He was – perhaps next to my maternal grandfather Manolo who raised me  – the most influential father figure in my life.

Last month my longtime pastor Mel Santiesteban (I simply called him Pastor) passed away suddenly at the age of 72 and like all great, real Godly men I’ll remember him most for doing his best preaching without preaching.

Pastor was the man who by his example taught me about authenticity, integrity, family, forgiveness, ingenuity, conflict resolution, pragmatism and nearly every other virtue that Christ personifies and that today I as a husband, father and human being strive to achieve.

Pastor did not possess college degrees but he was anointed with an astonishing gift  (more…)