FRANKFORT, Ky. (BP) — Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has appointed a seminary vice president, Daniel S. Dumas, to oversee the revamping of the state’s adoption and foster care system.
Dumas, senior vice president for institutional administration at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, and his wife Jane have two adopted sons, Aidan and Elijah.
At the seminary, Dumas, 51, also is professor of Christian ministry and leadership and executive director of the Center for Christian Preaching.
Dumas, in a news release from Bevin’s office, said he is “resolved to make our adoption and foster care system faster, safer, more affordable and more accessible. Gov. Bevin and I are committed, along with many other Kentuckians, to not back down until every orphan in Kentucky has a loving home.”
In his role at Southern Seminary, Dumas has led strategic initiatives, building projects and renovations, and budget expansion. Bevin’s office noted that Dumas “has prior experience in strategic consulting, leadership coaching, and serving in the United States Navy.”
“There is no reason a child in Kentucky, who is ready to be adopted, should be without a family,” Bevin said. “We have to rethink the way we do foster care in this state, and Dan Dumas is just the visionary to help lead that charge. Dan is a servant leader, and his proven track record of excellence in innovation will help us cut through the red tape currently keeping 8,000 of Kentucky’s foster children from their forever families.”
Four of the Bevins’ nine children were adopted in 2012 from Ethiopia.
Improvement of the state’s adoption and foster care system has been a cornerstone of the Bevin administration since taking office in December 2015. During his State of the Commonwealth address early this year, Bevin announced his intent to appoint a leader with the objective to transform Kentucky into the gold standard for adoption and foster care systems.
Dumas is the author of four books: “A Guide to Adoption & Orphan Care,” “A Guide to Biblical Manhood,” “Fool’s Gold: Discerning Truth in an Age of Error” and “A Guide to Expository Ministry.”
He will join the governor’s staff June 19.
Paul Chitwood, executive director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, said he is “thrilled that Gov. Bevin has appointed a Kentucky Baptist to this strategic leadership role and even more excited that the appointee is Dan Dumas. I have known Dan since his arrival at Southern Seminary [in 2007] and have appreciated the orphan care modeled by his own family and through his church. We all know the safety net for Kentucky’s abused and neglected kids is horribly broken. Dan is uniquely qualified to lead the repair efforts.”
Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. said Dumas is “a great leader, and he has a tremendous heart for service and ministry. He will be greatly missed in this key leadership capacity at Southern Seminary.”
The Christian faith “puts a great priority upon taking care of the vulnerable — and children especially,” Mohler said. “Adoption is presented as a picture of our salvation in Christ. Dan Dumas understands this well, and he and Jane have lived this joyful commitment before us all, as have Matt and Glenna Bevin.”
Dumas is an elder at Crossing Church in Louisville. Prior to coming to Southern Seminary in 2007, Dumas served at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif., as an elder, executive pastor and executive director of conferences. He holds degrees from Criswell College in Dallas and The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles.
Mohler said Dumas will continue to contribute to Southern Seminary as special assistant to the president for several strategic projects.
