1. How did you come to Torch Trinity?

I felt the call to go to seminary in 2006. Several of my closest friends and pastors started saying that they thought it would be great if I went to seminary and even suggested going to Torch. Every time someone said this to me, it confirmed what I felt through prayer, but at the same time it scared me and I resisted in my heart. So, like Jonah, I ignored God’s call for two years, which I regret, but finally I relented and responded to God’s call. In 2008, I quit my full-time job and gave up my comfortable and steady income to become a poor student. But I know I am rich in spirit, so I’m not looking back!

2. Your time at Torch Trinity

My time at TTGST has been the most joyous and the most difficult time in my life. In my first semester, I was so happy to be doing what I knew God created me to do, which is to study and pursue academics. I felt excitement and joy every time I walked up to the building and I saw the Giant Jesus greeting me every morning. Now that I’m entering my final semester, that initial excitement and joy has mellowed out somewhat, but it has been replaced by a deeper sense of purpose and devotion built through the difficulties of seminary life. I have been stretched more than I expected and Torch has challenged me beyond my abilities. But God gave me grace to endure, and the sense of camaraderie I feel with my classmates also gives me strength.

3. Your current ministry involvement and future plans

I am currently serving at Onnuri English Ministry as the youth pastor at the Seobinggo campus. We have about 140 students in our ministry and several teachers. It is a challenging ministry to be in because the students and teachers are always coming and going. The hard part is maintaining a sense of order, continuity, and purpose amidst the changes. But it’s also a rewarding ministry because we get to influence our students at the most crucial juncture of their lives. It is during the teenage years that most people either accept Christ and grow passionate for God, or they fall away and live a worldly life.

My future plans include continuing my ministry here in Korea to gain practical, hands-on experience and to continue my studies. I am open to wherever God leads me in terms of which program and which school to apply to. I am also getting married this August, so married life will bring new experiences, joys, and challenges for me and my future wife to share. I’m very much looking forward to that!

4. How is TTGST preparing you for your calling?

TTGST has been the most life-changing experience for me. Before going to Torch, I was just floating through life without much sense of purpose. Now, God has transformed me from the inside out and given me a new outlook on life. He has given me a pastor’s heart, and I greatly desire to teach and shepherd people wherever I go. I have learned more than I could have imagined. I feel thoroughly trained now to teach a variety of subjects, to preach to a variety of different groups, and to deal with the various problems and challenges of ministry in a godly and biblical fashion. I am very grateful for what God has done in my life through TTGST. It warms my heart to know that God is working in a similar way in the lives of many more students through our wonderful school!