Douglas Kaufman ’89

Goshen, Indiana
MAJOR: history
Pastor, Benton Mennonite Church; director of pastoral ecology, Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions

How did your experience at Goshen College inform your vocational calling and/or approach to ministry?

My history classes brought a richness of understanding the depths and heights of the human condition. Theology and peace classes, along with time in a Nicaraguan refugee camp on Study-Service Term in Costa Rica, tuned my heart to social justice.

What gives you the most satisfaction in your work?

Bringing our spiritual and Biblical traditions into a living relationship with our lives, where we see some of the frailty and strength of humans relating to Spirit, one another and the earth.

What advice would you have for GC students interested in ministry?

Take in a variety of experiences and especially challenge yourself to find leadership opportunities, which may have little to do with what classes you take or what your major is. Pay attention to good leadership and find leadership mentors.