Sam Del Pozo was ordained to the gospel ministry on Sabbath, Sept. 30, at the Hollywood Spanish church. He currently serves as pastor of the Culver City Spanish and Hawthorne Spanish churches in Los Angeles. Del Pozo is the oldest of three sons of a pastor, Luis Del Pozo, and his wife, Esther, of Peru. Del Pozo, his brother Benjamin, and their parents are all currently in ministry in the Southern California Conference.

A theology major at River Plate Adventist University in Argentina and the University of the Peruvian Union, Del Pozo graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theology in 1985. He went on to complete two master’s degrees: one in educational administration at the University of the Peruvian Union and one in theology at Andrews University.

In 2008, Del Pozo concluded doctoral studies in university administration at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Since coming to the Southern California Conference, Del Pozo served for three years as an adjunct instructor in higher education pedagogy in the La Sierra University School of Education.

Del Pozo and his wife, Magaly Soto, who was born in Puerto Rico, are the parents of a daughter, Mireya Isabel.

In December 2011, Del Pozo received a call to serve as an associate pastor in the San Fernando Spanish church and, subsequently, in the Hollywood Spanish church. Since 2014, he has been pastoring the Culver City Spanish and Hawthorne Spanish churches. In 2015, Del Pozo was selected to chair the Spanish translation team for the General Conference Session in San Antonio,  Texas.

“Of all my pastoral tasks,” said Del Pozo, “the number one task that I am most passionate about is bringing souls to the foot of the cross. My happiest Sabbath is when someone decides to give his or her life for Christ, especially if that person is a youth.”