David McKenzie
Dr. David McKenzie is the Youth Ministries Director for the Atlantic Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Blessed to serve God's diverse, multicultural youth/young adults across two continents, and 40 different SDA congregations, Dr. David McKenzie understands the need for situational, contextual, and spiritual leadership that cater to the needs of Pathfinders from diverse backgrounds. Accordingly, strategic, prayerful planning, multicultural & multigenerational-team ministry, empowering leaders, delegation of responsibilities, and open communication lie at the foundation of his church and youth ministry service.
Youth Ministry has always been a staple across his gospel ministry service; having come through the ranks as an SDA youth (from Adventurer to Master Guide to AY Leader to Youth Elder), Dr. McKenzie values discipleship, and mentorship ministries for youth. In the Guyana Conference, he served in colabboration with the Youth Department - starting new Master Guide, Pathfinder and Adventurer Club ministries in 'unentered' churches, and providing training seminars for youth/youth leaders across the conference. After serving in parish ministry in the NEC, 2016 to 2018 saw him busy in 'hit-the-ground-running' service as the Youth Director of the Northeastern Conference of SDA. Across that vast, geographically diverse, multicultural, multilingual, seven-state, 183+ church, 58,000+ membership conference, God positioned him to continue to mentor, mold, and disciple His Pathfinders for His service. In such a fast-paced, dynamic topography of youth leadership (from urban to suburban to rural contexts), he was ever in a position of learning, adapting to developing needs, and shifting gears to meet these needs. It was there, in the NEC, that Dr. McKenzie embraced great co-leaders in Coordinators, Club Directors, and Pathfinders themselves, while truly 'sitting at the feet' of today's iGen Pathfinders, learning about their needs and developing/adapting strategies to meeting their needs.
In his current role as the Atlantic Union Youth Ministries Director, he continues to support all Youth Directors across the Union's six Conferences, and collaborate with them in support of the local Pathfinder ministries, as well as all of the other youth-related ministries. He will always remain passionate about camping & camporees, marching in parades (preferably with a drum corps), encouraging Pathfinders' involvement in Compassion to the Communities projects, and modeling/encouraging personal prayer encounters with Jesus for each and every Pathfinder.
Today, the McKenzie family of four comprises two Pathfinders and two Master Guides - together, they embrace the 'once a Pathfinder, always a Pathfinder' motto. #PathfinderLongevity #Maranatha