Paul’s Unordinary Journey

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Paul’s Unordinary Journey

Paul’s journey to becoming a lecturer at Christ College has been anything but ordinary. As a teenager, he actually prayed that he wouldn’t end up in ministry—dreaming instead of a career as a successful entrepreneur who could support missionaries financially. But God had other plans, and Paul is now about to embark on his new role as Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament, growing Christ-centred leaders for God’s Church.

By his own admission, Paul’s experience of growing up with first-generation Korean immigrant parents was not quite ‘the norm’. Most of his friends’ parents actively discouraged their children from going into full-time Christian ministry, even if they were Christians themselves. Paul’s parents, on the other hand, have always been heavily involved in their local church.

After graduating from high school, Paul began a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney, where he ended up majoring in both Philosophy and Biblical Studies. It was during his time at university that Paul really got a taste for ministry—serving with organisations such as The Sydney University Evangelical Union (EU) and Student Outreach to the World (SOW). While making the most of these opportunities, Paul began to seriously consider full-time vocational ministry, despite initially being opposed to the idea.

“In early high school, I actually prayed to God that I wouldn’t go into ministry,” Paul laughs. “I said, ‘I’ll be an entrepreneur, earn lots of money and I’ll send missionaries—but not ministry, I’m not going to go into ministry, God, just not that.’”

By the time Paul finished his undergraduate degree, he knew he wanted to pursue full-time ministry of some description, but he felt it wise to spend a few years working in a secular role before that. He ended up undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, during which time he worked for the university.

Paul met Vice Principal, John McClean, on a church camp during this time. John recommended that Paul begin studying part-time at Christ College, to keep him grounded in his faith while he was immersed in the world of academia. Paul took this advice, and then after completing his doctorate, he went on to full-time study at Christ College—completing his Masters of Divinity at the end of 2023.

While studying at Christ College, Paul was also working as an assistant minister at his church, Sydney Living Hope Community Church, and he taught classes in both Hebrew and Old Testament at the College, too—filling in for Greg Goswell when he was on leave.

During 2024, Paul worked full-time for his church, where his main roles were to oversee children’s programs and lead catechism classes.

“People did ask me if I was a little bit overqualified,” Paul admits. “But the more I did it, the more it helped me become a better teacher. My mum always told me if you can preach to kids, you can preach to adults. So I think it was a good time of growing. There’s no waste of time for God.”

When Paul first saw the Hebrew and Old Testament lecturer role advertised, he was shocked, because he hadn’t expected Greg to retire so soon.

“If you asked me two years ago, ‘Paul, would you want to be a lecturer?’ I would have said, ‘I’ll give my left hand—I’d do anything to be a lecturer,’” he shares. “But by the time the role was advertised, I had been teaching a fair bit more at the University of Sydney and at Christ College as well. And the rose colored glasses had fallen off—I had a more realistic understanding of it.”

So when Paul went into the job interview, he knew it would be a great opportunity, but he was also ready to accept whatever God had planned for him. As it turned out, he was the right person for the role, and he’s excited to begin in 2025.

When asked what he’s most looking forward to, Paul says he’s keen to watch students grow in their understanding of God’s Word and in their love for God’s Word. 

“As a teacher, when you see a student see the beauty of God in a more intricate way, it makes you want to teach more.”

Please pray for Paul as he begins his new role this year. He would love people to pray that he would stay humble and keep learning from God and learning from others.


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