Dan Serns, well-known church growth leader, is returning to North Pacific Union beginning in January 2025. He will be leading efforts for church growth and revitalization, church planting and lay members training.
“We have specific needs for church revitalization from before and after the pandemic. When we heard Serns was interested and available to return to the Pacific Northwest, this was an answer to prayer,” said John Freedman, NPUC president. "I'm excited for his skills in training lay pastors to help support multi-church districts."
Serns most recently served as Central California Conference president. He previously served in Texas Conference for 11 years in two roles: Richardson district senior pastor and Texas Conference evangelism director.
Northwest Adventists may particularly remember Serns from his six years as NPUC ministerial director from 2004–2010 and his five years as Wenatchee Church senior pastor from 1999–2004.
Throughout his career, Serns pastored one-, two- and three-church districts with single and multi-pastor church staff. He has planted five churches and baptized more than 400 people in his pastoral experience. With each church he pastored came a time of revitalization.
In his administrative roles, he’s served on academy, college, hospital, conference, union and division committees and boards. He has a masters in pastoral ministry from Andrews University and two bachelor’s degrees in business administration and religion from Pacific Union College.
Serns has a heart for mobilizing members and leaders for missions, developing unified teams, strengthening families, winning souls and planting churches. He is a published author with articles in Ministry, Adventist Review, Adventist World and additional publications. He authored a book, titled “True Stories of Changed Lives,” which was published in 2021 by Pacific Press.
You will find inspiration for your spiritual walk through Serns' Facebook page, “Life Lessons by Dan Serns,” and through his blog at danserns.com.
Serns' family is highly active in ministry. His wife, Lois, frequently joins in church growth presentations. Their adult sons, Jacob and Dustin, are both church-planting pastors in Washington Conference, and their adult daughter, Danesa, is a dynamic worship leader. The couple are proud grandparents to two grandchildren.
"We are looking forward to returning to the northwest and working together with the union, the six conferences and Walla Walla University to let the 16 million people in the northwest know that Jesus loves them, He’s coming again soon, He’s got a good plan for their lives, and now is the time to take Him seriously," Serns said. "Lois and I are ready to do all we can to train, equip, activate and mentor every willing person in the mission!"
Dan Serns, well-known church growth leader, is returning to NPUC beginning in January 2025. He will be leading efforts for church growth and revitalization, church planting and lay member training.
