Longtime Columbia Union Leader to Retire

Story by Shannon Kelly 

After nearly two decades of service to the Columbia Union Conference as vice president for Ministries Development, and 43 years of full-time ministry, Frank Bondurant is retiring in November. 

Bondurant, a leader, pastor and mentor, was introduced to Adventism and God by his grandmother.  

"She would take me to church with her as a child, and it was through her influence that I learned about God and wanted to become a Christian to be baptized," he says. "And probably one of the greatest things she did for me as a grandmother is she got me into our Seventh-day Adventist school system. My parents were happy to support that, but she was the one [who was] really instrumental—the agent that made that happen. Then, of course, besides my grandmother and her wonderful, godly, faithful influence, I had our church school in my life, and all the wonderful teachers and mentors that came with that."  

Although he was not raised by Adventist parents, Bondurant says his mother and father were always supportive of his faith, educational journey and his intent to go into ministry, a calling he received as a high school sophomore at Shenandoah Valley Academy. Years later, Bondurant baptized his mother into the Adventist Church, marking a meaningful and full-circle moment.  

Bondurant attended Adventist schools in the Columbia Union throughout his educational career, from elementary school through university, and the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University (Mich.), where he obtained a Master of Divinity in 1985. 

A lifelong resident of the Columbia Union territory, Bondurant spent 22 years working for the Chesapeake Conference as a pastor, departmental director and assistant to the president before accepting the appointment of vice president for Ministries Development. 

Bondurant’s colleagues know him for a legacy of capable leadership, optimism, enthusiasm and compassion, as well as having a big sense of humor. 

Marcellus T. Robinson, president of the Columbia Union, who has known Bondurant for almost 20 years, says he was an invaluable resource during Robinson’s first year at the union and is a wealth of institutional knowledge, as well as policy and procedure. 

“There are some people who have positional leadership: the elder of the church, deacons, such and such. But then there’s the unofficial leader of the church,” says Robinson, who has a background in pastoral ministry. “Well, Frank is that person at the Columbia Union.” 

One of Bondurant’s notable contributions was a focus on pursuing funding made available through higher organizations within the church for dispersion to conferences and local churches within the Columbia Union to use for ministry—including Homeland Mission funding; Global Mission Church Planting funding; and Church Revitalization funding. 

Under Bondurant’s leadership, millions of dollars have been secured and dispersed back to local churches in the union. 

Thanks to these efforts, the union currently leads the North American Division in church planting and urban centers of influence projects. 

While conferences and unions play an important role in church mission and impact, Bondurant says "anything lasting, anything meaningful, truly happens at the local church level." That is part of what drove his mission to bring funding to the union's churches. 

"I think perhaps one of the greatest things I've learned—and I have to keep re-learning, if you will—is the vital importance of strong, healthy local churches," he says. 

The Mentor 

Bondurant says one of the most rewarding parts of his career was the ability to mentor others. To him, it felt like a way to pay forward what his own mentors gave him. 

"I've been able to develop some of our local conference departmental leadership. I've been able to kind of really pour into their ministry and help them to be better at what they're doing. Personally, I've just found that to be really rewarding, is to invest in them, and help them develop some of their skills, and be able to shine in some of the ministries that they're doing," he says. "I'm indebted to the people who mentored me, and I'm thankful I've had the chance to return that to some folks."  

Carolina Ramos, the ministries coordinator for the Ministries Development office, has spent the last decade working in partnership with Bondurant. An introvert by nature, Ramos says her boss helped nudge her out of her comfort zone in healthy ways, and she felt herself grow professionally and personally under his influence. 

"He mentored me in a way where I can get up front and speak. I can't say I'm a hundred percent confident now, but I can do it, and it's become easier. … [He would say], 'You can do so much more than what you're doing, Carolina! You have so much potential.' So, he believed that I had potential. He saw that in me. At the time, I didn't see it," she says.  

It was Bondurant’s encouragement that motivated Ramos to obtain her Master of Pastoral Ministry from Andrews University, from which she graduated in 2023. The degree helped her further pursue her passion for ministering to young people. As of January of this year, Ramos was promoted to a newly created role at the union: ministries coordinator, with a focus on children, youth and young adults. 

"What has meant the most to me is that he has never made me feel as though he is above me; instead, he has treated me like a partner, valuing my thoughts and has made me feel valued, affirmed and respected," Ramos says. "I will always remain deeply grateful for the impact he has had on my life, and his mentorship will continue to shape me for years to come." 

Bondurant greets his next chapter with both gratitude and a bittersweet feeling. He looks forward to having time to write—something he says he has always wanted to do—and plans to serve as a consultant for pastors, conferences and other such clients. Additionally, Bondurant looks forward to investing more time in personal relationships with family and loved ones.