A Crazy Time of Joy: How the AGST-EAST DMin Programme Shapes Ministry Leaders
How one ministry leader discovered growth, resilience and renewed joy in pursuing the Great Commission
When Luke Park Dae-Yeun began his Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Leadership studies at EAST, life was already moving at full speed.
A staff member of Korea Campus Crusade for Christ (KCCC) with 28 years of ministry experience, Luke had just returned home from overseas missions. His teenage son was adjusting to school, and the family had adopted twin baby girls that same year.
“Yes, my life was crazy busy,” he recalls.
Balancing family responsibilities, demanding ministry commitments and doctoral studies was no easy task. There were many moments when Luke considered giving up. Yet, through the encouragement of his faculty and mentoring group leader, Dr Raymond Go, he persevered.
“Of course, many times,” Luke says with a laugh when asked whether he had wanted to quit. “You can say they owned my journey.”
That sense of ownership would become central to both his doctoral research and his ministry.
AGSTA-EAST Doctor of Ministry Program
Celebrating a graduate of the first cohort of AGSTA-EAST DMin program in 2025
Asia Graduate School of Theology-Alliance (AGSTA) and East Asia School of Theology (EAST) are partners in offering the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program.
This DMin program seeks to integrate structured theological reflection and critical thinking on ministerial practice, to provide a formative space for participants to learn, dialogue, challenge, discern and shape their ministry philosophy and practices. Read more
Classroom Without Walls: EAST MG Ministry Weekend
Beyond the Classroom: A Classroom Without Walls at Ministry Weekend
What happens when theological learning moves beyond the classroom and into the communities we are called to serve? At East Asia School of Theology (EAST), EAST MG Ministry Weekend gives students and faculty opportunities to put faith into practice, deepen relationships and grow together through hands-on ministry. Described as a “classroom without walls,” Ministry Weekend brings mentoring groups (MGs) into real-life ministry settings where spiritual formation takes place through service, relationships and reflection. As faculty and students serve alongside one another, they discover how God shapes them through the people they meet and the experiences they share. Read more
Alumni Bataraa & Zulaa: Equipping Church Leaders For Ministry
Joy and Freedom in Mongolia: Equipping Church Leaders for Ministry
Through EAST’s Extension Centre in Mongolia, local church leaders are being equipped to serve their churches and communities with renewed understanding, joy and freedom in Christ. When Baataraa Buyanmandakh and Zulaa Jantsan were challenged to start an EAST Extension Centre (EEC) in Mongolia in 2023, they were unsure how to begin.
Both former Cru staff members, with 21 years of service and EAST Alumni, Baataraa and Zulaa now serve as church ministers. They recognised the need for theological training among local church leaders, but establishing a training centre would require considerable commitment.
“But this is what we need in Mongolia,” says Zulaa, 46.
President’s Charge: Never Depart From God’s Call
Rev Dr Chan Chong Hiok – Never Depart From God’s Call
“May you never depart from God’s call for you.”
With these words, EAST President Rev Dr Chan Chong Hiok encouraged the graduating class at East Asia School of Theology’s 32nd Commencement to remain faithful to God wherever He leads them next.
Commencement marks the completion of years of study, but it is also the beginning of a new season of service. The graduates leave EAST carrying many memories of learning, growth and transformation. They represent a vibrant mix of cultures, countries, languages and ministry backgrounds brought together by what can only be described as a divine appointment from God. Their time at EAST has equipped them for different fields and vocations. Some will serve through local churches, while others may cross cultural and geographical boundaries to participate in God’s mission. Their ministries may look different, but their calling remains the same: to follow Christ faithfully, love people and participate in His Great Commission.
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