastoral, encouraging, sensitive to the
Holy Spirit, and filled with the
compassion of God. She is what I like to call "a tested saint" - one
who has come to know the ways of God by pressing into God in times
of blessing and adversity. Sylvia is a mature believer with decades
of ministry experience and many in the Church will be blessed by
her. She
has a vast knowledge of God's Word, an acute sensitivity to the Holy
Spirit, and a remarkable
ability to come into a church from the outside and see what the
Father is doing."
Dale Temple
Senior Pastor of Coastview Christian Fellowship, Huntington Beach,
CA
“Besides always being a caring person with a heart of compassion
towards others which is fully reflected in her personality, in her
spirit and in her relationship with the Lord, Sylvia has tremendous
strength, faith and trust in the Lord which is and has been proven
by her perseverance. She is one of those people who has a love for
life and desires to share that love with others. She has an
incredible way about her that puts people at ease so that she can
speak the words of God right into their heart.”
Laura Adams
Producer / Director Liquid Worldwide, Inc
"I've known Sylvia for over fifteen years as a pastor, mentor, and
trusted friend. She never ceases to be a source of timely
encouragement and wise counsel. Whether helping me navigate through
crisis or simply sharing the joys of everyday life, Sylvia
exemplifies sincere compassion and profound prophetic insight gained
through her commitment to a lifestyle of prayer and sole devotion to
Jesus Christ. She is beautiful inside and out and it is with
grateful admiration that I say 'I want to be her when I grow up.'"
Pastor Costa Mitchell
National Director, Association of Vineyard Churches Southern Africa,
Inc
"Sylvia Owen has been a friend of mine and a colleague in ministry
since 1971. Together with her late husband, Dave, she was a part of
Norwood Assembly of God, from which a revival sprung that
precipitated the birth of “The Invisible Church”. Dave and Sylvia
led congregations of that young ministry through the 1970’s, and in
the early ‘80’s they became the facilitators of the ministry into
South Africa of John Wimber and the planting of the first Vineyard
Christian Fellowship and later the above-named Association of
Vineyard Churches.
In all of these developments, Sylvie has been what the Bible calls
“a mother in Israel” – a person of faith, prayer and unstinting
support to the team of leaders of which she was a part. Her role in
pastoring, counseling and care for those who came to faith was
immeasurable. She always struck me with her complete equanimity,
showing no more favor to the prominent than to the poor, opening her
home to every kind of gathering, at all hours, and offering quiet
and Christ-centred wisdom to the overall leadership whenever she
deemed it appropriate. All this without a trace of self-promotion.
Sylvia is a woman for whom faith, relationship with God, worship and
a lifestyle of integrity are synonymous terms. Her ministry flows
out of who she is, and who she is flows out of her faith in Jesus
Christ. That ministry will impact many people with the reality of
who Christ is, and who His Grace makes us. He has made Sylvie who
she is - A trophy and a tribute to her God."