Connect with a student
ALC has a diverse group of students who are on a pastoral ministry journey. This month we meet Pastor Yongbong Cho - a student from the Queensland District who is enrolled in a Master of Theology degree.
Yongbong serves as a Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) at St Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Brisbane with a special focus on Korean ministry and supporting people from different cultural and language backgrounds.
Having previously completed a Bachelor of Theology award at ALC in 2017, Yongbong chose to return to study at ALC as part of the continuing education requirement expected of all pastors of the LCA, and because he wanted to expand his knowledge of Lutheran theology and pastoral formation.
My experience studying with ALC has been both challenging and encouraging. It has stretched me academically and theologically, while helping me grow in confidence and clarity. I have also appreciated learning with lecturers and fellow students from different ministry contexts.
ALC has helped me engage more deeply with Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, pastoral theology, and the life of the church. As someone serving in a multicultural ministry setting, I value theological study that does not remain only academic but also helps me to shape the way I serve people pastorally.
Studying with ALC has helped me connect theological learning with faithful service. It has deepened my understanding of Scripture and Lutheran theology, while helping me serve with greater confidence, integrity, competence, and compassion. Continuing to study and research as a pastor has also helped me remain teachable, reflective, and better equipped for ministry in a changing world.
I would encourage others to consider studying at ALC because theology is not only something we study; it forms us for service. I would especially recommend ALC to those who are earnestly seeking to discern their calling and wondering how their faith, gifts, and service might come together. ALC offers a place where study, vocation, and service to God’s people come together.
