Dan Cates is married to the former Shelly Jones (1993). Together they have two children: Maggie who was born in 1996 and Conor who was born in 2002. He is the son of Curtis A. (Sr.) and Annette Cates. He is a native Georgian (born May 2, 1970) who was reared in Alabama, Oregon, and Tennessee. His father and grandfather were Gospel preachers as are his brother, father-in-law, and brother-in-law.

Dan Cates began preaching in 1983; he currently serves as evangelist and one of the elders of the Independence, MS, Church of Christ. Formerly, he worked with congregations in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. In 1999 he began teaching at the Memphis School of Preaching on a part-time basis; he was moved to full-time in 2013 and soon after was appointed Dean of Communications. He has taught various other classes in the two and three year programs, but is now teaching English Grammar; I, II, Thessalonians, I, II Timothy, Titus; New Testament Greek; Wisdom Literature; Christian Evidences; Revelation; Bible Archaeology; and the Inter-testament Period to the two-year students. He has also served as archivist for the Memphis School of Preaching.

Dan Cates is a 1994 (two-year program) and 2002 (third-year program) graduate of the Memphis School of Preaching who also holds a B.A. (2000) and an M.A. (2004) from Amridge University (formerly Southern Christian University). He received other training David Lipscomb University, the University of Memphis, and the University of Arkansas Little Rock.

In 2009 he joined his father in working with Cates Publications producing books, charts, tracts, and other Bible-based material. In his community, he serves on the board of the Independence Arts Conservatory and volunteers his time in teaching the young people who are involved in that program and in writing and co-directing numerous of her productions.