The Gift of God

Dawson Stephens hasn’t always felt the passion for ministry that he does today. It took strong action from God to change the trajectory of the life of this senior theology major in the School of Religion at Southern Adventist University, and he uses his testimony to inspire others struggling with their faith.

Stephens grew up as a lukewarm, inactive Christian. Although his dad was a practicing Adventist, his parents’ divorce resulted in his spending more time with his mom, who was uninterested in religion. In high school, Stephens became involved in partying and drugs. One night, when he was 17, Stephens was talking with some friends at a party he was hosting when a “voice” spoke to him and said, “The wages of sin is death.”

Describing the message as a “stab in the heart because I knew I’d been sinning,” Stephens was powerfully affected by the experience. After the party, he searched the Bible and found the full promise: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23, NKJV).

“That broke me, right there. I just started crying,” Stephens said, explaining that he felt touched by God’s gift of eternal life. After a long discussion with his mom, he attempted to pray for the first time in years.

“It came from my heart,” he said. “From that day on, I was converted.”

A Changed Life

Stephens’ negative habits shifted to searching Scripture.

“I was really hungry for the knowledge and wisdom I found in God’s Word,” he explained. Through his research, he realized that “there’s no other remnant message like the Adventist faith; nothing that follows the commandments so closely.” 

Stephens attended a presentation by the Soul-winning and Leadership Training (SALT) program, a joint effort between It is Written evangelism ministry and Southern. As a result, he decided to enroll at the university and join SALT. Since he was a recent convert, he hoped to gain a solid foundation for his spiritual walk.

“That program was amazing,” he said. “It set the tone for the rest of my time at Southern.”

Called to Ministry 

Stephens began studying nursing but eventually felt called to theology. His adviser, Alan Parker, professor in the School of Religion and Director of Pierson Institute of Evangelism, said, “I remember long conversations with Dawson, where he grappled with his calling and how he could be faithful to God.” 

“One of the first things that I noticed about Dawson was his sincerity and passion. He has such natural gifts for sharing his faith and caring for people,” Parker added.

Stephens’ involvement in different spheres of ministry spans working with unhoused people and prison inmates to involvement with the SALT program as well as Generation of Youth for Christ Southeast and the Adventist Muslim Friendship Association. He has also participated in Southern’s Evangelistic Resource Center mission trips.

“I like the big perspective, and doing all these different ministries has helped me to understand how different gears work within the church’s systems for serving. Ministry always helps me see that each person has a life experience and a story,” explained Stephens.

 A Solid Foundation for the Future

 Stephens, along with his wife, Summer (Dekle) Stephens, has been tapped to serve as an associate pastor at the Greeneville, Tennessee, Seventh-day Adventist Church following his graduation this month from Southern.

“Southern has been a huge blessing. I would say that it has been one of the biggest factors in my personal development, my life direction, and the friendships I have cultivated,” Stephens says. “I’m not sure where I would be if I hadn’t come to Southern. It’s been like home.”

Founded in 1892, Southern Adventist University provides a quality, Christian education to more than 3,200 students currently earning degrees ranging from associate to doctoral. Grounded in Jesus Christ and dedicated to the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the university equips students to embrace biblical truth, embody academic and professional excellence, and pursue Spirit-filled lives of service.