When Our Kids Become Our Peers

The Ramifications of Seminary in Spanish for Pastor Hector Ramirez

If we’re lucky, at a certain point in life our children become our friends and peers. This is what happened for Pastor Hector Ramirez, when his daughter Dr. Yessenia Ramirez, encouraged him to return to seminary for his Master of Divinity. Along with the gentle prompting of friends like Dr. Edgar Chacon and Johanna Rugh, Yessenia’s encouragement led him to research programs that would provide Spanish language theological education at the highest level.

He was soon directed to Wesley Seminary’s program for Hispanics. Thanks to a number of generous scholarships, Hector was able to pursue his dream.

He graduated in 2017 and currently pastors the Iglesia Cristiana el Buen, Iglesia Wesleyana (Christian Church of the Good Shepherd Wesleyan Church), in the City of Mesa, Arizona.

Hector came to Wesley Seminary with a heart for those outside the Church, and the course “Pastor, Church and World,” along with other courses focused on the missional Church helped him refine his thinking and his personal calling in these areas. He left seminary with the same heart, but with a different vision for not only evangelizing the poor, but also meeting their spiritual and physical needs.

He says of his time at Wesley, “If it had not been for the help that the University gave me, I would not have the knowledge to serve God and my neighbor as I do today, with more preparation and with much more love for what they really represent in the kingdom of God.”

Since the end of 2018, Hector has made a special effort to receive immigrants to the United States seeking asylum. Under his leadership, his church has met the needs of this population with love, grace, and resources to mitigate the pain they experience as outsiders in a new country.

Among other things, The Christian Church of the Good Shepherd has organized health fairs where mammograms have been performed, and vaccines for Covid-19 and the flu have been given. Additionally, blood and cholesterol tests are administered at these events, and a food bank has been established for those unable to feed themselves or their families.

This is hard and often thankless work, and through times of inevitable discouragement God has spoken to Hector through the words of Psalm 126:5-6, which say,

Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

Hector says of these words, “They make me regain my breath and take new strength to continue doing the work to which God has called me.”

Today, let all of us in the IWU community pray for Hector’s continued strength and courage as he lives out his calling with dedication in such a challenging ministry.

Written by Nick DeNeff ‘07