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Although Nakorn Pathom is just 40 miles west of Bangkok, a city
of 10 million people, Nakorn Pathom is a lush agricultural area
and Buddhist heritage site. Christians are a tiny minority in
Thailand, only 1 percent, but they continue to increase steadily
in a country about the size of Texas where 92 percent of the population
is Buddhist.
Before coming to Christian College Ken was on the staff of the
Pastoral Ministry Unit of the CCT, serving as pastor to pastors,
director of spiritual life retreats, and a professor of pastoral
theology in the seminaries of the CCT. Ken was the executive director
of the Christian Communication Institute (CCI) at Payap University,
which has pioneered using Thai folk drama and performing arts
as a medium for evangelism. This was accomplished while under
joint appointment of the PC(USA), the Disciples of Christ, and
the United Church of Christ. Ken oversaw the transition from expatriate
to Thai leadership of the CCI in a much shorter period than anticipated.
As a part of the Pastoral Ministry Unit, Ken had an important
and unique ministry to pastors, many of whom are refugees: Laotian,
Burmese, Lahu, and Chinese, as well as Thai. Having been a resident
of Thailand for many years and knowing the language and culture,
he is able to communicate and lead; as an "outsider,"
he can also challenge and question.
Ken is a native of Jacksonville, Illinois. He received a BA from
Illinois College, a BD (MDiv) and STM from McCormick Theological
Seminary, and his doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Between terms of service in Thailand, Ken served as assistant
pastor and interim pastor in Maple Heights, Ohio; as pastor in
Pontiac, Illinois; and most recently as pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church of Alton, Illinois. Ken is a clergy member of Giddings-Lovejoy
Presbytery. Ken has two adult children, Julie and Andrew. Julie
has returned to Thailand where she teaches in the CCT’s international
school in Chiang Mai.
Birthday: May 14
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