About the Instructors

Rev. Richard Schlak

Rev. Schlak grew up near Chicago, Illinois. He received a B.A. in Biblical Studies and General Sciences from Concordia University (Ann Arbor, Michigan) in 1981, and went on to study at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. As part of his studies at the Seminary, Rev. Schlak served as a vicar for two years in Mexico City. After receiving his Master of Divinity degree in 1986, he traveled to Venezuela to serve as an evangelistic missionary for 17 years. In Venezuela, Rev. Schlak was active in church revitalization, church planting, theological education, and youth ministry, and acted as the pastoral counselor for the national women’s society. He also met Maritza, his wife, through the matchmaking efforts of fellow missionaries. Rev. and Mrs. Schlak have three children. In 2003, Rev. Schlak returned to the United States to pursue doctoral studies at the seminary. He is presently in the process of writing his dissertation on the interpretation of Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament. In 2007, Rev. Schlak accepted the call to serve as executive director and principal instructor at the Lutheran Hispanic Missionary Institute.

Rev. Juan Hormachea

Rev. Juan L. Hormachea,  M. Div.  Rev. Hormachea serves as the Facilitator, Hispanic Ministry  for the Rocky Mountain District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod  & Pastor at “Cordero de Dios”, Denver. He graduated from Concordia Lutheran Seminary, in St. Catherine, Ontario Canada, in 1987. Upon receiving his Master of Divinity degree from Brock University, St. Catherine, Ontario, Canada. He was ordained July 12, 1987  and received his first Call to serve as Pastor of La Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Buffalo, New York  and Missionary-at-large in the Eastern District to develop the Hispanic Ministry . In 1997 was called to serve as Associate Pastor in Trinity Lutheran Church, Lexington, Nebraska to start a Hispanic Mission. During his 4 years there, he established “La Trinidad” Lutheran Church. Hispanic Congregation.  In 2000, he was called by the RMD to serve as the District Facilitator and the Pastor at “Cordero de Dios, Denver. He was installed on  January 21, 2001. Rev. Hormachea was born in Chile South America, and has resided in the United States since 1978.

Rev. Ruben Dominguez'

Ruben Dominguez was born in 1954 in Monterrey, Mexico to a Mexican Lutheran family.  He completed his basic studies in the Mexican public school system.  In 1974, he began his studies at Augsburg Lutheran Seminary in Mexico City where he received his diploma of theology in 1980.  In 1987, he received a call to work in Hispanic work in the U.S.  Beginning in 1990, he was professor for the Hispanic Institute of Theology based in Chicago, IL.  Currently, he is finishing his doctoral work.  His permanent residence is in Chicago. Ruben has also coauthored a book with Albert Garcia entitled Martin Lutero which was published by Abingdon Press.