NW Valley Times

Dr. Mark Olmos, a professor at the College of Theology at Grand Canyon University (GCU), brings a unique cultural perspective from his upbringing in Hawaii. Before joining GCU, Olmos served as a pastor in both Hawaii and Japan, and he has been a speaker at conferences across several countries including Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Canada.

Reflecting on his formative years in Hawaii, Dr. Olmos emphasized the impact of living among diverse cultures: "The Hawaii culture is all about finding a way to live together, even in a multi-ethnic setting." He added that this background influenced his worldview and interactions with others.

Discussing his role in educating college students about religion, Olmos shared insights from his personal journey: "I became a Christian my senior year... I just thought I would love to be a youth director so I can help young people not make the same choices."

Outside of academics, Dr. Olmos enjoys playing board games and runs campaigns of "Dungeons and Dragons" for students each semester. His favorite game is "Battlestar Galactica," which aligns with his interest in science fiction.

Olmos also reflected on his brief career in real estate during challenging times: "For me, real estate was a bridge... God kind of used that as a bridge time until God got me back into ministry."

Finally, he recounted pitching against future baseball pros like Terry Francona during the 1980 College World Series: "At that moment, everything that you’re doing is like a culmination of every game you’ve ever played." This experience marked an important chapter before transitioning fully into ministry work.