Dan Dake Bio
Dan grew up in a Christian home in Oshkosh and Waupaca, Wisconsin. From an early age he experienced what could be called “old-fashioned Pentecost”, where the preaching was direct and fiery, the altars were filled with seekers at the end of every meeting, and where consecration to the Lord’s service was a constant appeal. At 15 years old, Dan knew God had called him into the ministry, but he was a fun-loving teen (and was often in trouble for it!), and he drifted from that call. During the Viet Nam war, he was drafted and served his country as an infantry soldier in the U. S. Army from 1968-1970. God preserved him through that terrible war, but he continued to drift from the Lord and paid for it with much unhappiness.
Finally, in the Mercy of God, he joined the congregation worshiping at Glad Tidings Tabernacle, a small church in Oshkosh that had connections with the Zion Faith Homes, and got right with God. He and the Pastor, Rev. Collin Hughes and his wife Barbara, became good friends and Dan became a Board Member. There he met the young lady, Chris, who would become his wife and mother of two wonderful children, Tommy and Tiffany, in addition to four other children from previous marriages.
Dan obtained employment at a paper mill in Neenah where his father worked, and for nearly 40 years he served as a Quality Control Inspector for P.H. Glatfelter. Dan knows what “a long commute” means, driving many miles each workday, and more than 40 miles on Sundays and Wednesdays to attend service at Glad Tidings Tabernacle. Eventually he and Chris started a Bible Study in their home on Friday nights, where they studied What the Bible Teaches about Mercy, as well as other topics.
When Pastor Doug Detert moved to Wautoma in 1996, Dan invited him to teach the Friday Night Class. They had met several years before that, when Dan would visit the Faith Homes, or when Doug would preach at the church in Oshkosh. As time passed, the group transitioned into a home church, as several in the class felt it was time to change their place of worship of Sundays. Dan and Chris faithfully attended this home church, which met first in Oshkosh, then in Pickett, Poy Sippi, Redgranite, and finally in Almond, Wisconsin.
From the outset of the purchase of Evergreen Center’s 105-acre site in Almond, Dan and Chris have been involved in helping the work in countless ways and for countless hours. In 2006, while Dan and Doug were enjoying breakfast together in Wautoma, a call came from Dan’s employer with news that the paper plant was closing. Sensing the hand of the Lord in this seeming unhappy news (and without much tact!), Doug let out a, “Praise the Lord!” Looking back, we can both see that God would use the next 10 years to prepare Dan to assume the leadership of Evergreen Center.
4 years ago the Board ordained Dan, recognizing his calling, and fulfilling the word of the Lord given to him so many years ago, that he should serve as a pastor someday. Since then, Dan has been appointed Chairman of the Board, as well as President of Evergreen Center, and his ministry at the Center is practically full-time now. Meanwhile, his wife Chris, who knew in 2005 that God wanted Evergreen to purchase the property we now own, fasted and prayed until it finally happened in 2006. She stands with Dan as one with him in his new role.
Finally, in the Mercy of God, he joined the congregation worshiping at Glad Tidings Tabernacle, a small church in Oshkosh that had connections with the Zion Faith Homes, and got right with God. He and the Pastor, Rev. Collin Hughes and his wife Barbara, became good friends and Dan became a Board Member. There he met the young lady, Chris, who would become his wife and mother of two wonderful children, Tommy and Tiffany, in addition to four other children from previous marriages.
Dan obtained employment at a paper mill in Neenah where his father worked, and for nearly 40 years he served as a Quality Control Inspector for P.H. Glatfelter. Dan knows what “a long commute” means, driving many miles each workday, and more than 40 miles on Sundays and Wednesdays to attend service at Glad Tidings Tabernacle. Eventually he and Chris started a Bible Study in their home on Friday nights, where they studied What the Bible Teaches about Mercy, as well as other topics.
When Pastor Doug Detert moved to Wautoma in 1996, Dan invited him to teach the Friday Night Class. They had met several years before that, when Dan would visit the Faith Homes, or when Doug would preach at the church in Oshkosh. As time passed, the group transitioned into a home church, as several in the class felt it was time to change their place of worship of Sundays. Dan and Chris faithfully attended this home church, which met first in Oshkosh, then in Pickett, Poy Sippi, Redgranite, and finally in Almond, Wisconsin.
From the outset of the purchase of Evergreen Center’s 105-acre site in Almond, Dan and Chris have been involved in helping the work in countless ways and for countless hours. In 2006, while Dan and Doug were enjoying breakfast together in Wautoma, a call came from Dan’s employer with news that the paper plant was closing. Sensing the hand of the Lord in this seeming unhappy news (and without much tact!), Doug let out a, “Praise the Lord!” Looking back, we can both see that God would use the next 10 years to prepare Dan to assume the leadership of Evergreen Center.
4 years ago the Board ordained Dan, recognizing his calling, and fulfilling the word of the Lord given to him so many years ago, that he should serve as a pastor someday. Since then, Dan has been appointed Chairman of the Board, as well as President of Evergreen Center, and his ministry at the Center is practically full-time now. Meanwhile, his wife Chris, who knew in 2005 that God wanted Evergreen to purchase the property we now own, fasted and prayed until it finally happened in 2006. She stands with Dan as one with him in his new role.
Kurt Koeshall Bio
Pastor Kurt was first introduced to Reverend Doug Detert in 1989, when Doug was a Minister at the Zion Illinois Faith Homes and Kurt was a Youth Pastor at Lodi Assembly of God, Lodi, WI.
In 1995, Kurt was a Trainee in the Faith Homes for one year; from there an invitation was accepted to join the staff of Pure Life Ministries where he stayed for two years.
Desiring to continue in the Faith Home Training, Kurt asked Doug if he would consider continuing that training in Wautoma, WI, where Doug lived and pastored Evergreen Center Church. The request was accepted and Kurt continued his Discipleship Training while living next to the Deterts, from 1999 – 2001; in retrospect, the Discipleship Program was born.
After pastoring in Ashland, WI and Mesa, AZ, Kurt took some time away from pastoring and eventually moved back to the Milwaukee, WI area. During this time the Lord saw fit to have Kurt and Doug cross paths at a Pure Life Ministries conference in New Berlin, WI.
Since then, Kurt has steadily become more and more involved again with EC; through teaching, overseeing the Fall Retreats, and is currently the main speaking Pastor on Sunday Mornings as well as the Chairman of the EC Board.
In 1995, Kurt was a Trainee in the Faith Homes for one year; from there an invitation was accepted to join the staff of Pure Life Ministries where he stayed for two years.
Desiring to continue in the Faith Home Training, Kurt asked Doug if he would consider continuing that training in Wautoma, WI, where Doug lived and pastored Evergreen Center Church. The request was accepted and Kurt continued his Discipleship Training while living next to the Deterts, from 1999 – 2001; in retrospect, the Discipleship Program was born.
After pastoring in Ashland, WI and Mesa, AZ, Kurt took some time away from pastoring and eventually moved back to the Milwaukee, WI area. During this time the Lord saw fit to have Kurt and Doug cross paths at a Pure Life Ministries conference in New Berlin, WI.
Since then, Kurt has steadily become more and more involved again with EC; through teaching, overseeing the Fall Retreats, and is currently the main speaking Pastor on Sunday Mornings as well as the Chairman of the EC Board.