Q&A with Luis Acosta

Walking down the halls of the seminary between classes, middler Luis Acosta blends right in with his fellow classmates — briefcase in hand, suit coat on, and a stack of books perched in an arm. However, for Acosta, the path to the seminary has been very different from that of his fellow students.

After immigrating to the United States from Venezuela, Acosta and his family settled in Florida. It was there that he came into contact with a Lutheran pastor and decided to pursue the public ministry. Luis completed his pre-seminary work in Florida through the Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) and was faced with a choice: he could stay in Florida—where he was assisting in ministry—and continue his seminary studies through the PSI, or he could move to Wisconsin and enroll at the seminary as a junior.

The Acostas moved to Wisconsin in 2009. After nearly two years on-campus, he shares his thoughts about the move, the challenges, and the blessings.

How have you and your family adjusted to life in Wisconsin?

There is no doubt that there are many differences between Wisconsin and our previous homes in Florida and Latin America. Some of these differences are more challenging than others and require a little more time and effort in adjusting. The weather, in our case, was the most different aspect that we had to get used to. The amount of snow in Miami or Latin America during the winter is quite different! But these changes also have brought us a lot of satisfaction and excitement since we can’t wait for a good snow day to go sled in the park with our children.

I think the key to adjusting to change is to embrace the culture and the situations that God presents to us. One of the most difficult aspects for me is to think about the friends and family that we left behind. We have realized that these faraway friends and family members continue to be a part of our lives and that God is placing new people in our lives. This has been a great blessing and a true gift from God.

Embracing new places and cultures is not easy sometimes. Language differences, cultural issues, food etc., may be very challenging but our entire family knows that God brought us here with a beautiful purpose. Therefore, there is no better place on the earth right now where we would like to be.

What challenges do you face as you study for the ministry, serve in a local congregation, and meet your family responsibilities?

This demands a constant effort to establish priorities to help keep things in balance. It is important to realize (the sooner the better!) that even if you could have days of 48 hours, you will not be able to do everything in the way you would like to. It is a balance between wishing to read another chapter of the Scriptures, checking other commentaries, and wanting to polish and review that sermon one more time and also being there for your family as well.

In addition to my studies and my family, I have the privilege to serve the Lord in a growing Hispanic congregation on the south side of Milwaukee. This requires a good amount of time and effort, but keeping my priorities straight helps me to maintain balance. My first priority is my personal devotion and connection to God and his Word— here I find the peace, strength, motivation, and guidance to do the rest. I just try to do my best and have fun in the process, following the philosophy I learned from my previous pastor: work hard, keep yourself humble, and give all the glory to God.

You had the option to stay in Florida and study through a distance education program, yet you chose to move here. How has this been a benefit to you?

We live in a world that is growing cold and godless, just as Jesus foretold. The temptation for us as servants in the public ministry is to feel as the prophet Elijah did. To feel that we are the only ones left to follow God and love him and his Word. Being on campus has allowed me to meet many people preparing to serve in the public ministry, and to develop true brotherly friendships with them and with my professors. This reminds me that God is always in control and actively protecting his Church.

Another great benefit is that my cross-cultural sensitivities and abilities have been enhanced by studying on campus. The seminary family is a mix of people from different parts of the US. The cultural diversity of our student body (on- and off-campus) is also growing and this is great training for us in view of the very likely “new face” of the congregations we will encounter in the near future. I hope to become a bridge person between our cultures and for this reason I am thankful for the chance to come and study on campus. It is not the only way to do it and study God’s word, but it is certainly great!

Acosta is looking forward to receiving a vicar call in May.