VALLEY FORGE, PA (9/20/22)—The American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas Executive Committee, which served as the Region Executive Search Committee, unanimously voted in August to call the Rev. Dr. Daniel Cash as the region’s new Executive Minister. Cash will begin to serve in this new role on October 17.

Rev. Soozi Whitten Ford, American Baptist Churches USA interim associate general secretary for Regional Ministries, said “Dr. Dan Cash brings to the American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas a pastor’s heart; a deep understanding of the tremendous challenges facing churches and pastors; and significant ministry experience as both a local church pastor and as a previous regional staff member. He is a wise and innovative leader and will bring unique perspectives as he guides this next season of the Dakotas’ regional ministry.”

The Rev. Dr. Daniel Cash is an American Baptist ordained (1990) clergy person with over 30 years of ministry experience. He has served three pastorates: the First Baptist Church of Warren, Indiana (1989-1996 – a rural/town & country congregation), the First Baptist Church of Snohomish, Washington (1996-1999 – a suburban congregation), and is currently the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Columbus, Indiana (2007-2022 – a small city, county seat, multi-staff congregation).

In addition, Dr. Cash served from 1999-2007 as an Area Resource Minister with the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky. As Area Resource Minister, Cash worked with 75 congregations and their pastoral staff in such areas as the pastoral search process, ministry consultation, conflict mediation, and pastoral care to and with pastors and their families.  Dan also carried the ABCINKY region’s portfolio on church transformation and helped design a region ministry called “Church Alive” that engaged congregations in a three-year process of revitalization.

Dr. Cash has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Purdue University as well as a master’s of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry and a doctor of Ministry in Leadership from Northern Seminary. He is co-author of two Judson Press books: Eight Questions Jesus Asked: Discipleship for Leaders (2017) and The Changing Church: Finding Your Way to God’s New Thing (2019).

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.