SACRAMENTO, California, May 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Amid increased violence toward Christians worldwide, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC)/CONEL, which has a continued focus on justice and compassion for all individuals created in the Image of God, today announced the organization has named liaisons to the White House and the United Nations.

Dr. Gus Reyes, NHCLC/CONEL Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Texas Baptist’s Christian Life Commission, will serve as the official White House liaison for the organization and the deputy liaison to the United Nations. Ricardo Luna, NHCLC/CONEL Executive Director, will serve as the organization’s chief liaison to the United Nations. 

“We have said before that we cannot be complacent when our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted around the world,” Rodriguez said. “It is time to take action and propel proactivity on behalf of those around the world that should not and cannot do this alone.”

Recent statistics reported by Christianity Today show that worldwide levels of persecution of the Christian Church have increased, with 2014 having had the greatest number of religious freedom violations against Christians worldwide in recent memory.

“Having spent 23 years working in countries with religious persecution, religious liberty and religious equality issues, I celebrate the opportunity to create a space of global influence for the Lamb’s agenda at the United Nations,” said Luna. “I am excited to continue to work on vital issues affecting Christian believers around the world, including the emerging generation challenge.  

“In order to fulfill the millennium goals of the United Nations, we must promote and invest in transformational principles and values for children around the world,” Luna added.  “An ounce of prevention is worth a millennium of cure.”

These new roles will help encourage action to fight poverty, address the emerging generation challenge, provide religious liberty, and promote the dignity of life – which are core issues of NHCLC/CONEL.

“We look forward to enhancing working relationships with leadership both at the United Nations and the White House to ensure every effort is being made on behalf of individuals being persecuted around the world for their Christian faith,” said Reyes. “The NHCLC/CONEL is committed to religious freedom, and these two new roles will further promote that commitment.” 

NHCLC/CONEL is the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization. It serves as a representative voice for the more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals assembled in over 40,000 U.S. churches and another 500,000 congregations spread throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora. The organization seeks to reconcile Evangelist Billy Graham’s message of salvation through Christ with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s march of prophetic activism. A bipartisan organization, NHCLC/CONEL follows the agenda of the Lamb, not the donkey or the elephant, and emphasizes “7 Directives” of Life, Family, Compassionate Evangelism, Stewardship, Justice, Education and Youth. For additional information, visit http://www.nhclc.org.