Who is Daris Bultena?

As the General Presbyter and Stated Clerk, Daris Bultena has led the Presbytery of Tropical Florida through a season of claiming new vision for engaging, equipping, and encouraging vibrant Christ-centered communities of faith. Having led the Presbytery through deep and wide conversations around the Great Ends of the Church that are identified in the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Bultena helped the Presbytery to name three significant principles of what it means to be vibrant.  

Those principles include: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS (“Relationships are the key to church growth and the avenue for listening to the need in the community.”); HAVING SPIRITUAL DEPTH (“It is reflected by congregational commitment to scriptural study, building of relationships beyond the membership of the church, generous giving, active prayer life, and deepening of the interior spiritual life of its members.”); BEING MISSIONAL (“Recognizes mission as being oriented to the community in which the congregation is placed. A missional community understands itself as joining God in the mission God is doing.”)

Under Daris’ leadership the Presbytery adopted a Plan for Ministry in November 2018 that invites the Presbytery to live fully the principles of being vibrant by focusing on LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, DISCIPLE MAKING, VITAL WORSHIP, RECONCILIATION, and CLARITY OF IDENTITY.  The ministry plan has the Presbytery focusing its full resources on these initiatives and foci of ministry for a three year period in order to live into the call of being VIBRANT TOGETHER.

Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena began his ministerial service to The Presbytery of Tropical Florida in January 2017 after 25 years of ordained ministry in the Presbyterian Church USA. His journey of ministry has carried him from South Dakota, to Washington, D.C., to Princeton, to Philadelphia, to Baltimore, and ultimately to South Florida. Upon beginning his ministry in South Florida he said: “I’m thrilled about the call of The Presbytery of Tropical Florida to be the General Presbyter. God has been preparing me for this work and together we can shape the church missionally for Christ in South Florida.”

When asked about his call to ministry Daris said this: “As I look back on my call to ministry, I recall the evening on the bank of the Missouri River in the shadow of Spirit Mount—a place that Lewis & Clark had explored—I remember that silent prayer of ‘if this is what you want of me, God, I will do it.’” He says, “All along the way God has allowed me to travel this call of ministry as if I were an explorer charting new territory. I’m excited for where the Spirit will carry me as I continue to make my way along this incredible journey that is faithfulness.”

Relationships have always been key to his understanding of ministry, about that he has said: “I am a relational person who genuinely loves people and I enjoy engaging people with vision for what God can do among us. The intersection of relationships, vision, and skills form lasting and faithful change.” He also has stated: “My constant goal is that others see reflected in me this positively infectious relationship I have with Christ. In serving a mid-council of our beloved Church, I intend to use all my spiritual gifts to always foster the growth and flourishing of a healthy presbytery.”