Series on Mexican Pastors and Seminary Students: Pastor Israel Rodriguez

Welcome to the sixth installment of our series on Mexican pastors and seminary students. This week we're covering Pastor Israel Rodriguez, one of the most gifted Mexican pastors when it comes to teaching and Biblical languages. Let's look at his story and how he ended up in Monterrey, where he currently serves the congregation La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross).

Mom brings Family to Church

"When I was seven years old, my mother lost a baby in infancy," recalls Pastor Rodriguez. The child, the third in line after Israel and his brother, was a girl. She died before reaching her three-month birthday.

At the time of the loss, Pastor Rodriguez's family was not active in a church. "Pastor Cajas was a friend of our family, and he and his wife started visiting us," notes Pastor Rodriguez. "They soon invited us to church."

Pastor Rodriguez's mother encouraged the family to attend the Lutheran church "Cristo Glorificado" (Glorified Christ) in Puebla. They began going to services on Sundays, and enjoyed the youth group activities and other events the church regularly held.

While the family gradually grew more active at church, Pastor Rodriguez notes that it was a slow process. "Sometimes my brother and I wanted to stay home and watch a lucha libre (professional wrestling) match, but my mother kept urging us to go to church instead."

Even though Pastor Rodriguez's mom was the one who was more focused on going to church than his dad, in the end it was his father that got confirmed first. Eventually everyone in the family was confirmed. "God used the death of my little sister to bring our family to church," notes Pastor Rodriguez.

Deciding to be a Pastor

While Pastor Rodriguez enjoyed helping out at church and being involved in the youth group there, he didn't consider the fulltime ministry as an option. "When Pastor Sanchez was a vicar and then pastor at the congregation, he would ask me, 'Are you going to be a pastor?'"

Pastor Rodriguez finished elementary school, middle school and high school. Then he became interested in studying to be a pastor. He entered the Mexican Lutheran Seminary program in 2001 and graduated in 2005.

During his years at the seminary, Pastor Rodriguez excelled in languages. "Greek and Hebrew really drew my attention. At one point, I was studying Greek, Hebrew, and English all at once."

After graduating, Pastor Rodriguez served the congregation in Juarez for two years. He was then called to the congregation in Monterrey, where he serves today.

Pastor Rodriguez is happy in Monterrey, and considers his job to be a blessing. "The pastors before me really did their work. So much is organized and well-run here that I can delegate many tasks. For example, for the women's convention I had very little to do with the planning and running of it."

One of the things Pastor Rodriguez likes best about his job is teaching the Word to others. "I learn so much myself in preparing for sermons and Bible studies," he notes. He enjoys passing on what he has learned with others in Bible studies and classes.

Many thanks to Pastor Rodriguez for your faithful service in the Mexican Lutheran Church. We ask that God bless you with many more years of ministry and use you to continue to touch the lives of others.

Join us next week for another installment in our ongoing series of Mexican Lutheran pastors and seminary students.