Gabriel Salguero, co-lead pastor of the Lamb's Church of the Nazarene in New York City, New York, will be appointed to U.S. President Barack Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the President announced last week.

According to whitehouse.gov, the council is responsible for:

• Identifying best practices and successful modes of delivering social services
• Evaluating the need for improvements in the implementation and coordination of public policies relating to faith-based and neighborhood organizations
• Making recommendations to the president and the administration on changes in policies, programs, and practices

The council specifically focuses on reducing poverty and inequality and offering assistance to other underserved persons. These emphases align with Salguero's personal interest in issues that affect the Latino community, namely poverty, immigration, and education. In addition to pastoring, Salguero is president of the National Evangelical Latino Coalition and a member of numerous other social justice organizations, including The Evangelical Immigration Table and My Brother's Keeper Alliance. Salguero has been listed among the nation's top Latino leaders by several organizations.

"Serving on a president's advisory council is part of our continued commitment to a biblical public witness," Salguero said. "Scripture teaches us through the examples of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel that access to political power requires responsibility to the most vulnerable. I am extremely humbled to be asked to represent a Hispanic evangelical voice on this council."

Among the other leaders selected for the council are Jo Ann Lyon, general superintendent of The Wesleyan Church, and David Jeffrey, national commander of The Salvation Army. The Wesleyan Church and The Salvation Army are both sister denominations to the Church of the Nazarene. All three are members of the Wesleyan Holiness Consortium.

Salguero has pastored the Lamb's Church of the Nazarene since 2005. He is a graduate of Eastern Nazarene College and was recently a featured speaker at the USA/Canada Region's Nazarene Youth Conference.