SA国际传媒

by Rebekah Lukas

Rev. Eduardo Mart铆nez rejoices every day in the name of the Lord, no matter what each day brings, for he knows the faithfulness of God who has set him on his path, securing every step along the way.

Mart铆nez鈥檚 path began in the Dominican Republic, where he grew up in the Roman Catholic tradition. His mother was very devout in her Catholic faith, and a cousin on his father鈥檚 side became an archbishop. Yet, even with these deep ties to Catholicism in his family, Mart铆nez ended up the 鈥減rotestant of the family,鈥� as God guided and formed him for ministry. It was something that neither he nor his family imagined.

Mart铆nez became a member of The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod (LCMS) with encouragement from his wife, Leidy. She had been attending Iglesia Luterana Esperanza Viva in Orlando, Fla., and encouraged him to join her. He agreed, trying to please his wife, but in the end the Holy Spirit had his way with Mart铆nez. He became increasingly involved in his new congregation.

Involved, however, doesn鈥檛 quite capture the passion that grew inside Mart铆nez to serve God. 鈥淚 had been very respectful and reverent in my participation in our Father鈥檚 business,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 see myself as worthy to take responsibility in the church until one day I heard God鈥檚 Word in 1 Cor. 1:26-28. I realized if God has put me on this path, I shouldn鈥檛 think I am unworthy of the responsibility He has given me. He is the One directing me.鈥�

That responsibility came at a time when Mart铆nez鈥檚 congregation members found themselves without a pastor. A friend of Mart铆nez, Rev. Adolfo Borges, stepped in to lead the Sunday worship services and noticed Mart铆nez鈥檚 leadership within the congregation. 鈥淎lmost right away, I saw in him the potential to become a student of the Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) at SA国际传媒,鈥� Borges recalls. CHS is a distance, certificate program for U.S. Hispanic and Latino individuals that prepares men to become pastors and women to become deaconesses. 鈥淚 asked him to help me during worship, and little by little, I gave him more responsibilities.鈥�

After a couple of years, Borges spoke with Mart铆nez about enrolling at the Seminary. 鈥淲e talked about what it means to study theology and become a minister of the Gospel,鈥� Borges says. 鈥淚 put him in touch with the CHS leaders, and from there, he took off!鈥�

And take off he did! 鈥淚 felt an urgency to complete my studies so I could serve my congregation. I am so happy my pastors and friends 鈥� Adolfo Borges, Paul vonWerder, Doug Kallessen and Carlos Hernandez 鈥� encouraged me to attend the Seminary, even though I did not feel qualified.鈥�

It was at the Seminary where Mart铆nez developed a close relationship with friend and mentor Mark 鈥淢arcos鈥� Kempff, assistant to the director and an instructor for CHS. 鈥淗e gave me so much wisdom and advice, confirming for me over and over that I could do this, no matter how hard life gets,鈥� Mart铆nez says. 鈥淚 am so grateful, honored and blessed that God made me a part of this enthusiastic community. My friends and professors kept me motivated and focused. God had a plan, putting the right people in my path at the right time.鈥�

After completing four years of studies with CHS and receiving his certification and pastoral call in 2021, he immediately began the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Spanish Program at the Seminary while also serving Iglesia Luterana Esperanza Viva. He did this while having a full-time job outside of the church. 鈥淚 am so proud of his success and the ministry he鈥檚 performing at his congregation, while at the same time, having a full-time 鈥榮ecular鈥� job,鈥� Borges says. 鈥淚 continue to see great potential in him and hope that the Lord will open ministry opportunities for him to grow in the service of Christ and His church.鈥�

So what鈥檚 next? 鈥淭his is just a beginning,鈥� Mart铆nez says. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to keep increasing my pastoral knowledge and experience, serving my congregation to the best of my ability, and hopefully someday teaching and influencing others to take responsibility and leadership in the church as others have encouraged and influenced me.鈥�

鈥淓duardo has always been seeking the Lord鈥檚 will and way,鈥� Kempff says. 鈥淗e has been faithful and fearful of the Lord, as he was taught in his youth. Now, he wants to serve the Lord and do so under the Lord鈥檚 terms 鈥� never his own.鈥�

Mart铆nez has 鈥渃onsidered his calling,鈥� as St. Paul encouraged the Corinthians. And he has found confidence to follow it, proclaiming the Gospel in his ministry with his people, for he is 鈥渋n Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that as it is written, 鈥楲et the one who boasts, boast in the Lord鈥欌�� (1 Cor. 1:30-31 ESV).