The Bible is full of stories about leading others and faith, with God calling people not just to follow but to lead others. These stories range from Noah and Moses to Jesus, each being tasked with guiding their generation. But in the Bible, the call didn’t end with them, extending to all believers, and this is something Jonathan Hernandez believes in wholeheartedly.

It is Jonathan’s aim to grow as a disciple and as a leader whose work utilizes faith and religious belief to help guide others to a land of safety and comfort in the digital landscape. As a cybersecurity expert with a foundation in solid Christian beliefs, his faith is not only the bedrock of his values but also shapes his work ethic, ethical approach, and dedication to helping others.

Faith as a Guiding Force

Born and raised in the Philippines, Jonathan transferred to a Christian school for the first time at 13. It is there that his life changed. He speaks of his encounter with Jesus through the Gospel and how it reshaped his career goals and life perspective, motivating him to align his professional journey with faith-driven values. After a few years in Christian school, at the age of 15, Jonathan even felt the call to become a minister or pastor.

His parents initially dismissed this passion due to concerns and their lack of belief in Christianity. However, Jonathan’s unfailing optimism and righteous belief ultimately won them over, as they later came around to support Jonathan’s career choice and beliefs and became Christians themselves.

At 19, Jonathan moved to Columbus, Ohio. Guided by his pastor’s mentorship, he has flourished in various pastoral, leadership, and expository preaching roles for six years. Currently, he is furthering his theological training at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where his academic excellence was recently recognized with the prestigious Clyde T. Francisco Preaching Award. He utilizes his passion for helping others maintain strong cybersecurity ethics.

Work as Ministry

To some, the connection between the ministry and cybersecurity may seem unlikely. However, Jonathan views his career in cybersecurity, working at one of the top pediatric hospitals in the world, as an extension of his calling, what he calls “reflecting God’s image through integrity and excellence.” He sees cybersecurity skills as “a gift from God to be used for His greater glory.” He sees his work as a platform for spreading values of righteousness in a distinctly modern way.

Jonathan approaches his cybersecurity work by grounding it in the ethics and morality of scripture, which “allows him to feel emotionally and intellectually fulfilled by the position.” Jonathan is a Certified Ethical Hacker, meaning that he approaches his work the same way as a hacker but does so to create protection for the organization he is working with instead of harm.

“The Bible speaks of protecting the sheep from the wolves of the world,” remarks Jonathan, and in 2024, he sees cybersecurity as an effective and vital way to do precisely that. This allows him to apply “biblical truths” by protecting people from black hat hackers as well as educate others to help them do the same. He was even invited by a Muslim community to speak in their mosque to share his expertise and provide guidance to their community. Jonathan used his skills to help others and build relationships with people from other faith communities.

Loving His Neighbor: Community Impact

Jonathan actively gives back by mentoring young cybersecurity professionals, speaking at cybersecurity events, and helping churches with their cybersecurity needs, demonstrating his dedication to making the industry more inclusive and less gate-kept.

He shares knowledge to help others succeed in cybersecurity and volunteers at events to demonstrate that success in the field is achievable while maintaining your core values.  He mentors others as a way of “shepherding” them in their careers while also utilizing his background to help churches and non-profits with cybersecurity.

Balancing Technical and Spiritual Guidance

Engaging with top cybersecurity leaders has equipped him with diverse leadership skills applicable to his ministry, while spiritual mentors nurtured compassion and gratitude, shaping his approach to serving others. Using cybersecurity analogies to illustrate spiritual concepts, Jonathan has been able to bridge the world of classical Christianity to more distinctly modern problems with the goal of making the Bible more accessible and relatable to the public.

Faith in Action 

Jonathan Hernandez believes everyone should explore how faith can guide professional and ethical choices. His journey exemplifies how deeply held faith can drive professional excellence, ethics, and a commitment to community in the fast-paced world of cybersecurity.