Dan sat in his car in the Edward Jones parking lot, requesting God’s direction about a work-related assignment. The answer Dan received was more than he had bargained for.
God responded with a call to return to missions work. In 2012, Dan and his wife Jeanne had left full-time ministry for the secular workforce.
He now sat in the driver’s seat, paralyzed by the Lord’s beckoning to drop everything again and follow him. Dan spent the next week praying and fasting in a nearby park during lunchtime, attempting to shrug off the uncertainty that clung to him. He said he wanted more clarity before approaching his wife about the subject.
A former Catholic, Jeanne used to be puzzled by the Christian’s passion to trudge through crocodile-infested waters for the sake of the gospel. Why go to such lengths to share the good news? However, after committing her life to the Lord at a Word of Life camp when she was 15 years old, her attitude toward missions turned upside down.
On the other hand, Dan was raised in a churchgoing family. Even during his teenage years, his eyes had been set on ministry—although, international ministry may not have been on his radar.
Dan and Jeanne met at Northland Baptist Bible College. Upon graduating, Dan floated around to various positions for 20 years, serving as a principal in Pennsylvania and a pastor in Iowa.
With seven children, they felt it was necessary to have some income for future investments like higher education. Dan became a stockbroker for TD Ameritrade, eventually transitioning to a financial advisory position at Edward Jones.
In 2018, after six years in the workforce, Dan and Jeanne both agreed to turn their eyes back to the mission field. They’ve undergone prefield gymnastics over the past six months, bouncing between mission boards, until finally landing on ABWE. Lord willing, they and their two daughters will leave for the Republic of Ireland in 2020, focusing on church planting and discipleship.
Editor’s Note: Learn more about the Hermans’ ministry here.
