Meet Scholarship Recipient: Daeju Kang

The Multiracial Student Scholarship Fund is one of the strategies employed by the Office of Race Relations (ORR) to develop multiracial congregational leadership in the CRCNA. Recipients attend one of the higher learning institutions affiliated with the denomination—Calvin University, Dordt University, The King’s University, Redeemer University, Kuyper College, Trinity Christian College, and Calvin Theological Seminary. They have also expressed a strong desire to train for and to engage in the ministry of racial reconciliation in church and/or in community.

Through bountiful gifts given last year, the ORR was able to award scholarships to ten students for the 2021/22 school year. It’s our privilege to introduce you to Daeju Kang, one of these ten recipients. Read his brief biography below and some of his thoughts on the importance of social justice.

Hello, my name is Daeju Kang. I come from South Korea. I just finished a second-year Th.M. student at Calvin Theological Seminary. I am the grandson of Pastor Kang Byung-do, who founded the Christian Wisdom Publisher and issued many kinds of bible commentaries in Korea. He was also a pastor dedicated to serving the local Church. I naturally received a ministry call from God under the religious background of these families. Not because we had to do it to join the family, but because there was a compelling call from God.

I was called by God when I was nine years old. When I was a second-grade student in elementary school, I remembered a conversation with my mom. Mom wrote a book about the history of healing ministry in KOREA (1884-1940). She always told me stories about people who devoted their life in the mission field. I used to be impressed with the love of God and stories about various individuals who loved God. We were discussing Jesus. She asked, “Do you love Jesus? Do you want to be like him?” I replied to my mom confidently, “Yes! I want to be like Jesus! I love him!” Then she also challenged me by asking what I was going to do from now on to be more like Jesus. That time I had no idea about the future, what my future entailed. All I knew at that moment was my love for God. Mom presented the vision that is ‘Healing ministry’. In her opinion, Jesus’ life or mission was spent both preaching the Gospel and healing the people. That was his public life in ministry. Similarly, ‘Healing ministry’ today works that way.

I think the pastor is a theologian and a scholar who must study for a lifetime. I do not want the wrong word to come from where I stand. I want to do the right ministry without shame before God. I will not use the cross to fill my greed. The ultimate goal of this study is accurate word declaration. To do so, knowing the Bible is of paramount importance. Therefore, I am convinced that the correct Bible study is related to the correct declaration.

I have a gift of teaching. Whenever I lead a Bible study in the Church, I see the pleasure of Church members. If this gift is linked to deeper learning, I will have a happier pastor. Also, I would like to serve the Korean Church through the ministry of the Church based on the publishing ministry that began with my grandfather's generation. If I have a chance, I would like to translate or write books, especially regarding racial justice and diversity, to serve the Korean Church. Korea, which used to be a unified nation, is now a country where various races live together. We should prepare to have good chemistry with them and be ready to welcome them in the Church. We must accept and mingle with all races with a broad heart and generosity. This is because Hellenians and Jews are all one in Christ. 

“Because all of you are one in the Messiah Jesus, a person is no longer a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a male or a female” (Gal 3:28, ISV)

If you feel led to support this valuable scholarship fund and students like Daeju, please give online at this link. Your gift today will bless future students as they train for and prepare to engage in the ministry of racial reconciliation in church and in society. 

 

For those who wish to be considered for a scholarship from the Office of Race Relations, information and an application are found at this link.