Dear NCD Family,

      As a new season of ministry approaches, I am thrilled to share with you a bit of a personal update that I’m hopeful will have encouraging ripple effects for our family of churches in the North Central District into the days ahead.

      In addition to my recent work in credentialing for the NCD since 2023, over the last 2 ½ years I’ve also served as a remote contract counselor for Fieldstone Counseling located in Northwest Ohio. I initially stepped into this role in order to provide a little extra income for our family, but soon came to realize that even more this was to be (in the Lord’s providence) a period of significant training. Biblical counseling has been a passion of mine for many years now, but what I’ve learned from Fieldstone both in terms of the theory and practice of soul care has brought a particular kind of growth and refining in my life and ministry that has created the conditions for something new. Over these years at Fieldstone (including my pastoral ministry at Mound EFC and volunteer work at Redemption House in Minnetrista), I’ve logged nearly one thousand hours in the counseling room. Moreover, a significant percentage of these sessions have been spent counseling pastors and missionaries as well as seminary and Bible college students.  During this time, my heart to care for other pastors and church leaders has grown significantly.  The Lord has indeed been kind as these lines have fallen for me in pleasant places (Psalm 16:6).  

      About 18 months into my time at Fieldstone, Brian Farone and I began to have conversations about the possibility of expanding my role on the district staff to include counseling for our pastors and church leaders. Since 2023, I have essentially juggled four ministry roles (MEFC, NCD, Fieldstone, and Redemption House). By God’s grace, I completed my work with Fieldstone on July 1 and have officially transitioned these hours for ministry to the NCD. As of this summer, my new role is as the Director for Credentialing & Pastoral Counseling for the North Central District. From my perspective, this is a transition that makes my heart sing in ways that I really couldn’t have ever imagined. To continue to offer biblical counseling to pastors and church leaders is a great thing, but to do so now entirely within our family of churches in the NCD is a remarkable gift for which I am thankful to God. 

      My aim in this expanded role is not only to provide pastoral counseling, but also to spread a passion for the care and cure of souls by equipping and encouraging others in this great work.  Just as the Lord has raised up a District Credentialing Network in the NCD over the years, I am eager to see him do something similar along the lines of a network of pastors and church leaders committed to a culture of care and counsel among us. Interested? I’d love to connect with you.        

Grace & Peace,

Dave Abernethy       

Director for Credentialing & Pastoral Counseling