By NCN News Staff
The Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary Board of Trustees elected Seung-an Im as the school’s next president this week. Im accepted the decision.
Im previously served as president of Korea Nazarene University.
William Patch, KNU president emeritus, and Donald Owens, general superintendent emeritus and founder of APNTS, recommended Im for the APNTS position.
“I know [Im] to be a person of integrity and honor,” Owens wrote. “His devotion to Christ and personal humility are attested everywhere. His achievements at KNU are widely recognized by his global denomination and leadership. He is well known in East and South East Asia as an aggressive activist for theological education and the Church of the Nazarene. He understands the role of higher education in the development of ministry and missionaries for East Asia and South East Asia. He knows how to organize an institution to gain support and excellence in the mission of the Church through higher education.”
Im served KNU in several capacities, including president (2005-2012), vice president, director of the University Development Office, dean of theological seminary, academic dean, director of the Planning Office, chaplain, professor, and lecturer.
He is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene and served in pastoral ministry at churches in New York and South Korea.
Im graduated from Drew University (Ph.D.), Yale University Divinity School (S.T.M.), Nazarene Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Soong-Sil University. He was also a student at Korea Nazarene Bible School.
“Dr. Im brings with him a wealth of experience and passion for Christian education,” said Mark Louw, Asia-Pacific regional director for the Church of the Nazarene.
“During the course of the recently concluded meeting of the Board of Trustees of the APNTS, the board sought in the character of the future president one who would help realign APNTS not just as a regional seminary, but as a global denominational graduate school of excellence embracing the strategy of the fields of the Asia-Pacific Region and the mission of the Church of the Nazarene in the preparing of men and women for ministry,” Louw said. “When studying the candidacy of Dr. Im, the board felt strongly impressed that he embodied the gifts, skills, graces, and experience required to lead APNTS into the next chapter of its existence.”
Previous APNTS President Floyd T. Cunningham announced last month that he would not submit his name for re-election. A missionary in the Church of the Nazarene, Cunningham served at APNTS in various capacities for nearly 30 years. He remains with the seminary and is providing orientation for Im.
Neville Bartle, APNTS Board of Trustees chair and New Zealand district superintendent, said he believes that Im is “God’s man to lead APNTS at this time.”
Bartle thanked Cunningham for his godly leadership over the past five years and pledged to Im the board’s full support.
“We will be praying for you (Im) and will do all we can to work with you as you lead the seminary into exciting years of growth,” Bartle said. “We pray that God will give you wisdom and His vision so that APNTS can be all that God wants it to be and that it can have an impact in many lives in many nations in the Asia-Pacific Region and also in South Asia.”
Im thanked those involved in recommending and accepting him to serve APNTS as president.
He prayed that, “the Spirit of God will lead me to the way of fulfilling God’s will upon me and upon APNTS.”
“I would like to serve God with the world-mission-oriented vision that God has given APNTS up to now,” Im said. “I would like to do my best to fulfill the divine mission and vision of APNTS.”
