Dr. Ki-Do Son: Answering the Call to Leadership and Faith
A Personal Passion for Ministry
For over a decade, Dr. Ki-Do Son has been at the heart of the Dong Kwang Church, a spiritual leader with a mission to serve, guide, and uplift his congregation. His journey to pastoral ministry is one rooted deeply in both personal legacy and divine calling.
Dr. Ki-Do Son first embarked on the pastoral path to carry on the legacy of his father, a pastor in a rural pioneering church. Dr. Son began serving at Dong Kwang Church in 2009, initially as an associate pastor where he was involved in various ministries such as youth, young adults, and worship.
A few months earlier in the winter of 2008, while attending a conference on raising young leaders, he received a specific calling: he felt God’s heart calling him to "disciple people." This became his ministry philosophy, recognizing that the expansion of the family, church, and God's kingdom ultimately begins with discipling people. To this end, he committed to six ministry essentials: the family, the next generation, service, worship, evangelism, and prayer.
In June 2018, he was entrusted with the role of senior pastor at Dong Kwang Church and has been serving in that capacity ever since.
A Vision for the Church
Dong Kwang Church is preparing to celebrate its 60th anniversary. Over the past six decades, they have strived to live their mission of “Becoming a Family”, providing direction, hope and a spiritual home for those who have lost their way. As the congregation looks forward to the next 60 years, Dr. Son has introduced a new vision: Discipleship and Kingship.
The initials "D.K." now represent more than just the church’s English name. 'D' stands for Discipleship - the commitment to living out the Christian faith in everyday life. 'K' stands for Kingship - the need to both live under the Kingship of Jesus Christ, and the recognition that committing to daily discipleship paves the way for the coming King.
This vision is further brought to life through six core elements for each letter. Under Discipleship are the six core ministries that Dr. Son committed to in 2008. Under Kingship is purpose, vision, light, time, blessing, and the Word. The church has taken these aspects and translated them into short English phrases that spell out “UPON THIS ROCK” – the church’s blueprint for the future.
A Journey of Faith and God’s Guidance
Dr. Son’s path to being trained for pastoral leadership was not without its challenges. In fact, his story of how he came to study at Northwest Seminary is a testament to God’s providence and guidance. In the Korean context, when a person is called to serve as a senior pastor they must stop working at the church for a period of time in order to prepare for their new role.
The quickest path for this preparation was studying abroad. Dr. Son spent three months diligently preparing his application for theological studies in the USA, completing his interview, and sending notarized documents. Unfortunately, one such document became lost in the mail. His only solution was to resend it, but this would cause significant delays and the semester was about to begin.
Dr. Son was devastated when the professor in charge suggested preparing for the next semester. He questioned whether it was God's will, wondering why He was blocking this path. Even after contemplating it several times, he could not understand God’s intentions, and was on the verge of giving up when he received an unexpected phone call.
The call was from missionary Lee Sang-ryul, who was staying in Port Coquitlam, BC. He had called to congratulate Dr. Son on his appointment to senior pastor. Upon hearing of his situation he quickly introduced him to a reputable seminary in Canada: Northwest. At first, Dr. Son was skeptical. He had never heard of anyone studying theology in Canada. He assumed Northwest must be influenced by liberalism or be of poor quality, “much like the skepticism Jesus received with, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’”
After exploring Northwest, he was surprised to discover that it was not inferior to the American school. In fact, Dr. Son describes Northwest as “a perfect fit for me.” The academic atmosphere, fellow students, colleagues, and above all, the way God guided him through the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed that God had known everything all along.
The Global Leadership program at Northwest Seminary was an unexpectedly refreshing experience. While most international students focus on biblical studies, systematic theology, church history, and practical theology, Dr. Son’s program proved to be exceptional in preparing his character and skill for biblical leadership and pastoral ministry in the Korean church.
The program provided new insights into the hierarchical structure of ministry in the Korean church. It guided him in transitioning from a dichotomous way of thinking to an integrated approach to ministry. It challenged him to prepare for future ministry not just from the perspective of personal pastoral ability and skill, but from a perspective of community and shepherding within the church.
Dr. Son is deeply grateful for the teaching he received from Dr. Larry Perkins who taught on Paul’s leadership, introducing new perspectives that continue to shape Dr. Son’s leadership today. He was also thankful for Dr. Kent Anderson’s structured approach to preaching which has become central to his weekly sermon preparation and delivery. He is “convinced that the Global Leadership program is essential for for the next generation of pastors, more so than any other theological education, Bible study, or systematic theology”.
Navigating the Challenges of Life
Balancing ministry with personal challenges has been a significant part of Dr. Son’s journey. In 2019, shortly after returning to Korea, his wife, Yoon Chae-won, was diagnosed with cancer. For the past five years, she has undergone over 60 rounds of chemotherapy. The weight of leading a church, raising three children, and caring for his wife has been heavy, but Dr. Son has no doubt that this too is within God’s providence.
“Even if my wife were to be taken from us, I believe that God has guided us without fail and will continue to bear the best fruit in our lives. If you feel moved while reading this, I humbly ask for a one-minute prayer for my wife and family, not just for the sake of saving her life, but that through this process God’s glory will be revealed.”
A Final Blessing
As Dr. Son looks toward the future, he is confident that God will continue to guide him, his family, and Dong Kwang Church. His passion for ministry is unwavering, driven by the belief that the true work of the church is in raising up people, preparing them for the coming of the King.
For Dr. Son, ministry is more than a career—it is a calling, a divine appointment to lead, love, and serve. His story is a testament to God's faithfulness, and his hope is to inspire others to live with the same trust in God’s providence. "Don’t pray to live, but live to pray." It is a philosophy to which we could all aspire.