Surrounded by family, parents, friends, fellow ministers and church members during camp meeting on June 17, Kent Sharpe, Scott Hakes and Abel Santiago were ordained to the gospel ministry by Arizona Conference President Duane McKey and Arizona Conference officers.

Kent Sharpe

Arizona Conference Treasurer David Kent Sharpe, a third-generation Adventist and son of a pastor, was born in Kirksville, Mo. During Sharpe’s high school years, his dad moved the family to Arizona to pastor the Phoenix Central and Paradise Valley churches. Sharpe graduated from Thunderbird Academy in 1983.

Sharpe met Lisa, now his wife, while they were attending Southern College in Collegedale, Tenn. Sharpe passed his CPA exam in 1991, and earned a master’s degree in business management from the University of Baltimore.

Sharpe has worked as business manager of Home Study International and Mt. Vernon Academy, auditor and assistant treasurer of the Ohio Conference, controller of Adventist Risk Management, and treasurer of the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference.

Scott Hakes

Scott Hakes was born in Pipestone, Minn., and was the fourth generation in the family to hear the call to gospel ministry.

Hakes graduated from Southern Adventist University with a theology degree. During that time he received music scholarships, conducted a Methodist church choir and worked 20 hours per week at McKee Foods. He also received a scholarship from the McKee foundation.

In 1999, Hakes received a call to pastor in the Indiana Conference where he spent a year doing evangelism before being assigned a church. He baptized many, planted a new church and significantly grew the other churches where he pastored, making him the top soul-winner in the state.

Hakes has been in the Arizona Conference since 2005 and currently pastors the Flagstaff and Sedona churches.

Abel Santiago

Abel Dan Santiago was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He is the youngest of 10 children. After completing two years of his education at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, Santiago moved to Arizona where he met LeAnn Johnson, now his wife. Their two children, Sarah Marie and Billy Alejo, were born there.

Eventually the family moved to Collegedale, Tenn., where Santiago received a degree in long term health care administration from Southern College. Santiago later returned to Southern to earn a degree in theology. He then accepted a call to ministry with the Texas Conference, where he worked for four years.

Then, to be closer to their children, the family moved to Arizona. Santiago saw a need for an Adventist presence in the town of Gilbert where there had never been a church or group of worshippers. Soon, a significant group began meeting under Santiago’s leadership and eventually formed the Gilbert Company. He and LeAnn continued to lead in that congregation until they accepted a call to the Sierra Vista District where they currently serve.