Bridging the Church and the World: My 20-Year Journey at Virginia Union University

Long ago, when I applied for the PhD program at Vanderbilt University, I wrote in my cover letter that my goal was to serve as a bridge between the church, the world, and academia. This vision was deeply shaped by my first career at LG, where I gained invaluable multicultural experience working in our overseas offices in Panama and Miami. Following that corporate foundation, I began my formal theological education by earning a Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago before advancing to my doctoral studies at Vanderbilt. Transitioning into this theological journey, I wanted my academic work to be grounded in real-world, global realities.

Looking back over the past 20 years, I am deeply grateful for this path and believe I have fulfilled that initial promise very well. I have lived out this bridge role across four key areas of my life and vocation: teaching, publication, community service, and digital spaces.

• Teaching: A central part of this journey has been my time at Virginia Union University, where I have had the privilege of teaching and equipping many students for their own theological reformation through a pedagogy that is always critical and practical.
• Publication: This bridge-building is equally evident in my extensive research and writing. Over the years, I have been blessed to be a prolific author, publishing over 20 books and editing four volumes that showcase critical yet practical scholarship.
• Community Service: Beyond writing and classroom teaching, I have stepped out into the wider community to lead collaborative projects and accept invitations to lead Bible study groups at various denominational conventions.
• Digital Spaces: Lastly, I actively use digital spaces to engage with others. Through this very blog, Dr. Yung Suk Kim's Theological Journey, and my YouTube channel, Dr. Kim's Biblical Studies Channel, I am able to communicate and share insights with a vibrant, global audience every day.

I am so thankful for all the work accomplished over these two decades, and I am excited to do even more in the coming years. I pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen me for the road ahead. From the bottom of my heart, I say here, "Here am I, Lord. Use me and send me wherever you need me."