Daniel Kim

With medical school under his belt, Dan Kim enrolled in a 7-year surgery program at Brown University. His parents were so proud. Coming from a Korean background, the family expectations were high—so, a few years later, when he announced that he would be leaving the surgery program to attend Dallas Theological Seminary, no one could believe it.

He had finished two years of clinical surgery and begun a research phase in his third year of the program, which gave him some free time. He spent this extra time studying God’s Word, teaching Sunday school, and being involved in discipleship. As he studied the Bible, he found that his passion for Scripture was stronger than his passion for surgery.

Dan was encouraged by a book called Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon.

“He talks about what it means to be called to ministry.” Dan said. “Everything Spurgeon talked about I felt that I was experiencing. It really helped to confirm that God was calling me to full-time ministry.”

His pastor, DTS alumnus Earl Comfort, had greatly influenced Dan by making God’s Word come alive. Although Dan had considered other seminaries, what helped him make the decision to come to DTS was that he wanted the same grasp of the Bible that his pastor had.

“He preached the Word with such conviction, passion, and love,” Dan said. “Choosing Dallas Seminary was not a hard decision.”

In February of 1998, after he felt like God had confirmed this new direction, Dan made the decision to leave surgery.

“I prayed every day, even up to the day I left, that if God didn’t want me to go, I would stay. My parents even gained peace about the decision, which was further confirmation of God’s will.”

After he made the decision, he felt like a great burden was lifted off his shoulders. The chairman of his surgery department was highly supportive, and he received several awards the last few months he was there. The department left an open door for him to someday return to the program.

“God really blessed me the last few months I was there. By His grace I was able to glorify Him even in leaving the program.”

Currently in his last year of his Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural Ministries degree, Dan plans to return to Rhode Island with his new wife, Julie, to finish his surgery residency. After that, they hope to go to South Asia. They have a burden for Muslim and Buddhist communities and he hopes to work in or build a hospital in an impoverished and unreached region.

In addition to his studies, Dan has worked as a youth pastor for the past 4 years at a Korean church in North Dallas. He chaired the World Evangelization Conference and served as the president of the Student Missions Fellowship for the past two years. He also founded and led a homeless ministry, which reached out to street people in Dallas, bringing them hope in Christ.

What advice would he give to his fellow students?

“Holiness is difficult to obtain without discipline. We must be disciplined in all areas of life to be disciplined in any.”