At age 16, Rodriguez delivered his first sermon and quickly grew to be a leading and acclaimed evangelical preacher. In 1992, he became an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal Fellowship. In 2000, he founded and is currently the president of the National HispanicChristian Leadership Conference, the largest Hispanic Evangelical Christian organization in the world.With over 40,000 Latino Evangelical churches as members, NHCLC/CONEL helps to cultivate a network of Latino leaders in the Christian community. In 2013, he became a member on the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. In June 2016, his book Be Light, was featured #1 on the LA Times Bestsellers List. You Are Next, released in 2019, is a Publishers Weekly bestseller. In 2019, Rodriguez was the executive producer for the Fox Searchlight film Flamin Hot, a true story about the man behind Flamin' Hot Cheetos, produced by DeVon Franklin of Franklin Entertainment and directed by Eva Longoria. Rodriguez is also the executive producer for the 20th Century Fox motion picture, Breakthrough.
Political activity
As a spokesperson for Hispanic Evangelicals, Rodriguez often meets with lawmakers and provides input on policy decisions. Rodriguez has been a featured speaker in White House and Congressional meetings on Hispanic American issues and justice concerns. He is a member of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships initiative and the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. During the George W. Bush administration, Rodriguez advocated for bipartisan discussion on immigration reform. He also participated in President Obama’s 2008 inaugural prayer service at Saint Johns Episcopal Church, reading from the Gospel of Luke. Rodriguez was invited to offer readings and deliver an invocation at the 58th U.S. presidential inauguration on January 20, 2017. In his remarks, Rodriguez read from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5. On Inauguration Day, Rodriguez sat down for an interview with CNN and explained why he decided to speak at the Inauguration of President Trump. Rodriguez has had several meetings with Trump administration officials to discuss comprehensive immigration reform, which includes both securing the border and providing a path to citizenship for current immigrants. In a letter acquired by Politico in January 2017, Sam Rodriguez was one of several evangelical leaders that pressed President Trump to reconsider the suspension of the refugee resettlement program that temporarily 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. On January 25, 2017, Rodriguez issued a statement indicating he agreed with President Trump that securing the U.S/Mexico border was vital for the safety of the U.S., and he agreed that the rule of law needed to be respected and that America reserves the right to determine who is allowed to enter the country. But Rodriguez also stated that he believes the President needs to build bridges with the Latino community in America. He likewise stated emphatically that he is opposed to forcibly removing the millions of undocumented individuals and families already in America with the exception of criminals and drug dealers.
Recognition
In 2013, Rodriguez received a nomination for Time Magazine's "Top 100 Most Influential People." He also received an honorary doctorate from William Jessup in 2019 where he delivered the keynote commencement address. In 2015, Pastor Samuel Rodriguez was named as one of Newsmax’s “Top 100 Christian Leaders in America.”
