Sunny chung (Ma '07)
 I did not think that I would attend seminary one day. But
Westminster Seminary California was exactly where I needed
to be in order to cultivate a fuller-orbed understanding of
the Gospel and a deeper burden for the unity of the church.
It was also here that I was equipped with doctrinal
categories that will assist me in discerning truth from
error, and it was here that I gained the confidence to
navigate that framework.
Theology and Practice
Though I primarily gained the vocabulary of Reformed
theology in the classroom, my learning was enhanced by on-campus
events such as lunch-time seminars, the den Dulk lectures,
chapel devotions, and faculty conferences. These opportunities showed me what practical
application of theology looks like, beyond the classroom
walls. I have especially cherished the den Dulk lectures,
when each year a seasoned pastor comes to WSC to share his
wisdom and encouragement with those preparing for the
ordained ministry. Although these lectures are directed
primarily toward future pastors, they are spiritually
profitable for every member of the church, whether male or
female, because there is always a correlate between the
under-shepherd and his flock. These pastoral lectures also
gave me a better understanding of how to pray for the
leaders of the church.
Head and Heart
The education that WSC provides is rigorous, and I have been
on the receiving end of God’s grace in this area many times.
I have been amazed by how little I knew as I sat through my
first classes and by how much I have yet to refine. But WSC
trains one to be a student of the Word, and in that sense,
to be a student for life. I also never cease to be
encouraged by the pastoral hearts of the gifted faculty that
drive their careful scholarship. These pastor-scholars do
not stand beside accolades but behind the Word of God. While
doctrine is taken seriously, it is also great fun to know
that the students and professors do not take themselves too
seriously (the wonderful seminary wives have a hand in that
as well, I would say!).
Education and Vocation
Being at an institution that is second to none in preparing
men for pastoral ministry and that also serves as a
springboard for those who go on to pursue doctoral studies,
I admit that I wondered more than once what I was doing
here! I wondered at the same time what I would do with my
education when I graduated. I often felt as thought I was
standing on the tips of my toes, trying to peer over the
fence to ascertain what lay ahead. I gradually came to the
assurance that whether or not I apply my education
vocationally, God will mark the way in his wisdom and in his
time – and being a student in the meantime has indeed been a
vocation.
Now that I have graduated, I continue to work for White
Horse Media, which shares the same campus as WSC. I had not
heard of Modern
Reformation or the
White Horse Inn radio
program before I arrived as a student, and learning through
these resources not only aided my studies but they have also
personally edified me by giving me further perspective on
the inter-denominational engagement between the church and
the surrounding culture.
Commitment and Vision
Some things have changed since I first stepped foot on
campus as a student: Friday afternoon volleyball being
displaced by Ultimate Frisbee; the new stately presence of a
clock tower; a new campus bookstore that carries not only
theological titles but also Moleskine journals; new
landscaping and café tables scattered around campus; the
changing tide of the student body; and of course, not one
but two ping-pong tables. But there remains the same
unwavering commitment to the recovery, defense, and
proclamation of the pure Gospel. This has been here long
before I became a student and by God’s blessing will
continue to be here long after as WSC sends out graduates
both near and far.
When I worship at my church each week, I look around and see
young and old, some having grown up in the doctrines of
grace and some receiving them for the first time. I hear
children behind me following along with the liturgy. I see
black, white, Asian, and Hispanic, and know that we are
united firstly through the blood of Christ. I hear
redemptive-historical preaching that points to the person
and work of Christ. The mission of Westminster Seminary
California can never be separated from the edification of
the church. I have come away knowing Christ more, savoring
his Gospel more, and loving his church more, and for that I
am thankful for the work that God is pleased to do through
this community of faith that is Westminster Seminary
California.
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