Greg Bullion
Greg Bullion grew up as a happy child in Fresno, California. Despite being raised in an Adventist family he did not have a deep relationship with God. He met his future wife, Jen, at Pacific Union College and received a bachelor’s degree in history, with a biology minor. He began a bachelor of nursing program in Pennsylvania the summer after he and his wife married. BSN in hand, they returned to California and Greg pursued cardiac and emergency room nursing.
A turning point in their spiritual life came in 2009 with the miscarriage of their first child. One Sabbath their pastor encouraged members to join a small group to strengthen their faith and relationship with God.
Jen asked Greg to start a small group in their home. Greg responded, “Pray about it.” She did and the next day an Adventist colleague invited them to join a small group where they learned to encourage others and share their faith. The couple immersed themselves in Bible study and service, and they experienced new joy.
In 2011, God led them into mission service in China. After Jen attended a health evangelism program, they were invited to Topeka, Kansas, to begin medical missionary work. In 2015, the Kansas-Nebraska Conference invited Greg to pastoral ministry as an associate pastor at the Omaha Memorial Church. Later Greg’s pastoral responsibilities expanded to the Fremont Church. By then Greg and Jen welcomed two daughters, Pearl and Talitha.
The family moved to Kearney, Nebraska, in 2019 to serve the Beaver City, Broken Bow, Holdrege, and Kearney churches. That same year Greg completed his master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Andrews University.
A lyric in one of Greg’s favorite songs says, “I just can’t give up now, I’ve come too far from where I started. Nobody told me the road would be easy, and I don’t believe He’s brought me this far to leave me.”
Greg and Jen admit life has had challenges that refined their character, but point out they have also experienced great joy seeing God at work countless times. For them, these experiences reveal God’s unfailing love, mercy and faithfulness.
Pastor Bullion was ordained on Aug. 1, 2020 at the Kearney Church in Kearney, Nebraska.
Deneil Clarke
Deneil Clarke was born on the island of Jamaica, where he spent the first 21 years of his life. He and his sister were born into an Adventist home, their father serving as a pastor in different church districts and their mother serving in various educational roles such as teacher and school principal.
At a young age, Deneil began demonstrating a unique love for music and would spend hours sitting at the little family keyboard trying to replicate any music he could remember hearing. As a result of his passion, his parents sent him to piano lessons and sought out involvement for him in music at school and church, avenues through which his musicianship was further developed.
He was blessed with opportunities to accompany his family and others on outreach efforts in his local community, visiting people in their homes with the keyboard on his lap and helping lead out in gathered singing. The expression of faith through song had a significant impact on his early Christian experience and the growth of his heart for ministry.
Deneil completed a bachelor of arts degree in mass communication with a minor in music at Northern Caribbean University, and then spent a year teaching and working as a radio and TV broadcaster at NCU before moving to New York to pursue graduate studies in broadcast journalism.
While in New York, Deneil continued to be engaged in ministry through music as a choir conductor and music director at church. This environment of service gave him a chance to continue growing in leadership and in his love for people and the Word of God.
After what felt to him like a strange series of events—including an invitation for the first time since childhood to preach for a special service in New Jersey, and then later to preach a one-week series—Deneil was unable to shake the growing urge to enter full-time pastoral ministry.
Deneil prayerfully applied to the seminary at Andrews University, where he subsequently completed a Master of Divinity degree. While there, he joined the leadership team at La Porte Church in Indiana as an intern associate pastor.
After seminary, he was invited to serve as worship pastor at College View Church in Lincoln, Nebraska. His four and a half years in that role further confirmed in his heart the path of full-time service that God was leading him on, each piece of the journey building on the previous.
Shortly after moving to Lincoln, Deneil married Racquel Beckles. Racquel and Deneil met in a choir during their college years. Like Deneil, Racquel and her sister grew up with their father as a pastor and their mother as a teacher (Racquel grew up in Barbados). They have since been blessed with a son, Jude, who is now two years old.
In January, Deneil and his family began their service pastoring the Lincoln Northside and Holland churches. They remain grateful for the ways God has led and committed to the path of service.
Pastor Clarke was ordained on Aug. 8, 2020 at the Northside Church in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Brien Wahlen
Brien Wahlen was born to Greg and Peggy Wahlen while they worked at Pacific Union College. Brien and his older sister, Amy, grew up in a family dedicated to service and ministry. His parents served in academy, college and pastoral ministry. Brien attended Adventist schools and graduated from College View Academy and, much later, Union College.
After academy Brien wandered away from God. He let go of Jesus and lost interest in church, Bible study, prayer and spiritual life.During this time, he began working for two Adventist painting contractors who befriended him. Brien didn’t realize it then, but God brought these men into his life to draw Brien back to Himself.
God brought another blessing to Brien, his daughter Layne. As a new father, Brien began to think about his spiritual responsibilities to his daughter.
One day his mother suggested he take Layne to Sabbath school at College View Church. He began taking her, but at first he would leave right after it finished. Soon, though, he began to stay for church. He listened to the sermons and heard the voice of Jesus talking to him through Pastor Keith Jacobson. Brien’s heart softened, and the Spirit called him to dedicate his life to Jesus.
After several years back in church, Brien felt Jesus calling him to the gospel ministry. He enrolled at Union College and graduated with his BA in theology in 2013.
Brien first served with the Kansas-Nebraska Conference at the Omaha Memorial Church as an associate pastor alongside Pastor Jerry Connell. While in Omaha, he formed a relationship with the Gallegos family, and especially with Sarah Gallegos. Their friendship grew into love, and they were married on May 15, 2015.
That summer they moved to Berrien Springs, Michigan, and Brien began his Master of Divinity degree at Andrews University. Brien graduated in December of 2017, and he was pleased to accept a pastoral position in the panhandle of Nebraska at the Alliance, Bridgeport, Ogallala, and Sidney district.
Pastor Wahlen was ordained on Aug. 22, 2020 at the Alliance Church in Alliance, Nebraska.
Compiled by Stephanie Gottfried
