Pastor Dan (PD) first encountered Jesus as Lord as a high school senior at a retreat that he was forced to attend against his wishes. Though not a Christian, he was the youth group president and was obligated to attend a college retreat for students from neighboring Yale University. Though he went reluctantly and with absolutely no expectations of anything good, God showed incredible mercy and allowed the Gospel to come alive in PD and thus began his spiritual journey.

Shortly thereafter, he attended the University of Vermont (UVM) where he majored in Premed Engineering. Being unsure of God’s will for his life, he decided on a major that would provide two different options: Electical Engineering and Premed. As a student, he continued to be blessed through Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and was involved in a small, intimate church where he experienced the joy of being a part of a local church body. During his college years, he began to have a greater yearning for the gospel ministry – especially to the unreached in the farthest ends of the earth. It was at this time, that he first considered and wrestled with a call to full time ministry.

After graduating from college, PD was still undecided as to his future. He personally desired to go to seminary and become a missionary, though he faced opposition from his parents who wanted nothing to do with ministry. As a compromise, he enrolled at Harvard Extension in Boston with the hopes of going to medical school – to one day become a medical missionary. After the first week of classes, his sister, Sandra, was tragically killed in an automobile accident on her way to church. The day that she was buried, his parents gave their blessing for PD to pursue the desires of his heart. He dropped out of school and returned home to assist his parents and commit a year to praying for God’s will and confirmation. The following year, he enrolled at Biblical Theological Seminary to pursue his seminary studies

While in seminary, through a strange series of events, PD crossed paths with a Miss Veronica Hong. Though it was not love at first sight for either one of them, as time went by, he found himself drawn more and more to her and spent the next 2+ years praying for her. After that time, the Lord opened a door for PD to approach Veronica and she made him pray for another 4 months, and then finally she agreed to begin their courtship. They were married in 1999 – the same year he graduated from seminary.

Over the years, God has been training PD and Veronica through various ministries from VA to AZ to NJ. They have also obeyed the biblical command to be fruitful and multiply – with the addition of their 3 sons: Isaiah, Elijah, and Nathaniel. They are an incessant source of joy and blessing for PD and Veronica.