Meet Dan Hans Dan Hans (pronounced Hands, without the “d”) states that “God alone governs our universe giving meaning and purpose to all of life. All of history moves toward the completion of God’s purposes, mysterious though they are at any given moment. Therefore, at any point along the way God can be encountered and grace can be experienced.” Born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1953, Dan was baptized and grew up at Greenhills United Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati. While at Denison University Dan was co-captain of the lacrosse team, selected to the Division II-III All-American Lacrosse Team and received an NCAA post graduate scholarship for athletics, academics and leadership. Initially intent on going into medicine, he shifted career direction to ministry due to his experiences on the college staff of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes during the summers of his college tenure. Dan received a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While there he was involved in prison ministry and mission work behind the Iron Curtain. Upon completing seminary Dan married Beth Steadman, an artist from Essex, MA, whom he met while at seminary. Their first child, Laura, was born in 1983. Sadly, she died of a brain tumor shortly after her third birthday. In the midst of Laura’s illness their daughter Amy was born. Writing became part of the healing process for Dan. In 1988, the year his son Jim was born, Dan became Pastor and Head of Staff of the historic Gettysburg Presbyterian Church in Gettysburg, PA. This church dates to 1740 and has over 700 adult members. In 1998 Dan earned a Doctor of Ministry degree, with an emphasis on ethics, from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Dan occasionally writes articles for magazines on preaching and church leadership, regularly plays basketball and runs, and, “in moments of total insanity” has competed in national lacrosse tournaments for ages 45 and over. Biographical Information Ministry
Education
Service to Community and Denomination
Publications Books: Chapters in books: Hobbies
My Motivation Why do you want to leave a church where you have had twenty terrific years of ministry and where vital and vibrant worship, mission, spiritual growth, and fellowship are happening? I have been asked that question by many friends in recent months. My answer is always the same: God is calling me to a new challenge to partner with another congregation toward the goal of vital and vibrant worship, mission, spiritual growth, and fellowship. Through investigation, conversation, and prayer, I believe Second Presbyterian Church is that congregation and I am excited about what the Lord will do in our ministry partnership. Two words drive my desire to come to Second Presbyterian in Lexington: possibility and people. I see great possibility in Second Presbyterian Church. Some of that possibility has already been achieved through your history of excellent pastoral leadership and by your current committed church staff. I hope to continue that legacy and move beyond it with you into new levels and experiences of Christian faith and service in Fayette County and far beyond. The possibility of being pastor to another “Lincoln church” intrigues me. Being pastor where Abraham Lincoln attended after delivering his Gettysburg Address as I have done and having had a lifelong love for Lincoln, I welcome the opportunity to come to the church of his in-laws in the state of his birth. The greatest possibility that I see for Second Presbyterian Church and for me personally lies in what we can become together as we listen for God’s leading, listen to each other’s experiences and insights, and discover what God wants for us and from us as we move into God’s tomorrow. Empowering the future possibility for Second Presbyterian Church is people. The people of this church I have already met, both members and staff, have won me over. I cannot imagine a better Pastoral Nominating Committee than the one you elected. Their love for Jesus Christ, for this church, and for Lexington have been infectious with Beth and me. We look forward to meeting the rest of this congregation. Lest you think I am buttering you up, I must add that whenever people, who are human, mix with possibility, which is demanding, much hard work lies ahead. I am up for the challenge; how about you? Therefore, Beth and I are preparing to leave behind our Gettysburg address in search of our new Kentucky home! Dr. Hans’ Statement of Faith I believe in God who creates human beings to know their Creator and to celebrate the gift of creation through obedient love. Sin, the source of which we cannot explain yet the consequence of which we cannot escape, is present in God’s creation. Sin sidetracks life shifting it from a God-directed path to a self-directed one. Whenever life becomes self-serving death becomes the ultimate enemy as death destroys the kingdoms we build for ourselves. I believe the church to be What do you perceive to be theological issues currently facing the church? Message of Hope: How can they hear about the hope in Christ unless someone proclaims it? (Rom. 10:14) No ministry gift is more essential today than preaching. I love to analyze and apply the Scriptures in personally comforting and intellectually challenging ways. My preaching is an invitation to fellow-seekers and strugglers to travel with me a little further along in our journey with God. Meaning in Pain: My first child died at age three of a brain tumor. My faith was tested, shaken and changed by that tragedy. Believing in the mysterious providence of God I draw upon that experience to help others who have loved and lost. Through preaching, writing, and leading grief groups I have turned my loss into gain for others. What are the characteristics of a church you would like to serve? Every congregation has its own personality, shaped by experience in faith and fellowship. The same is true for every pastor. A new pastor-congregation relationship is like a marriage in which one does not ‘marry’ to change the other, but out of mutual respect for each other and a commitment to work together in discovering what we might become together.
I seek a congregation willing to grow with me beyond where we both presently are in life and in faith. Growing together is my goal; becoming more than we are is my vision. Three traits essential for a dynamic pastor-congregation relationship are openness, flexibility, and humor. How open are both pastor and congregation to the leading of God’s Spirit in being faithful to the Gospel in an ever-changing world? How flexible are both in adjusting to one another’s styles and stories in serving Jesus Christ together? How able are both to laugh at ourselves and not take ourselves and ‘the way we used to do things’ too seriously? In both marriage and ministry I have found relationships to be exciting, challenging, and promising. What is your leadership style? Over the years I have developed ‘Eight Steps of Effective Visionary Leadership’
These 8 steps seek and produce a people-centered ministry in which God is glorified, not by programs and policies, but by liberated hearts, transformed minds, ignited faith, and changed lives. |
