FACULTY PROFILE

Jon Dybdahl

Chair and Professor of World Mission

Andrews University

Jon Dybdahl was born in California and educated in Asia and America.  Married to Kathy (mother, nurse, homemaker) they have three children: Jonna, Paul and Krista--now all married.  Seven grandchildren have brought added joy into their lives.

After being trained at Pacific Union College (BA in Theology) and Andrews University (MA and MDiv), the Dybdahls were called to work in northern Thailand.  During that time they became acquainted with and learned to love not only the northern Thais but also the Hmong and Karen hill tribes among whom they served.  While there (1968-74), they started an adult education program for hill tribe students.

Later, they moved to Singapore (1974-76) where Jon taught in the college and pastored the college church.  They enjoyed getting to know students from all over southeast Asia and new foods like Amortabak.

Returning to America, Jon taught at Walla Walla College.  During that time, he worked on and completed his PhD (with a major in Old Testament, and a minor in Missions and Semitic Languages) from Fuller Theological Seminary (1981).  Later, Jon and Kathy returned to Thailand for a short time (1989-90) to help launch a new college near Saraburi.

Since 1990, Kathy and Jon have been at Andrews University, where Jon serves as a professor in the Seminary teaching World Mission.