Olivet Nazarene University

Ron Dalton

Dr. Ron Dalton is a professor of practical theology at Olivet Nazarene University and has taught here since 1993. He was the founding director of the Church Growth Resource Center at Olivet. He served for seven years as the director for the Institute of Pastoral Leadership that included two graduate programs at Olivet: the Master of Pastoral Counseling, and the Master of Church Management. He previously taught in the graduate programs of Vanderbilt University, Antioch University (Yellow Springs, Ohio), Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Africa Nazarene University.

Dr. Dalton has pastored congregations for more than 14 years in Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio. While at Olivet, he has worked in collaboration with the Division of Church Growth, Pastoral Ministries, and with Compassionate Ministries of the Church of the Nazarene. He maintains a busy schedule throughout the region, speaking in revivals, camp meetings, retreats, and local churches. He has served in extended periods as interim pastor at Valparaiso (Ind.) First Church of the Nazarene, Kankakee (Ill.) First Church of the Nazarene, Kokomo (Ind.) First Church of the Nazarene and a number of other congregations in both Illinois and Indiana.

In addition to his degrees, Dr. Dalton has done further studies at Wright State University (mathematics), the University of Tennessee (philosophy) and Cincinnati Bible Seminary (Hebrew). He is a member of the American Academy of Religion, the Religious Research Association and the Wesleyan Theological Society. He has been listed in Who’s Who in American Universities & Colleges, Who’s Who in Religion, Who’s Who in the Midwest, and Who’s Who in America.

Dr. Dalton is married to Martha (Gomer) Dalton of Nashville, Tenn. She is an associate professor of music (voice) at Olivet. They and their two younger sons (James and Stephen) reside in Bourbonnais, Ill., and attend Kankakee First Church of the Nazarene. Their oldest son, John, is an accountant residing in Knoxville, Tenn.