DAN SERNS – Bio (March 2012)
- Born 2-19-56 in Escondido, California
- Raised in California, Hawaii, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina in home of Seventh-day Adventist minister
Family:
- Wife-Lois, married August, 1980 (High School Math Teacher)
- Children-Jacob (b.1985) & wife Sarahy (m.2009), Dustin (b. 1987) & wife Caitlin (m.2011), Danesa (b.1992)
- Greatest wife and children in the world!
- Hobbies: Family Football, Hiking, Travel, Reading, Waterfalls, Water Skiing, Speaking, Mobilizing People in Ministry
Education:
- Graduated from Mount Pisgah Academy, North Carolina
- Attended Southern Adventist University (TN) & Newbold College (England)
- Graduated in 1979 with a BA in Religion & BA in Business Administration from Pacific Union College, California
- Graduated from Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Berrien Springs, MI, with an MA Pastoral Ministry, 2009
Experiences:
- Preached first sermon at age fourteen (14)
- Temperance Oration Winner and State Geometry Champion in Academy
- Elected to class and Student Association offices in Academy and College
- Student Missionary in Korea 76-77
- Ordained 1984
- North American Division Teen Ministry Award
- Visited more than 50 countries
- Published in Adventist World, Adventist Review, Insight Magazine, Ministry Magazine, Several Union papers
Ministry Experience:
Texas Conference
- 1979-82 Founded and directed BIESDA Language Programs, teaching English conversation and Bible along the Texas-Mexico border, a community service and evangelistic project of the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Operated BIESDA Summer Camp summers 80-82; Over 60 student missionaries served at BIESDA; over 70 people baptized through its ministry
- 82-84 Pastor of Brownsville, Texas English Seventh-day Adventist church while continuing as BIESDA Director, Laid groundwork to start church school, Baptized 68 people
- 84-89 Youth Director of Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Began yearly Pathfinder Leadership Training & Camporees; Built Pathfinder organization from 524 in 26 clubs to over 2,000 in 86 clubs; Conducted yearly area youth rallies; Initiated Adventist Mission Teams to Belize & Mexico, involving over 2,000 people in 48 projects over the next ten years
- 89-91 Church Ministries Director while continuing as Youth Director of Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Initiated annual area Church Officers Training Seminars; Initiated Christian Music, ETC
- 91-94 Vice President of Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists with special emphasis on involving youth and young adults in the life and mission of the church; initiated Student Pastor program with Southwestern Adventist University; Youth Discipleship Program; annual Youth Congress; Students on boards & committees
- 94-95 Church Ministries Director of Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Initiated area training in six aspects of Outreach
Kansas-Nebraska Conference
- 95-99 Pastor, Chapel Oaks Seventh-day Adventist Church, Kansas City, KS
- Initiatives- Amazing Facts Bible Classes; Church-wide Visitation program; Splitlog Park Youth Outreach; Capital Stewardship Program; Encouraged Midland Adventist Academy to expand from K-10 to K-12 program
- Growth- Baptized 60+ people; Planted Kansas City, KS Spanish Church
Upper Columbia Conference
- 99-04 Senior Pastor, Wenatchee, WA District Seventh-day Adventist Churches
- Initiatives- Sermons on Christian radio & cable TV, Adventist Ambassadors Weekend, Enhanced Nominating Committee & Ministry Placement process; Hosted Wenatchee Youth Challenge Summer Magabook program; Encouraged Homeless Park Ministry; Raised money to build eleven churches in India and provide seven global missions couples for three years; “Adopted” Leavenworth SDA church into Wenatchee district; Coached lay people and youth in conducting evangelistic series.
- Growth- Planted Abundant Life SDA Church in Wenatchee and added it to the district; 75+ People baptized in district
North Pacific Union Conference
- 04-10 Ministerial Director/Soul Winning, Global Missions, Church Planting
- Initiatives- Soul winning training for all Pastors in NPUC, Mission trip groups to India (100 village program), Bolivia (20 sites), Philippines (21 sites), Dominican Republic (31 sites) & Peru (52 sites); “Building Soul-Winning MOMENTUM in the Northwest” Five year plan, Youth Baptismal Sabbath; Monthly e-newsletter; Four Resource & Information Websites- (NPUC.adventistpastors.com, NPUC Missions, NPUC Changed Lives, NPUC MOMENTUM!)
Texas Conference
- 10-Present Senior Pastor, Richardson, TX District Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Initiatives- Families of Hope, Next Step Seminars, Monthly Baptismal Celebrations, Recorded Secrets of Hope and Transforming Your Church online video series, The Great Controversy Project
Evangelism Experiences:
Conducted Evangelistic Campaigns, Revelation Seminars, and/or Weeks of Prayer, in the following locations:
- Belize- Belmopan
- Bolivia- Santa Cruz Plan 3000
- Dominican Republic- Santo Domingo (Piantini Church); San Pedro de Macoris Central
- India (Andhra Pradesh) – Jaggannapeta Ten village program; Eluru Ten village program
- Korea- Seoul; Busan
- Mexico- Monterey; Linares; Doctor Arroyo
- Peru- Trujillo City wide (52 sites; 85 participants)
- Philippines- Metro Manila (Cabuyao); Lucena; San Pablo City Metro
- Russia- Metalostroi
- Ukraine- Chernovtsy; Khmelnik; Mykolayiv
- USA:
- Alaska- Anchorage Jr. Academy
- Idaho- Camp MiVoden; Gem State Academy
- Kansas- Kansas City (2), Enterprise Academy, Midland Adventist School, Broken Arrow Ranch
- North Carolina- High Point
- New Mexico- Sandia View Academy
- Massachusetts- Southern New England Campmeeting Youth
- Oregon- Portland Pleasant Valley Church
- Pennsylvania- Blue Mountain Academy
- Texas- Brownsville Area (6), Bryan, Burton Academy (2), Cleburne, Crowley, Irving, Jefferson Academy, Joshua, Kingsville, Mansfield, Nameless Valley Ranch, Stephenville, Valley Grande Academy, North Dallas Adventist Academy, Richardson
- Washington- Cascade Christian Academy, Meadow Glade, Sunset Lake Camp, Upper Columbia Academy, Vancouver Area (3), Walla Walla Valley Academy, Wenatchee (2)
- Wisconsin- Wisconsin Academy, Wisconsin Campmeeting Young Adults
Committee Experience:
- Executive Committees- Texas Conference, Kansas-Nebraska Conference, North American Division, Southwestern Union
- Academy Boards- Valley Grande Academy, Jefferson Academy, Enterprise Academy, Midland Adventist Academy, Cascade Christian Academy, North Dallas Adventist Academy
- Other- Seminars Unlimited, Nameless Valley Ranch, Valley Grande Manor Nursing Homes Association, Mid-America Union Church Planting Committee, Upper Columbia Conference Church Planting Committee, Camp MiVoden Development Committee, Texas Conference Association, KS-NE Conference Association, NPUC Presidents’ Council, Texas Conference Personnel Committee
Passion in Ministry: Leadership Development, Global Missions, Soul-winning, and Family
Favorite Bible Verses: Philippians 3:7-12 and Isaiah 40:31
Contact: danserns@gmail.com, 360-609-2886, or www.Facebook.com/danserns
