WHF - Auckland
An Evangelical Free Church
From The Pastor's Desk
THE NIÑAL FAMILY
Pastor Danny, Sister Jia, and daughter Danielle Angelika
The Niñal family hails from Cebu City. They lived in Sucat, Paranaque for 11 years when Pastor Danny worked at Makati City. They moved to New Zealand in 2006. Their journey brought them to Auckland, where they reside now. Pastor Danny and Sister Jia accepted the call to start the Church Planting Project for EFCP and World Harvest Fellowship.
Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas
A Testimony of Life
If I have to put a pin on my life journey to give a short picture of who I am, it would be this particular moment during our 16th wedding anniversary with my wife, Jia.
Note: The song is in Tagalog (our native language). The song is
a love song about a man's love that is so strong he will do anything to be with the woman he loves.
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
Written by Joy Matela
We will often find Pastor Danny elaborating God’s messages with animation, videos and beautiful photos. Here’s why. He has a Master’s degree in Information Management at the Ateneo Information Technology Institute in Makati in 2002, Philippines and a Diploma in Network Computing at the New Zealand School of Education in 2010. Prior to these are his Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Philosophy and English at San Carlos Seminary College back in the 80’s, and another Master’s degree in Theology at Seminario Mayor de San Carlos in Cebu City two years after.
A pastor after becoming a seminarian? Well, that is another story to tell.
Back to the technology side of Pastor Danny. He completed Computer Programming (C,C++, Java) at the Ateneo Information Technology Institute.
Pretty much a combination of theological and scientific disciplines if you may.
Family verse: Joshua 24:15 “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”
When Pastor Danny welcomed the Lord in his heart, he was blessed with the many experiences of the ministry. God called and he answered to become the Chairman of the Board of the Central Evangelical Free Church in Cebu City for three years from 1990; a Chairman of the Board for the Crossroads Fellowship EFC in Greenhills for seven years from 1998; a Treasurer of the National Board of Directors, Evangelical Free Church of the Philippines (EFCP) and at the same time Treasurer of the National Board of Directors of Evangelical Theological College of the Philippines (ETCP) for six years from 1999. He also became an elder at Eastgate Christian Centre in Auckland, New Zealand for almost seven years from 2001 and the Assistant Pastor for two years at the City Cross Link in Onehunga, Auckland from 2019.
Fun fact:
Pastor Danny is a published Author, two novels out of 7 published: Charity is Missing and Siblings, (subtitled The Brothers of Mercy). He has written many short stories and published “The Park Chronicles, A collection of Short Stories”, one which is dedicated to his lovely wife Jia. He loves his books which would probably have filled a library if he has kept them all.
His love for the arts is evident when one visits their home. Photographs, acrylic paintings and charcoal paintings adorn their walls, all of which are his own strokes. There is never a dull moment with Pastor Danny. Either he paints or tends to his Bonsai plants. Yes, it is one of his new talents which he finds refreshing. His love for the arts even extends to his cooking skills. Always about the presentation!
Whether working for the Lord or tending to his hobbies, Pastor Danny is NEVER without music. Smooth Jazz is his favourite genre.
You think you know Pastor Danny from these? Come and meet him and marvel how the Lord has blessed him and his family.