[1] Rohrer is the first openly transgender minister ordained in the Lutheran tradition.Following his reception as a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,[3][4][5][6] Rohrer served the church as bishop of its Sierra Pacific Synod from 2021 until asked to resign in June of 2022 after allegations of racism against one of the pastors under his care came to light.

[14] When the policy changed in 2009, Rohrer became the first openly transgender person to serve as a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

[citation needed] In 2014, Rohrer was installed as pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco.

[20] On December 11, 2021, the Sierra Pacific Synod terminated the employment of Nelson Rabell-González, who presided over Misión Latina Luterana in Stockton, California, and defunded the congregation.

On May 27, 2022, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton called for Rohrer's resignation, but initially declined to pursue disciplinary actions.

[26][27] On March 1, 2023, Rohrer filed a lawsuit against the ELCA and Sierra Pacific Synod,[28] seeking monetary damages for gender discrimination, openly hostile work environment[29] and workplace[28] harassment.

[4][9] In 2015, Rohrer started a fundraiser to raise bail for Meagan Taylor, a black trans woman who was held in isolation in an Iowa jail.

[36] Rohrer has advocated for trans people who would be negatively impacted by proposed "bathroom bills" that seek to restrict restroom usage based on sex assigned at birth.