Rev. Dr. Bernard Dawson
Biography of Rev. Dr. Bernard Dawson
Bernard Duane Dawson was born in 1936, the eldest of seven children. He grew up in a farming community, and in addition to all the normal farm life he developed a great love for automobiles and that love has remained with him for over seventy years. He worked on, bought and sold and repaired cars without number.
In Bernard’s eleventh year his parents became born again Christians. Life was suddenly different. Lester stopped going to taverns and the family started attending church Sunday morning, Sunday evening, revival meetings, prayer meetings and anything else related to church. Family altar was part of the daily routine and each night before bedtime was more prayer. The Dawsons were clearly a Christian family
In the spring of 1954 Bernard enlisted in the US Air Force. After technical training he was assigned to Strategic Air Command as a Personal Equipment specialist and inspector. His squadron was an air refueling unit with a dozen Boeing KC-97 air tankers. He served four years active duty and four years reserve.
Upon discharge he enrolled in Bethany Nazarene College in Oklahoma to pursue his calling as a minister. During his military days he had given his heart to the Lord and felt God calling him to missions and ministry. He earned his BA in Theology and later did Masters studies at Florida University, though without finally completing all requirements.
Bernard began his first pastorate in Oklahoma City, in 1961. In 1963 he served in Alaska as itinerant supply pastor for six months and then returned to Oklahoma. Altogether he pastored forty-five years in Oklahoma, Iowa, Oregon and London, England. At the conclusion of his pastoral ministry he continued as Missions Director with the Pillar of Fire church, and after retirement was given the title of Missions Director Emeritus.
While pastoring in London Bernard became Missions Director for the Pillar of Fire. He was administrator of the large London campus, and as pastor of an international congregation. In addition, he traveled extensively internationally. It was during this period that Bernard served on the Governing Council of WATS, for a period of eight years, traveling to WATS twice yearly. He made strong and successful efforts to recruit students to WATS from Liberia, Malawi and Nigeria, as well as untiringly supporting the seminary financially, both personally and through his London church. His international preaching ministry has not only involved Nigeria, but Malawi, Ghana, Liberia, Spain, Slovenia, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Scotland, Wales and of course England. He has preached in places as diverse as Hyde Park in London and underground churches in Russia.
Bernard met his first wife, Gale, during his time in the military. They married in 1957 and she earned a Registered Nurse degree which helped support the family financially through much of their forty-nine years of marriage. They were blessed with five children, fifteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren. During their eighteen-year assignment to London Gale was diagnosed with cancer, which she courageously fought against for five years. After nearly two years as a widower, God gave Bernard a second wife, Faith, a widow who had been an active member of the church he had pastored years before in Oregon. (As an interesting coincidence, Faith’s middle name is Norene and she was named in honor of Norene Zink, who is the mother of Emma Lou Maxey.) In July of 2008 Bernard and Faith were happily married.
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Praise God for these men of God who support WATS!
Other Honorees
- Brig. Gen. Samuel Laiye Teidi (rtd), Doctor of Humanities
- Dr. Chidozie Nwangwu, Doctor of Humanities
- Rev. Dr. Benedict C. Kofi Obiako, Doctor of Divinity
- Rev. Dr. Leroy Adams, Doctor of Divinity
- Rev. Dr. Donald R. Plemons, Doctor of Divinity
- Rev. Dr. Bernard Dawson, Doctor of Divinity
- Rev. Dr. Alan Bullock, Doctor of Divinity