Double Duty in Korea
Almost 22,000 Korean Nazarenes look to him for leadership. President of the largest Nazarene university in the world. Korea Nazarene University (KNU) and pastor of one of the largest Nazarene churches in Korea, Shin, Min-Gyoo certainly has his hands full. Extremely busy but also mild-mannered and quick to laugh, Shin chiseled out time to chat with Holiness Today about life and the Korean church.
You’re both a university president and a full-time pastor. How do you balance two such demanding jobs?
Every day I lead the early morning prayer meeting at my church from 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Then, Monday through Thursday, I take the train to KNU. I return to my church responsibilities in the evening. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I’m fully committed to the church.
Being a university president is such a heavy responsibility that without prayer I could not do it. My prayer is my recharger.
The charge in my smart phone battery doesn’t last long, maybe one day or even half a day. It has to be recharged. I’m in the same situation. I have to be spiritually recharged at the church. By the late afternoon, I’m burned out, so I have to be recharged again, again, and again.
Do you ever worry that you won’t be able to do both jobs?
No, because God gave me this opportunity. I didn’t intend to become a university president.
God just pushed me into KNU, so I simply believe that He has a plan for this.
Although some challenges and struggles occurred, it is indeed God’s grace that shields both jobs. He has given us vision and strength to follow His way of holiness. God provides me with wisdom and people who can work with me for the great kingdom of God.
The second reason is my church. Thirteen years ago, when I became the pastor of Sang-am-dong Church of the Nazarene there were only 60 people, but now we are running 1250-1350 every Sunday. If I just disappeared, it would be really hard for them, so they won’t let me leave. That’s why I didn’t want to become president if I had to leave the church. I told KNU that if I could stay at the church, then I would think about being president.
Tell us about your family.
My wife, Kwon, Mee-Rhan, is a professor of childhood studies at KNU. My son, Shin, Ha Seok, and his family live in Connecticut. He is a pharmacist, but later wants to go back to school to become a pastor. He’s a graduate of Eastern Nazarene College.
Actually, I get more time with my wife now that we’re both working at KNU. Monday through Thursday mornings we eat breakfast together at KNU.
I talk to my son’s family every week at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday night after the late night special prayer meeting.
KNU has many international students. What is the impact of that?
Korean Nazarenes are debtors to the U.S. Nazarene church. The Church of the Nazarene started here in 1948, so we are old enough to pay back some of what we have received.
We want to invite students and professors from around the world to join the KNU family.
We have students from 19 different countries, and we want to impact those countries through our students. We give a 75 percent scholarship to all our international students.
Imagine that we have prepared a dinner for 10 people, but suddenly we have more guests. We didn’t prepare enough food, but we can share. If we have that kind of mentality, then God will supply the needs for these scholarships because this is for His kingdom.
What are your dreams for KNU?
Specialization. Probably leaders in other countries don’t understand the Korean context. According to the statistical report, the number of Korean students graduating high school by the year 2018 will begin to decrease sharply. It will become increasingly difficult to recruit college students.
Our basic strategy for survival is specialization. We have three specialized areas: rehabilitation and welfare (especially for people with special needs and accessibility issues), globalization, and theology. If we maintain quality in those areas, specialized programs will lead the rest of the majors. We can overcome if we concentrate on these strengths.
What role does Korea play in the global Church of the Nazarene?
Let me illustrate that with an example from my local church. Every year, we invite 30 Asia-Pacific pastors and their spouses to Korea for two weeks, and we demonstrate to them how we do ministry at Sang-am dong Church. After that, they are changed. Pastors from Manila are following our example of early morning prayers, and Taiwanese pastors implemented our new member assimilation class.
The U.S. church has done so much for the world for more than 100 years. We want to say thank you to our U.S. brothers and sisters. Without their sacrificial devotion, how could we have received the gospel? Now, we want to return that love to other people.
Josh Broward is associate pastor at Duneland Community Church of the Nazarene in Chesterton, Indiana. He served for almost nine years in South Korea.
Please note: All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of original publication but may have since changed.
