07 Jun Get Acquainted With: Erik Rojas, Pastor in Costa Rica

Erik Rojas is pastor of one of our churches in San Jose, Costa Rica. This gifted young man, who represented Costa Rica at the 2010 General Conference, is now attending seminary in Costa Rica at the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas. He expects to finish in 2016. Global Ministries is seeking a total of $100 a month to support Pastor Erik while he pursues a seminary degree. 

Testimony of Erik Rojas

I was born in a Catholic home in 1967. In January 1979, when I was 11 years old, my mother was very ill in hospital when she heard a dear woman of God share the salvation message of Jesus Christ. From then on, we began attending a Pentecostal Evangelical Church. After five years in that church, when I was 16 years old, I walked away from God’s ways. Many years later, when I was working in a restaurant, I met the woman who is now my wife. She invited me to church August 21, 2003. Following such a long time away from God, I was reconciled with the Lord in the same church where I serve as pastor today.

In 2005, I was chosen, along with my wife, Iris, to take charge of a church plant that we call “House of Prayer.” I had no theological training. Moreover, I did not know how to plant a church. I accepted the challenge because it has always been my desire to serve God. In 2006, I received the news that I would be transferred to the church where I now serve as pastor, “His Holiness Worship Center.” I now have over eight years of involvement with the United Brethren in Christ and this year, God willing, I will fulfill seven years in the pastorate. I am very happy and thankful to God to belong to the United Brethren in Christ.

During these years of ministry, I completed my theological studies and earned my Diploma in Pastoral Ministry in the Costa Rican Evangelical Alliance Seminary (a leading school in Costa Rica). To obtain this diploma, I completed 20 courses, a workshop, and a final project. My studies lasted two years. My average grade was 96.5%.

Parallel to these studies, I obtained three credentials from the United Brethren in Christ. These credentials are:

2006. The Superintendent’s Credential, which is awarded after a year of pastoral service. It requires the presentation of the primary academic diploma, recommendations, a review of the work performed, and the approval of the Bishop or Superintendent.

2007. The Pastoral License, which is awarded after two years of pastoral service. It requires a review by a theological examination board, various recommendations, a written examination, and approval by the Conference Board of Nicaragua.

2009. Pastoral Ordination, which is awarded after four years of pastoral service. It requires a review by a theological examination board, recommendations, a written examination, and approval of the Board of the Conference of Nicaragua, after review and assessment of work done by the pastor.

Our Constitution provides that the minimum time for a pastor to receive these three credentials is four years. I thank God that I was able to achieve them in the shortest possible time.

After obtaining the Diploma in Pastoral Ministry and Pastoral Leadership, I had to wait until 2011 for an agreement between the Federation and the Costa Rican Evangelical Alliance and the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas in order to continue with my studies to obtain my Bachelor of Theology.

At this point, I’m starting my second year of seminary. My GPA in the first year was 96.3%. In addition, I am studying Social Studies, Citizenship Education, and English.

My goal is to finish my studies by 2014, and then continue for two more years to achieve a Degree in Pastoral Ministry by 2016. These degrees from the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas are recognized by the CONESUP (National Council of Higher Education) and MEP (Ministry of Education).

Until today, I have been freely sharing what I have been learning, both in my country and in both Nicaragua and Honduras, and will continue happily wherever God should call me to serve

My plans for the future are clear: I want to remain pastor of this church I love, but I also want to gain knowledge so I can teach wherever God sees fit. I love to teach theology—I like nothing more than that. I do not want to be a teacher for money, but out of gratitude to God and my brethren. I believe God has blessed me with the gift of teaching, so I place it under the command and control of my Lord and Savior.

I have a great desire to learn. I want to learn, love learning, but I love sharing what I learn more.

My hope is that God will help me and give me wisdom so that according to his Holy Word, I’ll be able to teach sound doctrine in harmony with the Constitution of the United Brethren in Christ. In addition to creating awareness of our responsibility to be salt and light in the world, I want to instill in my brothers and sisters the responsibility and privilege to serve God in bringing the lost to know Jesus Christ our Lord.

My goal is to serve God with excellence in the United Brethren in Christ for the rest of my life. I want to work with you always, teach people the way to heaven, and of course hear the Lord say to me one day, “Come good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.”

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Interested in supporting this Erik in his seminary studies?

Please contact the Global Ministries office in one of these ways:

Phone: 260.356.2312

Toll-free: 888.622.3019

Email: missions@ub.org