DBU Hosts Hispanic Evangelical Leader Samuel Rodriguez

Dallas, TX – Dallas Baptist University hosted noted evangelical pastor and leader Dr. Samuel Rodriguez on Monday, February 27. Dr. Rodriguez is the founding pastor of New Season Christian Worship Center in Sacramento, California, and also serves as the President of the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.

Among other accolades, Dr. Rodriguez has also served on a White House Task Force, received the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award presented by the Congress of Racial Equality, and regularly contributes to national media outlets such as The Washington Post and Christianity Today. He was also invited to participate in Donald Trump’s Presidential Inauguration ceremony.

Speaking at the university-wide chapel service, Dr. Rodriguez encouraged those gathered to be the light of Christ to a dark world. Focusing his remarks on how Christians can carry out this mission, Dr. Rodriguez’s challenge was aimed at discovering who we are in Christ and then fighting the obstacles of fear and apathy both inside ourselves and throughout our culture.

“Our faith is not like any other faith. Our faith is transparent, transcendent, and transformational,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “Our faith teaches us to cross over obstacles even in the midst of storms. We live in dark times, darkened by sin, immorality, moral relativism, and spiritual apathy. However, there is good news even in the midst of darkness: Jesus is still the light of the world.”

After exploring how Christians can know the power of Christ’s light in their lives, Dr. Rodriguez encouraged students to remove the obstacles that impede the light of Christ.

“God has purposed you for great things, but every day there is a battle to hide your light. This is a spiritual battle, but while we see so many in bondage around us, we know that the Holy Spirit is more powerful than anything else,” he stated.

“It was such a privilege to be able to share this time with the DBU family,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “I love the spirit and humility of President Wright, as well as the exemplary leadership of Dr. Gary Cook. This University has made room and created space for all to come to the realization of Christ as Lord.”

“I am so pleased that our DBU Family was able to hear from such a respected and admired leader as Dr. Rodriguez,” said DBU President Dr. Adam Wright. “He is not just a leading voice for Latino Christians. His message of being the light of Christ to our world resonates with DBU’s longstanding mission to produce Christian servant leaders who will impact the world for the glory of God.”