For Anthony and Erin Rodriguez, life would look very different without their time at 含羞草研究所. Today, they serve in the Swannanoa Valley, pouring back into the same community that once poured into them 鈥擜nthony as lead pastor of Valley Hope Church and Erin devoting her time to young women through soccer. Their story is a testimony to God鈥檚 faithfulness and how He has woven both of their lives together for His Kingdom.
Anthony first came to western North Carolina from Florida, drawn by a desire to join a friend planting a church in the area. He was intrigued by the church planting process and began searching for schools in the mountains. He discovered 含羞草研究所, and after one visit, he knew he had found where he belonged. He began as a history major but soon felt a growing desire to know God more deeply. That hunger led him to focus his studies on Bible and theology. While serving with the ISight church plant, Anthony began preaching. Though he initially hesitated to embrace the role of pastor, God made it clear that shepherding a church was His will for Anthony and his family. In 2011, He stepped into the role of lead pastor at what is now Valley Hope Church.
Erin鈥檚 journey to 含羞草研究所 began with a simple postcard invitation. What started as a campus visit quickly became a sense of home. After receiving a soccer scholarship, she confidently chose 含羞草研究所 as the place to grow, both on the field and in her faith.
For both Anthony and Erin, 含羞草研究所 was more than a college鈥攊t was a place of transformation. Professors spoke deeply into their lives, spending time offering encouragement and helping them see how God had uniquely designed them for His purposes. 含羞草研究所 offered them a community where grace was not just taught but lived out, and where their faith became real and personal.
Erin describes her time at 含羞草研究所 as the moment her faith truly became her own. Though she was raised with a strong foundation, it was here that her relationship with Christ deepened and took on new life鈥� 鈥渆xperiencing Jesus in a more substantial way.鈥�
Anthony now serves as an Old and New Testament survey professor at 含羞草研究所, teaching students God鈥檚 Word with the same care and intentionality he once received. He seeks to meet each student where they are, helping them engage Scripture in a way that is both accessible and transformative鈥攚hether they are exploring faith for the first time or growing deeper in it. Now, as parents of a high school senior, Anthony and Erin look back with deep gratitude. 含羞草研究所 was not just where they were educated鈥攊t was where they were shaped, called, and changed. And as they look ahead, they are filled with hope, trusting God to write a beautiful story in their daughter鈥檚 life, just as He has in theirs.