Dave & Cathie Datema

The Datemas, as a family, have felt called to be part of a small number of people dedicated to seeing the love of God express itself in new places where it remains unknown. Dave is the Director of Missiology at Frontier Ventures.

Cathie and I (Dave) have served with Frontier Ventures since 1999. Cathie has been at home, doing the impossible yet indispensable job of raising our four children (Cuyler, Callie, Jill, Julie). For eight years, Dave served as Program Director for INSIGHT (Intensive Study of Integrated Global History and Theology), a one-year college-level program designed to instill in young people a strong intellectual base for understanding culture, history and mission. Dave spent another eight years as General Director of Frontier Ventures, following the death of our founder Ralph Winter. From June 2017 - June 2018, Dave took a study sabbatical and completed his first year of a PhD program at nearby Fuller Seminary. Dave is now continuing his studies while serving as the Director of Missiology.

Cuyler is our oldest and though severely disabled, brings joy and peace to our home. He is in many ways the center of our family life. Callie has served cross-culturally with an organization called ACTS and is going through a year of support-raising and training before returning to S.Asia, where she will be engaged primarily in language and culture learning. Jill is homeschooled and interested in finishing high school as soon as possible. She loves the outdoors and is always game for any kind of adventure. Julie is in middle school, loves horses and enjoys hanging out with her friends.

All of us are here in Pasadena because of a simple logic that asks, "Why should anybody hear the gospel twice until everybody has had a chance to hear it once?" We have felt called to be part of a small number of people dedicated to seeing the love of God express itself in new places where it remains unknown.