Barry Rodriguez Email & Phone Number

I am a pastor, teacher, and leader who does my very best to help those around me experience the transformation of God's kingdom. Whether living in the slums or the suburbs, what I want most is to simply go where the Spirit sends me as I do my best to live a life that looks like Jesus. In 2005, my world was transformed by a year-long internship in Nairobi, Kenya. I came away convinced my life's purpose was to get the suburban American Church engaged with social justice issues (hunger, poverty, homelessness, AIDS, etc.). The only problem was this: I had no idea how to go about doing that!Fast forward to the fall of 2008, when I spent 3 months in New Delhi, India with Truthseekers International. There I discovered my blog was doing something remarkable: it was getting people back home engaged. I had stumbled into the realization that storytelling was the key to getting suburban Christ-followers compelled to serve the poor and marginalized. The idea for World Next Door was born. Five months later, World Next Door was approved as a 501(c)3 non-profit, we had a website, and I was off and running on my first life-changing trip. Since then, I've had the privilege to live in slums, refugee camps, and mountain villages. I even lived homeless in New York City for four days. I discovered I had a knack for photography and public speaking, and the vision for WND grew tremendously.In 2015, I was approached by Grace Church in Noblesville, IN to consider interviewing as the potential successor to the senior pastor. I was accepted for a three year residency program, which I completed in January 2019, when the church's membership voted for me to take the role. I will officially become senior pastor in June 2020.

Listed skills include Photography, Creative Writing, Preaching, Strategic Planning, and 10 others.