Happy Teacher’s Day 2026!
Happy Teacher’s Day 2026! We Appreciate You!
As Singapore celebrates Teachers’ Day on 4 September 2026, we at East Asia School of Theology (EAST) give thanks for the teachers who faithfully invest in the lives of our students. At EAST, teaching goes beyond imparting knowledge. It is about forming the whole person—Head, Heart and Hands—equipping men and women to think biblically, grow in Christlike character, and serve faithfully wherever God calls them. But what does a good teacher look like through the eyes of a student? Three current EAST students—Joel De Vera from the Philippines, Candy from Indochina, and Themreiso Lamlang Awungshi from Manipur, India—share how their teachers have shaped not only what they know, but also how they live, serve, lead and follow Christ.
From Joel De Vera (EAST Student Council President, Philippines)
I value teachers who go beyond simply transferring knowledge. A good teacher helps form the whole person—what EAST constantly expresses through HEAD, HEART, and HANDS. In many of our courses, our teachers repeatedly ask us to reflect on these questions: “What does this mean for ministry? How does this shape the way I serve? How should I live and apply what I have learned?” A good teacher, therefore, does not simply help students learn; a good teacher helps students translate learning into life and ministry.
This is what I have experienced at EAST. My studies have influenced how I approach preaching, discipleship, evangelism, ethics, marriage and family ministry, contextualisation, spiritual disciplines, and leadership. For example, Christian Leadership Foundations taught me that taking care of my own health is also part of faithful leadership and helped me discern and develop a clearer vision for my church. Through Evangelism and Discipleship, we developed an evangelism program and a discipleship plan for our church. These are only two examples. In different ways, every course I have taken at EAST has contributed to my formation and ministry. I can genuinely say, “I minister differently now because of what I learned at EAST.”
But what makes my EAST teachers special goes beyond what happens in the classroom. Many of them ask, “How are you doing?” or “How is the church?” They pray for me, encourage me, challenge me, and sometimes correct me. Some have taken time to talk with me outside class. I remember one professor calling me before class and praying with me. And then there are the simple gestures of friendship—like one special professor who shares my craving for super-spicy chilli paste and brings me a small container almost every two weeks! These little things remind me that I am not simply a student to them; I am a person they care about.
Perhaps one of the things I appreciate most is realising that my teachers are indirectly ministering to my church through me. What they invest in me does not end with me. When a course changes how I lead, preach, disciple, or care for people, my congregation also benefits from what my teachers have invested in my life. This reminds me of Paul’s words to Timothy: “The things which you have heard from me… entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2, NASB95). What I receive at EAST, I have the privilege and responsibility to pass on to others.
So, to all my teachers at EAST: thank you for investing not simply in my education, but in the person, pastor, leader, and servant of Christ I am becoming. When you teach me, you are not investing in just one student. Your teaching finds its way into the church I serve and into the lives of the people God has entrusted to me.
Thank you for teaching us with your HEAD, HEART, and HANDS—and for helping us do the same.
From Candy (2nd Year Master of Divinity, IndoChina):
A good teacher is more than someone who transfers knowledge. A good teacher inspires, listens, guides, challenges, and walks alongside students. Especially in theological education, teaching is not simply about helping students understand Scripture or develop academic skills. It is also about shaping character, strengthening faith, and preparing students to serve God and others faithfully. A good teacher therefore teaches not only with knowledge, but also with wisdom, humility, patience, and a genuine love for students.
I have experienced many of these qualities through the teachers at East Asia School of Theology (EAST). In EAST, I have a chance not only to gain academic knowledge from my teachers but also to observe their daily lives as faithful servants of God. What makes them special is not simply their academic qualifications, but the way they connect what they teach with real life and Christian ministry. In the classroom, they encourage us to think deeply, ask difficult questions, examine our assumptions, and engage seriously with God’s Word. At the same time, they remind us that knowledge is not part and parcel of our ministry, but an application of it to everyday service.
My EAST teachers have impacted me in ways that go beyond the classroom. They have helped me see that learning is not merely about completing assignments or receiving good grades. It is a journey of transformation. Through their teaching, questions, feedback, encouragement, and personal examples, I have been challenged to become a more thoughtful student of Scripture and a more intentional follower of Christ. They have also spurred me on whenever I feel baffled and lost in my study. This is meaningful to me because I learned that teachers are not merely instructors by the book, but friends and mentors.
Perhaps one of the greatest gifts a teacher can give is the confidence to continue learning. My EAST teachers have helped cultivate that desire in me. They have shown me that a servant leader must remain teachable, humble, and willing to grow.
To all my EAST teachers, thank you. Thank you for your patience when I struggled, your encouragement when I felt uncertain, and your willingness to invest your time and experience in us. Thank you for teaching not only through your words, but also through your lives. Your influence will continue far beyond the classroom. I am deeply grateful for the seeds you have planted in me, and I pray that, by God’s grace, I will one day be able to pass on to others what you have faithfully given to me.
From Themreiso Lamlang Awungshi (2nd year Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Manipur, India):
My EAST teachers have taught me theology not only through the classroom, but also through the way they live, serve, love, and care for students. When I think about EAST, one of the first things that comes to my mind is my teachers—their lives, their humility, and the way they have impacted me. To me, a good teacher is not someone who cares only about students’ academic performance. A good teacher genuinely cares for students, listens to them, encourages them when they struggle, and helps them grow without making them feel intimidated or condemned. I especially value teachers who teach with love, correct with compassion, challenge students to think deeply, and remain humble and willing to learn themselves.
I have seen these qualities clearly in my EAST teachers. They have taught me servant leadership not only through their lectures but also through their everyday lives—cleaning classrooms, arranging chairs, and even serving us during meals. Their servant leadership is also seen in the way they care for students personally. Dr. Ying Kheng, for example, has shown genuine concern not only for my studies but also for my living situation, family, and ministry. Teacher Su has also deeply inspired me through her humility and willingness to learn from students. At the beginning of this semester, she asked us to share suggestions about how she could improve her role in facilitating our learning. Her willingness to learn reminded me that being a good teacher also means remaining a learner.
The greatest impact my EAST teachers have made on me is that they have made me want to become like them. When I return to my home country and serve, I want to serve others with the same spirit of humility and servant leadership. Through my theology classes, especially through Dr. Lewis and Dr. Jarred, I have also come to understand more deeply the Father’s love for me. Jesus prayed, “and have loved them even as you have loved me”(John 17:23, ESV). This has helped me understand that my motivation for ministry is not merely duty, but responding to the love God has first shown me. I am most thankful that my teachers have taught me theology not only through their words, but through their lives. When I look at them, I do not see their degrees first; I see servants of God who reflect Christ through humility, love, knowledge, and service. Their influence has changed the way I think about teaching, ministry, and discipleship.
Thank you to all the EAST teachers for believing in us, caring for us, correcting us, and showing us what it means to serve Christ with humility. Some of the things you have done may seem small to you, but they have left a lasting impact on our lives and ministries.To me, my EAST teachers are teachers who have not only taught me about Christ but have helped me see Christ through their lives.
The reflections of Joel, Candy and Themreiso remind us that the influence of a teacher reaches far beyond the classroom. A lesson thoughtfully taught, a question patiently answered, a prayer offered, a word of encouragement, or a simple act of humble service can leave an imprint that lasts for years—and may eventually touch churches, ministries, families and communities far beyond EAST.
To all our EAST teachers, thank you for teaching with your Head, Heart and Hands. Thank you for giving not only your knowledge, but also your time, prayers, encouragement and lives to those God has entrusted to you. As you help form students to become faithful servants of Christ, what you invest in them continues through the people they will one day teach, disciple, lead and serve.
On this Teachers’ Day, we honour you and thank God for you.
Happy Teachers’ Day!
EAST Library Catalogue
EAST Populi
National Library Board eResources
The Digital Theological Library
