David Mappes, PH.D.

Dr. David Mappes – My Story

Hello and thank you for visiting my web page.

I am a husband, father, grandfather, Ph.D. graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, Biblical-studies professor, pastor, and former aerospace engineering analyst but beyond all these, I am a deeply committed follower of Jesus Christ.

I was raised in a good home with three brothers, a wonderful mother who loved us unconditionally, and a dad who taught us to enjoy hard work and become principled young men. As I grew up I loved electronics, mechanics and became an avid hobbyist. Eventually, I would have the incredible opportunity to work six years in one of the most technical engineering labs in an aerospace company located in Phoenix, Arizona.

I grew up going to church and was taught to believe in Jesus, the Creeds of Christianity, and in the Church. Unfortunately, I believed in a Jesus of culture and not the Jesus of the Bible. My Christian worldview morphed into a kind of syncretistic credo-cultural view of God that minimized my own sin and my desperate need for the saving work of Jesus. In my adolescent years, I drifted into sinful activities and had no interest in the Bible. I found great pleasure in poking fun and even tormenting Biblical Christ-followers. And then I became one.

I committed my life to know and follow the Jesus of the Bible on Christmas Eve in 1979. My life was changed forever. I never realized how much my Creator God yearned for me to walk with Him and respond to His mercy. Nor did I realize the grand work that Jesus accomplished on the cross so I could be rightly related to God, nor how the Holy Spirit would be recreating and transforming me into Christ’s image.

As I grew in my Christian faith through discipleship and trusting God, I met my beloved wife Karin. As we continued to grow in the love of Christ and develop various church ministries, we left Phoenix to attend Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and then entered into vocational pastoral ministry. A few years later I had the opportunity to go through a Ph.D. program at Dallas Theological Seminary. I have continued serving Christ through Pastoral and teaching ministries.

I identify myself first and foremost as a pastor-scholar and believe I have ministry-gifts of teaching and encouragement. I find great pleasure in using these ministry gifts in equipping those who are preparing for frontline pastoral and teaching ministries and assisting churches, parishioners, and pastors for purposeful ministry. I try to promote a threefold approach to spiritual growth that entails developing Biblical content, character transformation, and some type of life skill/ ministry competency. Both my wife and I love serving Christ in our local church.

As an academic, I am first a generalist in Biblical studies. Over the years I have focused my energies in writing on contemporary theological issues and trends, ecclesiology, and eschatology along with hermeneutics and theological method.

I continue to enjoy mechanics, home building projects, and radio electronics as an amateur radio operator. I still hunger to know my God through Jesus Christ by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit as taught in Scripture.

I hope this Web page will encourage and assist you in knowing and growing closer to Jesus Christ.

David Mappes