Vicky Ruiz

The Mantle of Elijah

Vicky Ruiz, a native Puerto Rican, attended a private Christian school and was involved with “La Confra,” a Christian student group. Vicky always felt a calling to leadership. Then, when she was 16 years old, a visiting preacher to her church called her to the front during a time of ministry. He removed his coat and placed it on top of her and said, “As Elijah did with Elíseo (Elisha), I’m doing with you because this is the Lord, and I’m calling you to be a pastor.”

Just out of college at age 22, Vicky asked her stepdad, a retired minister, “What should I do? Should I go to seminary now?” He told her no – that she should complete her education in psychology, go live and have experiences, and then go to seminary. So that is what Vicky did. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Carlos Albizu University in 2006 and became a clinical psychologist. 

Now residing in Orlando, Vicky, along with her husband and children, attend a Hispanic Disciples of Christ Church (Iglesia Cristiana Hispana Discípulos de Cristo del Norte de Orlando). This is where she became close with two pastors who are alumni of Asbury Seminary. “They always tell me wonderful things about the Seminary, the learning experiences,” she says. And then, “everything aligned” for Vicky to pursue an M.Div. with Asbury Seminary.

Asbury Latino Center

As soon as Vicky interviewed to be a ministry candidate in her church, Asbury Seminary offered a scholarship for bilingual students toward a program with Asbury Latino Center. Her pastor called her and said, “Vicky, this is it. This is the time. It’s going to be a good opportunity for you.” Although Vicky speaks English, she prefers writing essays in Spanish, her native language. She began the Bilingual Delivered Master of Arts in Ministry, choosing courses that are also required by the M.Div. so that she can ultimately earn her M.Div. as her preparation for the pastorate.

Because Vicky is a wife, mother, and full-time clinical psychologist, she is taking two courses per semester through the Hybrid option. Her courses are primarily online, with one in-person intensive per course per semester at the Orlando Extension Site. “Studying theology was on my bucket list for so long,” Vicky says. At first Vicky wasn’t used to the terminology of theology, which was so different from that of psychology. Yet she was helped by her professors and the other students, who are divided into groups and communicate with each other on WhatsApp. “I love it,” Vicky says of her coursework. “I feel that I love the Lord even more now. We know the knowledge of the Lord never ends, but I’m completely in love with my studies. Sometimes I feel like I’m on a retreat when I’m reading.”

Jesus and a Therapist

Vicky plans to graduate in 2026 with her M.Div. Meanwhile, as a clinical psychologist she works at a skilled nursing facility with the elderly and infirm, including people with multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, and cancer. “I view my work as part of my ministry. I cannot divide it,” says Vicky. Yet she never forgets the role she is heading toward – to be a pastor in a bilingual church. She is “praying a lot” as she seeks to discern where the Lord will place her upon receiving her M.Div.

Vicky’s passion for the church is multifaceted. First, she loves education. “I see myself creating or developing education programs and educating my people through Sunday school or even the sermons I made when I took inductive Bible study,” she says. Vicky has presented in her church about mental health issues and has taught domestic violence intervention and family therapy at Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico. Secondly, she loves psychology. “I would like to mix mental health with Christianity and show how they go hand in hand. When people are depressed, they say, ‘You don’t need to go to a psychologist – you need to pray harder. That is the devil. You have a demon.’ No – mental health is as important as physical health. I have a shirt that says, ‘It’s okay to have Jesus and a therapist too.’”

According to Vicky, the mission of God is more than being individualistic and wanting to grow in the Lord; it’s also about growing socially. “It’s not me and the Lord; no, it’s me and the Lord and my community and my family and my neighbors,” she says.