Outreach Center

Dave and his parents lived in El Paso, Texas, at that time. They went to a Lutheran church, and loved the pastor, the youth group, and many other aspects, but also experienced the pain of a church split.

When Dave went to Texas Christian University in 1985, he majored in Religion-Studies, but didn’t go to church very much – in fact, despite his confirmation in the Lutheran church and his call to ministry, he shortly found that he was agnostic at best. His faith was changing and growing, however, and between 1989 and 1993, he (1) studied at Vanderbilt Divinity School, graduation in 1993 with an Master of Divinity degree, (2) joined Vine Street Christian Church, a Disciples of Christ church and an amazing place of growth for him, (3) had a life changing experience at a Disciples of Christ students conference, where he was renewed and which ultimately led to a faith rooted in an evangelical understanding of Jesus and the Bible, and (4) got involved in various non-profit agencies, including some eye-opening experiences with the YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter, Room in the Inn (a ministry with homeless people), and a peace organization called Sane/Freeze.

The volunteer work with Sane/Freeze led to his first full time job, as the Program Director of what became Nashville Peace Action. Dave didn’t start that job until the summer after his work in the Grand Teton National Park with an organization called “A Christian Ministry in the National Parks,” in which he waited tables at a restaurant during the week, and led worship outdoors with park visitors on Sunday mornings.