David and Rhonda Ackerman

Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6)

God has blessed us in many ways over the years as we have served him in cross-cultural ministry in Asia-Pacific. Our passion is to help people to grow deeper in the Lord.

David serves as the Academic Dean at Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary and helps with educational development on the Asia-Pacific Region. Rhonda serves as the Missionary Care and Missions Mobilization Coordinator for the Philippines/Micronesia Field. They reside on the APNTS campus in Manila, Philippines. Their daughter Shan lives with them and works in the APNTS library. Their son Joel lives in Boise, Idaho, and is self-employed in video and photography production.

David and Rhonda met at Northwest Nazarene College, from where they both graduated in 1989. They moved to Kansas City, where David attended Nazarene Theological Seminary, and Rhonda completed a Bachelor in Nursing degree. They spent time in Denver, Colorado, where David pastored and completed his doctoral degree.

They served as Global Missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene from 1999 to 2008. They spent over seven years at APNTS, where David was Professor of New Testament, and Rhonda was part-time campus nurse and involved in various ministries. They also served at Nazarene Theological College in Australia, where David was Lecturer in the Bible, and Rhonda assisted in campus ministries. From 2008 to 2016, they were in pastoral ministry in Wyoming and Idaho.

They returned to mission service in 2016, working out of the Philippine/Micronesia Field Office in theological education and missionary care. In 2019, they relocated to Guam to assist the ministry in Micronesia. In 2023, they returned to the Philippines to work with APNTS and the field office.

David keeps up a daily devotional blog, which he publishes in books called Living Water Commentaries. During his free time, he likes to work with wood. His most recent interest is in making musical instruments, including a mountain dulcimer, mandolin, and violin.

Rhonda is a registered nurse and ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. She enjoys spending time in one-on-one meaningful conversations and journeying alongside people in their walk with God. She has become a certified Strengths Advisor through the Church of the Nazarene and is using this in leadership development. She is learning how to play the ukulele.

Shan loves people and is the “bridge builder” of the family. She likes meeting people from different cultures and learning languages. She enjoys singing in worship teams in chapel and church.

Joel is highly skilled in his work and enjoys family, friends, traveling, and telling stories through his lens.

Their vision is to see the church strengthened and the gospel preached through trained and dedicated local leaders.