Danny Mitchell will become the new Coordinator of Family and Youth Ministries for Christian Education and Publications in June 2007.He will succeed Dean Conkel, who returned to local church ministry in June 2006. Danny graduated from Covenant College in 1992 with a BS in Biblical Studies and will graduate from Covenant Theological Seminary in May with a Master of Divinity.  

Danny has had good experience in youth ministry prior to and during his enrollment at Covenant Theological Seminary. He has worked at both New City Chattanooga and New City St. Louis. Danny has also served as the camp director at Camp Westminster in Conyers, Ga., youth director at Carriage Lane Pres. In Peachtree City, Ga., and as a youth intern at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian. Danny and his wife Mary Pat are already familiar with the CE&P family. Danny worked as a member of the PYA, now YXL, task force and Mary Pat is a former CE&P staff member. 

Danny and Mary Pat met at Covenant College and have been married 15 years. They have two children, Claire and Benjamin.  

Coming from a military family, Danny lived in many different places during his early year s. He moved to the Chattanooga area as a high school freshman and became a believer at age 18. He says that he was greatly impacted by both the youth director and a male volunteer in the process of the Lord drawing him to himself. 

Danny’s 17 years of experience in youth ministry will serve him well in his new position with CE&P. Danny says that even in college he had a specific sense of calling to work with teenagers within the local church. 

When Conkel left the position last year, Charles Dunahoo, CE&P Coordinator, began a search that took him through many résumés and phone calls. However, Dunahoo said, “Nothing clicked, until the Lord place Danny Mitchell on my mind and heart.” Meanwhile, Mitchell was looking elsewhere for ministry following his graduation. Dunahoo said, “God kept drawing me to Mitchell as the right person and we are pleased that God has answered our prayers. We believe that Danny will be a valuable addition to our staff in many areas. He is already working with us as director of YXL, our summer youth leadership training conference sponsored jointly with Covenant College, taking place July 9-14.” See our website for the details as well as the article on the conference in this issue. 

Mitchell said that he is looking forward to serving on the CE&P team, plus connecting with youth pastors, volunteers, and students across the denomination. “It is my hope to serve as both an encourager and equipper to folks involved in youth ministry,” said Mitchell. “I am also excited about having the opportunity to see teenagers around the country wrestle with and come to grips with their own relationship with Jesus.”