David K. Bernard

David K. Bernard (b. 1956), is the founder and pastor of New Life United Pentecostal Church of Austin, Texas, out of which have come twelve additional works. He is also superintendent of the South Texas District United Pentecostal Church and president of Urshan Graduate School of Theology. A former college profossor and a member of the State Bar of Texas, he earned a doctorate of jurisprudence with honors from the University of Texas, a master of theology from the University of South Africa, and a bachelor of arts magna cum laude in mathematical sciences and managerial studies from Rice University. The author of 28 books with circulation of about 700,000, he has been published in 35 languages and has ministered in 41 countries on six continents. He and his wife, Connie, have three children: Jonathan, Daniel, and Lindsey.

Early Years

David Bernard was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on November 20, 1956, to Elton and Loretta Bernard. The family soon moved to nearby Port Allen, La., where his parents helped start a church. His sister Karen was born in 1959. A few years later, the family moved to Hammond, La., where his parents began their preaching ministry and founded a church. After his parents were appointed as missionaries to Korea, he traveled with them across North America as they raised funds. Just before starting their travel, the family barely survived a head-on collision that caused severe injuries and required months of recuperation.

Korea

In 1965, at age eight, he moved with his family to Seoul, Korea, where his parents served as the pioneer missionaries of the United Pentecostal Church for 20 years. On the way to Korea, their ship caught on fire and almost exploded. In 1970, the family returned to the U.S. for one year. The children lived with the Mitchells, relatives in Baton Rouge, to attend school, while the parents traveled to raise funds. In 1971, the family returned to Korea. His sister Julie was born in 1972. In his last two years of high school, he taught English at the UPC Bible college and at Hanmi Foreign Language Institute. He graduated from Seoul Foreign School in 1974 as valedictorian (GPA of 4.0), Student Council president, and recipient of the Seoul Foreign School Award.

College Years

In 1974, at age 17, he moved to Houston, Texas, to attend Rice University as a National Merit Scholar. He attended Irvington Pentecostal Church for four years, serving as youth president, teen Sunday school teacher, college and career Sunday school teacher, and Bible study teacher. He worked as an accounting clerk at Permian Oil Corporation and as instructor in accounting at the University of Houston. He graduated in 1978 with the Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude in mathematical sciences and managerial studies and with the Phi Beta Kappa and Financial Executives Institute awards. After graduation, he moved to Austin, Texas, to enroll in the University of Texas School of Law. There, he attended the UPC of Austin for three years, serving as youth minister, youth Sunday school teacher, missions secretary, outreach director, home Bible study teacher, and trustee. He worked as salesman, bookkeeper, law clerk, and instructor in bookkeeping at Austin Community College. During final exams in 1980, he preached his first revival in Marble Falls for Pastor Hazel Frusha. He worked in Beaumont that summer for a law firm but preached or taught in churches 21 times in 11 weeks, and at the end of the summer he recognized his call to preach. In March of 1981, he received ministerial license with the UPCI. In May he graduated from the University of Texas with The Doctor of Jurisprudence with honors as well as the awards of Texas Law Review, Order of the Coif, and UT Chancellors (top one percent of class). On June 6, he married the beautiful and devoted to God, Connie Sharpe of Austin. They moved to Jackson, Mississippi, in June to begin full-time ministry. He passed the Texas State Bar examination in August.

Jackson, Mississippi

Beginning in 1981, he served for five years as instructor (teaching 11 to 16 credit hours per semester), dean of missions, dean of students (one year), and assistant vice president (four years) at Jackson College of Ministries in Jackson, Mississippi. He studied Greek at Wesley Biblical Seminary for one year. His wife enrolled in the JCM School of Music and graduated in 1984. Also in 1981, at age 24, he published his first book, In Search of Holiness, written with his mother. It was the first full book on the subject by a Oneness author. In 1983, he published his first book as sole author, The Oneness of God, which is Word Aflame Press's all-time bestseller. In 1984, he presented a paper on Oneness Pentecostalism at a Harvard University symposium. His first child, Jonathan, was born on November 14, 1985. In 1986, at age 29, he taught his first camp meeting and also took his first overseas missions trips (other than Korea) to El Salvador, the Netherlands, and Yugoslavia.

St. Louis, Missouri

Beginning in 1986, he served for six years as full-time associate editor in the Editorial Division of the UPCI, residing in St. Louis, Missouri. During this time, he also preached and taught extensively across the United States and overseas. In 1987, he began serving on the Parliamentary Committee of the UPCI. In 1989, he presented the first paper on Oneness Pentecostalism by a Oneness author to the Society for Pentecostal Studies. While the Bernards lived in St Louis, his wife became choir director at Florissant Valley Apostolic Church and for a time taught music theory at Gateway College of Evangelism. Their second son, Daniel, was born on September 24, 1988.

Austin, Texas

The Bernards moved to Austin, Texas, in 1992 to found New Life Church. Lindsey, their daughter, was born about two months later on June 16. David Bernard continued to work part-time as associate editor for nine years, resigning in 2000. Soon after his decision to resign, he was appointed as the founding president of Urshan Graduate School of Theology, in St. Louis. Over the years, he has served in various other capacities for the UPCI, including the Ministers Appeal Council (six years), Texas District Sunday School Committee (one year), and member of the Texas District Board (8 years as presbyter). At the same time, his wife was elected as ladies leader for the section. During his seven-year tenure as presbyter, the section grew from 30 to 53 churches and daughter works. In November 2002 he was elected as the superintendent of the newly formed South Texas District UPC, which has grown from 164 churches and daughter works to about 210 in its first three years.

To date, David Bernard has authored 27 books and booklets and three tracts on the Bible, theology, church history, and Christian living. Total books printed are about 650,000 in 34 languages. He is a contributing author to 21 other books and many periodicals. He has edited 194 books and 57 tracts, including most of those currently in print at Word Aflame Press. Over the years, he has traveled in 67 countries, preaching and teaching in 41 countries on six continents. He has traveled to all 50 states in the U.S., preaching and teaching in 46. In 2005 he earned the Master of Theology in New Testament at the University of South Africa.

Books

Pentecostal Theology Series

The Oneness of God, Word Aflame Pr; Reprint edition (October 1986), ISBN 0912315121
New Birth, Pentecostal Pub House (June 1984), ISBN 0912315776
In Search of Holiness
Practical Holiness: A Second Look

Other Books

A Handbook of BAsic Doctrines
A History of Christian Doctrine: A.D. 100 - 1500
A History of Christian Doctrine: A.D. 1500 - 1900
A History of Christian Doctrine: A.D. 1900 - 2000
God's Infalliable Word
Growing A Church
In The Name of Jesus
Oneness and Trinity, A.D. 100 - 300
The Oneness View of Jesus Christ
Spiritual Gifts
The Trinitarian Controversy in the Fourth Century

External links

New Life United Pentecostal Church of Austin, Texas http://www.newlifeupc.org/

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