Samuel Rodriguez Jr. (born September 29, 1969) is an American Evangelical Christian leader born to Puerto Rican parents in the United States.[3] He is a pastor, movie producer, author, civil rights activist and television personality. He is the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.[4]
Ministry
At age 16, Rodriguez delivered his first sermon. He quickly grew to be a leading and acclaimed evangelical preacher.[5] In 1992, he became an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination.[1] In 2000, he founded the HispanicEvangelical Christian organization National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC/CONEL).[6]
In June 2016, Rodriguez's book, Be Light, reached #1 on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller List.[8]You Are Next, released in 2019, reached the fourteenth position Publishers Weekly's hardcover nonfiction frontlist sales chart.[9]
Persevere with Power, Rodriguez's 2021 release, made both the English and Spanish bestsellers lists of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA),[10] as well as reaching #20 on ECPA's January 2022 Christian New Releases.[11]
Your Mess, God’s Miracle: The Process Is Temporary, the Promise Is Permanent, released in April 2023, reached #15 on ECPA’s July 2023 Christian New Releases.[12]
Rodriguez's September 2024 book Fresh Oil, Holy Fire, New Wine: Living the Vibrant Holy Spirit-Filled Life was #21 on ECPA's December 2024 Christian New Releases ranking.[13]
Rodriguez was an executive producer of the 20th Century Fox motion picture Breakthrough,[14] which received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song[15] and received a GMA Dove Award for Inspirational Film of the Year.[16]
Rodriguez was an executive producer of the Fox Searchlight film Flamin' Hot, a biopic about the man behind Flamin' Hot Cheetos. The film was produced by DeVon Franklin of Franklin Entertainment and directed by Eva Longoria.[17][18] The film became Fox Searchlight Pictures' most-watched streaming movie of all time.[19] "The Fire Inside" from Flamin' Hot was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2024.
Political activity
During the George W. Bush administration, Rodriguez advocated for bipartisan discussion on immigration reform.[20][21] He was brought in as an advisor to Bush and later also served in an advisory capacity for Presidents Obama and Trump.[22][23][24][25] He participated in President Obama’s 2009 inaugural prayer service at Saint Johns Episcopal Church, reading from the Gospel of Luke.[26] He has served on the President's Advisory Council for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships initiative with the Fatherhood and Healthy Families Task Force and also on the Abortion Reduction Task Force (both under President Obama).[27][28]
Rodriguez delivered an invocation at the inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2017.[29] In his remarks, Rodriguez read from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.[30] On Inauguration Day, Rodriguez was interviewed by CNN.[31] Rodriguez met with Trump administration officials to discuss a comprehensive immigration reform measure that would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.[32]
Rodriguez and other evangelical leaders signed a January 2017 letter pressing Trump to reconsider his suspension of a refugee resettlement program as that suspension prevented refugees from several countries from emigrating to the U.S. The letter argued that the program provided a lifeline to many oppressed individuals and an opportunity for churches to minister to them.[33][34]
Also in 2017, Rodriguez was involved in a conversation at the White House with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump that led to the creation of the First Step Act, which helps to prevent individuals who have served time from returning to prison.[23][24] At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rodriguez joined the Heritage Foundation as a spokesperson for the National Coronavirus Recovery Commission.[35][36]
Recognition
In 2009, CNN featured Rodriguez in their “Latinos in America”broadcast special, identifying him as one of the most influential Evangelical leaders in the Latino community.[37]
Presented by the Congress of Racial Equality in 2011, Rodriguez was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award.[38][39]
In 2013, Rodriguez received a nomination for Time Magazine's "Top 100 Most Influential People."[40] Additionally, in 2013, TIME featured him in their cover story titled “The Latino Reformation.”[41]
Rodriguez has been a part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Service four times (2010, 2011, 2013 and 2021).[42][43][44][45]
In 2015, Latino Leaders Magazine included him on their "101 Most Influential Leaders" list as the first evangelical leader to make the list.[46] The Wall St. Journal has called Rodriguez one of the top 12 Latino leaders.[47] Rodriguez was also included in Charisma Magazine's "40 People Who Radically Changed Our World" series.[48] He has received honorary doctorates from William Jessup University, Northwest University and Baptist University of the Americas.[49] Rodriguez regularly comments for publications and media outlets such as CNN, Fox News, PBS, Telemundo, NBC and others.[50][51]
In 2015, Rodriguez and his wife, Eva, received The Rosa Parks Courage Award for their civil rights work from the Southern Youth Leadership Development Institute (SYLDI) and the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). The award was granted in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.[52]
In 2022. Deseret Magazine named Rodriguez one of their 20 "New Reformers", referring to faith leaders "challenging the conservative movement to change", citing his advocacy for granting immigrants immediate citizenship.[54]
In 2024, NBC News stated he was on his way to become one of the most influential figures in American politics.[55]
Rodriguez's influence is felt around the world, with profound impact in Sacramento, California, where leads and pastors New Season Church. In October, 2024, The Sacramento Bee ran a front-page feature[56] of Rodriguez, telling his inspiring journey from a childhood in the Rust Belt city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to becoming a prominent voice in the Latino community. No matter the circumstances, Rodriguez has remained unwavering in his Christian faith and heritage, always giving glory to God.[57]
^Gleiberman, Peter Debruge,Owen; Debruge, Peter; Gleiberman, Owen (2023-06-27). "The 10 Best Films of the Year (So Far)". Variety. Retrieved 2023-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
