A Crazy Time of Joy: How the AGST-EAST DMin Programme Shapes Ministry Leaders

 

How one ministry leader discovered growth, resilience and renewed joy in pursuing the Great Commission

When Luke Park Dae-Yeun began his Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Leadership studies at EAST, life was already moving at full speed.

A staff member of Korea Campus Crusade for Christ (KCCC) with 28 years of ministry experience, Luke had just returned home from overseas missions. His teenage son was adjusting to school, and the family had adopted twin baby girls that same year.

“Yes, my life was crazy busy,” he recalls.
Balancing family responsibilities, demanding ministry commitments and doctoral studies was no easy task. There were many moments when Luke considered giving up. Yet, through the encouragement of his faculty and mentoring group leader, Dr Raymond Go, he persevered.

“Of course, many times,” Luke says with a laugh when asked whether he had wanted to quit. “You can say they owned my journey.”
That sense of ownership would become central to both his doctoral research and his ministry.

Nurturing Ownership for the Great Commission

As the campus director overseeing thirteen university campuses across eight cities near Seoul, Luke was deeply concerned with how to cultivate a lasting commitment to Christ’s mission among his student disciples.

His DMin dissertation explored how to nurture ownership of the Great Commission among students.
“I wanted to explore how to nurture ownership for the Great Commission among my student disciples,” he explains. “If they internalize the vision, everything they do becomes a joy.”

For Luke, effective ministry goes beyond getting people to participate in programmes or fulfil assigned responsibilities. It involves helping them embrace God’s mission as their own, so that service flows from personal conviction rather than external pressure.

This is especially important in discipling the next generation of Christian leaders. When students genuinely own the vision of the Great Commission, their commitment to ministry can become more purposeful, sustainable and joyful.

Growing Through the Difficult Seasons

One of the key insights Luke identified in his research was the importance of working through disequilibrium in the learning process.
Disequilibrium refers to an imbalance or interruption that challenges our existing understanding or way of doing things. Although uncomfortable, these moments can become opportunities for resilience, reflection and new learning.

Rather than treating disruption as something to avoid, Luke learned to recognise how working through difficult seasons could contribute to personal growth and leadership development.
He put this principle into practice among his staff and students. The results were encouraging: Luke reported an increase of more than 100 per cent in student attendance as they applied these ideas in their ministry context.

The principle also proved transformative in his own life. As he learned to navigate the demands of doctoral studies alongside family and ministry responsibilities, he experienced growth and joy through the very challenges that had once threatened to overwhelm him.

Learning in Community

Luke’s journey also illustrates the importance of a supportive learning community.
The encouragement of his faculty and mentoring group leader helped him remain committed when the demands of study became difficult. Their investment in his journey reflected the value of walking alongside ministry leaders as they learn, reflect and grow.

For those already serving in demanding ministry contexts, doctoral studies can be challenging to sustain. Luke’s experience reminds us that perseverance need not be a solitary effort. Thoughtful mentoring, meaningful relationships and a willingness to learn through difficulty can make a significant difference.

The DMin journey became more than an academic undertaking. It was also a season of personal formation that shaped how Luke understood leadership, discipleship and the Great Commission.

From Study to Ministry Impact

Luke’s experience offers an encouraging picture of what theological education can accomplish when rigorous learning is connected to real ministry challenges.

Through the AGST-Alliance and EAST Doctor of Ministry in Leadership programme, he explored a question that mattered deeply to his work: how could he help students take personal ownership of Christ’s mission?

The insights gained through his research informed his leadership among staff and students, with encouraging results in student attendance and his own experience of growth.

His story reminds us that ministry leadership is not simply about doing more. It is about forming disciples who understand and embrace God’s purposes, and helping them serve out of conviction and joy.

Finding Joy in the Journey

Luke began his DMin studies during a season when family life, ministry and study competed for his time and energy. There were moments when the demands felt too great. Yet with encouragement, perseverance and a willingness to learn through disequilibrium, the journey became one of growth and joy.

His testimony points to an important truth for ministry leaders: challenges do not have to be interruptions to our formation. In God’s hands, they can become part of the process through which we are shaped for greater faithfulness.

As EAST and AGST-Alliance continue equipping leaders for the Church and society in Asia, Luke’s story offers a glimpse of how advanced theological education can strengthen ministry practice and deepen commitment to the Great Commission.

Sometimes, a season that feels impossibly busy can also become a season of profound joy.

About the AGST-EAST DMin Programme
The Doctor of Ministry in Leadership programme is designed for ministry leaders seeking to deepen their leadership and strengthen their ministry practice through advanced theological reflection and research. Luke Park Dae-Yeun’s story illustrates how learning, mentoring and perseverance can contribute to renewed vision and more effective ministry.

Source: EAST 32nd Commencement publication, “A Crazy Time of Joy,” page 7. Original story was written by Dr Lau Ying Kheng.