Pastor Ricardo “Ricky” Guadarrama Jr. serves as Senior/Lead Pastor and Youth Pastor at Ignite Church. A devoted student of God’s Word and history, Ricky is passionate about helping people understand Scripture, encounter Jesus, and put their faith into practice in everyday life.
Ricky preaches with conviction, honesty, and a healthy dose of humor. His messages combine biblical teaching with down-to-earth stories from marriage, fatherhood, military service, and ministry. He is willing to address difficult subjects directly while also acknowledging his own struggles and lessons learned. That openness helps people see that following Jesus is not about pretending to have everything together—it is about allowing Christ to transform us as we learn to live faithfully, love sacrificially, and serve others well.
In addition to his pastoral ministry, Ricky serves as an Army Reserve chaplain and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA). These roles have strengthened his ability to walk alongside people through crisis, grief, spiritual questions, relationship challenges, and major life transitions with both compassion and truth.
Ricky and Joline—his best friend and ministry partner—have eight children. With four now grown and building lives of their own and four still at home, family life remains full, lively, frequently humorous, and deeply rooted in their shared love for Jesus. Whether preaching, counseling, serving soldiers, mentoring young people, or caring for his church family, Ricky’s desire is to help people find hope, grow strong in their faith, and become bold, compassionate witnesses for Christ.