Sometime towards the beginning of this year, I received news that I had been successfully accepted into the TEDS PhD in Intercultural Studies (ICS) program. For those unfamiliar, TEDS stands for Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, started by the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), & is based in the north of Chicago, Illinois in the States. The PhD in ICS program would be at least a 4-year full-time residential program, & our hope & plan as a family was to relocate there by July this year in time for the semester start in August.
A few main factors led to our decision to pursue doctoral studies at this time. Among them was that I had been praying & seeking the Lord since 2015 regarding further studies, & God has somehow kept this desire & leading strong through the years, particularly through bringing professors & friends to encourage me towards this path. Also, having been serving in full-time ministry for 11 years, including as a pastor for close to 7 years, as well as being in my early 40s, it is indeed a timely season to take a sabbatical from ministry & devote myself to studies for these next few years.
Since seminary days, I have been greatly inspired & influenced by Bible scholars & the high level of scholarship associated with TEDS. Their motto in Greek is πιστευθῆναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, meaning to be “entrusted with the gospel” (from 1 Thes. 2.4). This resonates with me in that we have both the wonderful privilege to take part in God’s kingdom purposes & the awesome responsibility to proclaim the gospel & God’s word to the ends of the earth. God-willing, this PhD program will be a stepping stone for me into the arena of academic teaching & research, particularly in the field of missiology or intercultural studies.
Paul writes in 1 Thes. 2.4, 8,
For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts … Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
We continue to thank God for you (1 Thes. 1.2-3) and appreciate all your prayers and support, in our adjustments as a family to new environment (home, school, church, culture, seasons), in transition from ministry to student life, and also for God’s protection and blessing over our safety, well-being and health. Pray also for God’s provision over finances, home/car, and other needs according to His riches and glory.
Do consider prayerfully supporting us:
USA – GoFundMe
Singapore (& other countries) – GoGetFunding
