Japhet De Oliveira

Japhet J De Oliveira currently serves as Senior Pastor for Boulder Seventh-day Adventist Church. Located in the heart of Colorado, Boulder is listed as a close second to the least religious city in the USA.

He recently served as University Chaplain at Andrews University from 12-13, leading faith development on campus for students and supporting faculty and staff. Also as Senior Pastor for the One Place community on Campus. He was an adjunct professor in youth ministry at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. He is co-founder of the One project, that focuses on Jesus’ centrality in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and has gatherings all over the world.

He had also served as Director for the Center for Youth Evangelism from ’06-12 and led innovative projects, from the very first iPhone app in Adventist youth ministry, through evening programming and support at the International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, to the creation of 180º Symposiums (a think tank that focuses on different areas of youth ministry).

He comes from England where he served as Youth Director for the South England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists from '03-'06. He is an energetic and innovative leader with a passion for young people. During his time as youth director and as a youth pastor for the Stanborough Park Church in Watford, England, De Oliveira began multiple youth ministry initiatives. Just a sampling of his work includes projects such as London Live, a new 20/30-something church led by young adults in the city of London; HUB, a monthly journal for youth ministry leaders across England; and a new Diploma in Youth Leadership program at Newbold College in Binfield, England.

Japhet earned his BA in theology and an MA in religion with a certificate in church growth from Andrews University on the Newbold College campus. He is currently considering which doctoral program to pursue. He was born in Beckenham, South East London in 1972 of a Brazilian father and Mauritian mother. This could lead one to believe that he speaks both Portuguese and French. Due to the prominence of football (soccer) in his life, Portuguese gained a deeper foothold than the friendly French. Japhet was married in 1995 to the former Becky Crooker (currently pursing her PhD in English Education, at the University of Western Michigan) and together they have two warrior sons - Joshua (13) and Jonah (9).

“At the end of the day when I look back on my life,