On April 21, 2026, the Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) held its Tuesday Chapel Service where the Frederick Buechner Award was presented to outstanding students in the preaching class.
This annual tradition reflects APNTS’s commitment to excellence in homiletics and honors the legacy of Frederick Buechner (1926–2022), a theologian, novelist, and preacher celebrated for weaving faith and storytelling into Christian witness. The award recognizes students who excel in preaching by combining biblical exegesis, theological reflection, and creative communication.
During the service, Dr. Lynne Bollinger emphasized Buechner’s vision of “listening to your life”—a call to discover God’s presence in everyday experiences and communicate it with clarity and imagination.
Recipients were commended for both technical proficiency and pastoral sensitivity, demonstrating the ability to connect theological truths with the lived realities of their communities.
The award presentation served as recognition of individual achievement and a collective call to embody Buechner’s legacy of gratitude, storytelling, and theological imagination.
This year’s awardees included First Placer Hiếu Trương from Vietnam, who joined the class online and humbly gave way for Second Placer Sudesh Lama to preach in person.Honorable mentions went to Phu Sar Het, Park Young Ho, Hnin Nway Hlaing, and Oh Kyhwan, each receiving generous cash prizes from Beuchner Foundation.
The Chapel Service reaffirmed preaching as a vital ministry, reminding the community that it is not merely academic but a pastoral vocation requiring intellectual rigor and spiritual depth. The celebration concluded with renewed commitment to proclaim God’s Word with faithfulness, creativity, and compassion—hallmarks of Buechner’s enduring influence.
