Conversations with Dave Bennett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dave Bennett.

Hi Dave, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Yesterday, I spent the day helping a unhoused friend, who struggles with SMI. He had just been blessed with a studio apartment sponsored by a Native American Nonprofit. My life began as an Air Force ‘brat’ with a dad who flew B-52’s growing up on Air Force Bases with a very out going mom. I came to faith both through my parent’s simple witness but more so through a group of Jesus Freaks who were both very outspoken about their faith and very committed to being life long learners. This happened my last semester in High School through a few friends that I had played in a rock band and worked at an ice cream parlor.

My initial faith journey that formed me was getting involved with Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship where I led an evangelistic dorm Bible Study at Cal-Poy San Louis Obispo. I met my wife at an IVCF Bible Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains where this Missionary Kid, Anne Pulliam, was on her way to Ethiopia post High School. She grew up in Pakistan with missionary parents. Our journey as 20 and 19 meant that we went to college together, seminary together, had numerous miscarriages, and a premature daughter born 3 months early who spent a year in a NICU. We also adopted a brother and sister when our Heather was 11. This also shaped us as we have walked with our 2 for over 30 years who struggle with the trauma of having a birth mom that was a heroin addict and then being in the foster care system.

I was fortunate to work at a historic downtown Church in San Diego. Where I was the Youth Pastor of a large group of teens with 1/4 of the group being Hispanic. I was also given the opportunity to be part of a very strategic group that birthed a homeless ministry, Ladle Fellowship, in 1983. These experiences gave my Anne and I a passion for community/mercy ministry that shaped us. We have been part of doing 3 church plants in the SF area and then another church plant in Chandler, AZ.

My journey with doing nonprofit work began with being on the board of East Valley Habitat for Humanity in the middle 90’s to 2003. I became board president as the friend that birthed it didn’t have time to lead a new and growing affiliate. This gave me the opportunity to walk with an under resourced community that opened my eyes to see the sad disparity between the haves and have nots, the ongoing issues with racism and discrimination. I did this while birthing a church in one of the fastest growing cities, Chandler, AZ.

I was also involved with another nonprofit, ICAN, Improving Chandler Area Neighborhood. This also gave me ‘hands on’ experience with overseeing a new nonprofit that has a heart for the neighborhood that was viewed as being in the hood or barrio.

As I was doing my church plant I encountered a leadership crisis as my elders didn’t want to be a church that would be open to the hispanic community, be less formal and open to a multiple worship service model to reach the larger area. This meant that I left I church I had poured myself into and then make the opportunity to birth Barrio Nuevo Pheonix in early 2000’s.

I was so blessed to have. relationships with ASU and GCU, local universities, to have College Interns to help me birth a faith based nonprofit that has a heart for At Risk Community in S. Phoenix. Because of my Habitat involvement we were able to use The Stardust House at S Ranch 11. (This was 2 houses set aside for Head Start Child Care and a Community Center.) We started from scratch, handing out flyers to the 200 homes in the community. Our start saw initially 5 come and grew to 30 over a year.. I was so blessed to have over a few years 20 different partners, churches, schools and businesses, that helped, tutor, mentor, provide resources and walk with a large group of kids and teens that are now in their late 20’s.

I was also blessed to begin a house painting program with my partners that has seen 275 houses painted over 16 years. One of my initial friends was a painting contractor that supplied free paint and another mom and pop paint supply business has also made this doable. This meant that we have been in the lives of so many seniors that have little and been blessed by groups coming to paint the exterior of their old houses that are in disrepair.

Covid happened and ASU stopped their service learning program, my interns were then stopped being provided, so I decided to transition from doing primarily youth to instead focus on mentoring church planters. It was through this next phase in my life that I connected with Jackie Parks, S. Scottsdale Pres and Community House.

I have had an amazing time at Community House interacting with my unhoused friends over the last 2.5 years, initially being the candyman who handed out candy on a weekly basis and then did a Bible Study. (We typically would have 5-10 involved.) Next, I transitioned that group to become a workforce group that has grown to having 40 involved. I have partnered with a few friends to begin the journey of seeing our friends get part time jobs, 5-10 hours a week to getting full time jobs. We have a weekly support group where we talk about real life issues, a pathway to doing better and how to stay positive. After my initial college degree I learned how to do concrete work and continue even into my 70’s. So a few of my friends are learning how to do concrete work, get real messy and dirty. We will do a large concrete pad for a neighbor for his car repair hobby this coming week..

So as I began this ‘epistle’ I’m fortunate to have the time and resources to be with a Greg or today drive to a Senior Community a hour from my house to comfort a widow who just lost her husband who was 93. Thanks for this opportunity to share my life story.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the challenges but also opportunities in doing At Risk Work is the fact that I’m an older ‘White Man’ that lives and works both in African American and Hispanic Communities. I have had a few ask me WHY am I working with families that aren’t of my own race? My response has always been why not join me in seeing our communities become healthier! Yes, I have gotten into heated discussions with a few over this topic.

I also am an ordained pastor in a Presbyterian Denomination that struggles to understand my calling to serve in an under resourced community, walk with those that are wild, disrespectful and dangerous over the years. I can be labeled liberal, woke or …..

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have had the opportunity and privilege to be an entrepreneur through God’s design where I have learned how to start churches from ground zero and also nonprofits. I see each day as an opportunity to make new friends and see how God can impact the lives of anyone.

I love being a self-starter that isn’t fearful of other’s reactions as I make friends at my starbucks I go to each day at 4am . I have had many baristas be part of my work over the years. It has been an incredible journey to both help select and coach church planters to do churches in AZ, New Mexico and El Paseo over the years. (I was part of birthing a Church Planting Network where I helped/oversaw 9 plants) I’m presently walking with 2 church plants that are both in under resourced neighborhoods that are 4 years old.

I’m also a passionate about my hobbies, I have had koi ponds for over 25 years, growing giant sunflowers and our rescue dog family over the years.

My biggest joy is walking/working with My Anne who is my partner/bestie. She has been a pastor’s wife for 40 years and now a chaplain over the last 13 years working initially at a trauma hospital, then a prison for 6 years and now a small local hospital in our neighborhood.

What’s next?
I’m at retirement age, 71, but choose to stay involved and keep on going. I don’t see myself slowing down or changing anything presently. I will continue to walk with Community House as Pastor Dave, coach a few church planter friends and hanging out with my 4 young grandsons.

My wife and I will enjoy using a camper van I just acquired as we do local trips in AZ and also to San Diego.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.barrionuevophoenix.com / communityhouseaz.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bennett-6096785/

Image Credits
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