First Seventh-day Adventist Church
About Our Pastor
About Our Pastor
About Our Pastor
Pastor Daniel Ortega 
Our church has been blessed to have Pastor Daniel Ortega as our pastor since March 1, 2010. He and his wife, Yesenia, and sons Benjamin and Isaac have become much loved and appreciated members of our church family. Pastor Daniel's leadership has inspired our congregation to pray, study the Bible, and share God's love with others as never before.
Below are some questions with Pastor Daniel's answers to help you get to know this friendly, loving, Christian family. To hear some of Pastor Ortega's sermons, go to our website Worship page.
How long have you been in the ministry? I was officially hired into full time pastoral ministry in March of 2007 when I began to Pastor in Sulphur, Oklahoma. However, I have been speaking, teaching, and working as a Bible worker since the age of 20. I thank God for the opportunities that the local churches gave me to grow and develop the gifts that God gave me. However, I believe that ministry should go beyond the typical responsibilities of a pastor. It should be the lifestyle of every person that professes to be a follower of Christ.
Did you always want to be a pastor? As a little boy I always wanted to be either a pilot or a baseball player. Since I never really got a chance to play baseball and I found out I had to wear glasses and therefore could not fly, it pretty much dissolved those two dreams. So I became very interested in Architecture when I was about 13 years old. I took high school drafting courses and worked summers for contractors and drafting engineers. My first 2 ½ years of college were spent working towards an Architectural degree. It was something I was good at and I enjoyed at the same time. However, after God called me to the pastoral ministry, my passion changed almost in the twinkling of an eye. God had instilled in me a new passion for my life. Not one of designing buildings and houses, but one of building up his kingdom. I did, however, work seven years for an architectural firm prior to being called to full time ministry.
What type of ministries where you involved in prior to becoming a pastor? When I was given the opportunities to be a part of ministry I became involved in as many areas of church ministries as I could. Anything from deacon, to elder, to youth leader, to Sabbath school teacher, communications director, and even music leader (I still don’t know how I did that one). Though all these ministries were a blessing, the ones I enjoyed the most where those which involved youth. I especially have enjoyed working with Pathfinder clubs over the last eight years. The Lord also gave the opportunity to serve as the secretary for the Fort Worth Youth Federation and as the President for the Dallas Youth Federation prior to moving to Oklahoma.
What do you envision for First Seventh-day Adventist Church of Tulsa? There are many things we do well here at First Adventist, but there are also things we could do better. Overall I pray that the general congregation would have a burning desire for bringing others to Christ. However, we shouldn’t stop there. There needs to be commitment that reflects the sincerity of our evangelistic desires. It hasn’t taken me long to recognize that we have a great group of God fearing men and women here at this church. So with that on our side and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I know that our church can be a central conduit where the love and mercy of God is shared with this community. I would like to see our evangelistic efforts be very intentional and on top of our list of priorities. In doing so, I believe all other ministries and aspects of our church will naturally improve/grow for the better.
What area of study do you enjoy most from the Scriptures? There is such a wide range of “studies” it hard to pick just one, but I would have to say that I highly enjoy the historical narrations of the Old Testament. We find so many personal stories of people living everyday life, and in all their humanistic endeavors you can see the life changing experiences that are both a direct and indirect result of trusting and worshiping the true God. As Christians we can relate to those Bible characters in so many dimensions.
What is your favorite passage in Scripture? Wow, that’s like asking, “Which is your favorite body organ?” They are all so crucial and play different roles at different times, it would be hard to pick just one. In the area of Christ’s life, I love the closing verses of the Synoptic Gospels as Christ expresses the final charge to His disciples, better known as the great commission, calling every one of us to be part of the ‘grand finale’ of His ministry. One of my favorite passages on the Sabbath is Isaiah 58:13-14, because it brings such a refreshing concept to one of our fundamental beliefs.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I highly enjoy spending time with my family, especially now that my son is at the age where he is so playful and energetic. As a family we enjoy spending time in nature and simply hanging out. I personally enjoy the game of basketball above all sports. In addition, I also enjoy running, hiking and computer graphics.
How did your wife and you meet? My wife, Yesenia, and I met at the Dallas Pleasant Grove SDA church where she had been a member since the age of 12. I came along to serve the church as a student pastor for a one year term. But low and behold as we had a chance to work together in the youth ministries of the church, we got to know each other better and eventually began to date…and the rest is history.
What can you tell us about your wife? I have to begin by saying that I could not have been blessed with a better person to spend the rest of my life. Yesenia not only has supported my call to ministry but she has always been involved in all church activities. She also has a heart for reaching out to those who have not fully committed their lives to Christ. This passion probably began to grow when, as a little girl, she would accompany her great-grandfather from church to church as he made his lay-pastoral rounds every week in the nearby Mexican villages. In addition to spending time with her family, she enjoys photography, cooking, gardening, and visiting new places.
What was your childhood like? I was born in Chicago, Illinois and lived there for a short period of time. As a child we moved around almost yearly, living in different areas of the south central United States and in Mexico as well. We eventually “settled” in Keene, Texas where I would live until I got married. Though my parents were not perfect, they where intentional about teaching us important values such as discipline, respect, humility and compassion for others. My father was a blue collar worker who worked hard to provide for his family while my mother was a stay at home mom. At the age of 12 my parents went through a divorce, increasing my responsibilities around the house and with my siblings. Though times where hard sometimes and money was scarce, God always provided for me and my family in all areas where there was need. As I look back at those years, I see how God used those hard times to strengthen me and shape me into the person I am now.
Do you have any siblings? Yes, I have a younger sister and brother. My sister, a graduate of Southwestern Adventist University, is a kindergarten teacher in the Dallas School District. She and her husband have been married since 2007. My little brother is currently finishing up his bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Both of them are tri-lingual and highly involved at their local churches.
What would you tell a young person who has to deal with the everyday pressures of an influential world? At all ages, but especially as young people, we have to make a personal, conscious choice of whom we will serve. It can’t be something that you are told to do or that you see others doing and therefore will follow suit. But you must first recognize who your Creator is and have a personal conviction that His son was sent to die for you personally, delivering you from the sinful pleasures of this world. Only through a sincere, self-provoked (as inspired by the Holy Spirit and not you parents), daily relationship with Christ will you have any chance of overcoming the temptations and pressures of this society. Now more than ever, we need young people who will not waver in their faith, and stand up for what is biblically just and godly.
What can you tell us about your wife? I have to begin by saying that I could not have been blessed with a better person to spend the rest of my life. Yesenia not only has supported my call to ministry but she has always been involved in all church activities. She also has a heart for reaching out to those who have not fully committed their lives to Christ. This passion probably began to grow when, as a little girl, she would accompany her great-grandfather from church to church as he made his lay-pastoral rounds every week in the nearby Mexican villages. In addition to spending time with her family, she enjoys photography, cooking, gardening, and visiting new places.
What was your childhood like? I was born in Chicago, Illinois and lived there for a short period of time. As a child we moved around almost yearly, living in different areas of the south central United States and in Mexico as well. We eventually “settled” in Keene, Texas where I would live until I got married. Though my parents were not perfect, they where intentional about teaching us important values such as discipline, respect, humility and compassion for others. My father was a blue collar worker who worked hard to provide for his family while my mother was a stay at home mom. At the age of 12 my parents went through a divorce, increasing my responsibilities around the house and with my siblings. Though times where hard sometimes and money was scarce, God always provided for me and my family in all areas where there was need. As I look back at those years, I see how God used those hard times to strengthen me and shape me into the person I am now.
Do you have any siblings? Yes, I have a younger sister and brother. My sister, a graduate of Southwestern Adventist University, is a kindergarten teacher in the Dallas School District. She and her husband have been married since 2007. My little brother is currently finishing up his bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Both of them are tri-lingual and highly involved at their local churches.
What would you tell a young person who has to deal with the everyday pressures of an influential world? At all ages, but especially as young people, we have to make a personal, conscious choice of whom we will serve. It can’t be something that you are told to do or that you see others doing and therefore will follow suit. But you must first recognize who your Creator is and have a personal conviction that His son was sent to die for you personally, delivering you from the sinful pleasures of this world. Only through a sincere, self-provoked (as inspired by the Holy Spirit and not you parents), daily relationship with Christ will you have any chance of overcoming the temptations and pressures of this society. Now more than ever, we need young people who will not waver in their faith, and stand up for what is biblically just and godly.