David Sun Lim

Name: David Sun Lim
Place of Birth: Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Date of Birth: September 9, 1953
Profession: Theological/Missiological Educator, Missionary Trainer, Mission Mobilizer
Ministry: Executive Director- China Ministries International-Philippines, Inc. (CMI-Phil.)

Educational History:
1970 - High School - West Negros College - Bacolod City
1974 - B.A. Psychology (magna cum laude) - University of St. La Salle - Bacolod City
1977 - Master of Divinity - Asian Theological Seminary - Quezon City
1981 - Master of Theology - Asian Center for Theological Studies (ACTS) - Seoul, Korea
Thesis: The Concept of "the Church" in the NT and Its Implications for the Churches in
the Philippines
1987 - Ph.D. in Theology (New Testament) - Fuller Theological Seminary - Pasadena,
California, U.S.A.
Thesis: The Servant Nature of the Church in the Pauline Corpus.


Ministry/Employment History:
1978-1992 - Asian Theological Seminary - Quezon City
Nov. 1978 - May 1981 - Instructor in Greek & New Testament
June 1980 - May 1982 - Dean of Student Affairs
June 1981 - May 1983 - Assistant Professor in New Testament
June 1982 - May 1983 - Director of Extension Programs (Study Leave for PHD)
July 1987 - May 1989 - Associate Professor in N.T. & Contextual Theology
June 1988 - March 1992 - Dean of Academic Affairs
June 1989 - March 1992 - Professor in N.T. & Contextual Theology

1992 - Center for Community Transformation - Quezon City
February - September - Co-Founder & Director of Training

1992-1994 - Oxford Centre for Mission Studies - Oxford, U.K.
October 1992 - August 1994 - Pew Lecturer in Two Thirds World Theology
February 1993 - August 1994 - Associate Academic Dean, Chaplain
May 1993 - August 1994 - Assistant Editor, Transformation.

1994 - present - China Ministries International- Philipines, Inc.
September 1994 - Present - Co-Founder & Executive Director,
Researcher in Chinese Mission Theology

Other Ministry Involvements at present:
Missions:

1. Adjunct Professor of Hermeneutics & Biblical Theology - PACE Graduate School Christian
Education, Inc.
2. Guest Professor of Hermeneutics & New Testament Theology - Asia Pacific Nazarene
Theological Seminary
3. Lecturer on Urban Ministry - Asian Theological Seminary
4. Faculty - CrossTrain
5. Theological Consultant - Center for Community Transformation, Inc.
6. Theological Consultant - Alliance of Christian Development Agencies (ACDA), Inc.
7. Board Vice-Chair - Philippine Missions Association (PMA)
8. Board Vice- President - National Coalition for Urban Transformation (NCUT)
9. Board Chair - Asia Missions Network, Inc. (AMNET)
10. Board President - Asian School for Development & Cross-cultural Studies (ASDECS)
11. Board Member - Foundation for Transformational Development (FTRAD)
12. Board Treasurer - Punlad Buhay Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PBMC)
13. Research Consultant - International Fellowship of Evangelical Mission Theologians
(INFEMIT)

Previous Ministries:

A. Theological Education

1. Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, U.K. - Post-graduate certificates and degrees for Two-Thirds World-based church leaders and missionaries
2. Center for Community Transformation - MA level for Christian development workers and trainers.
3. Asian Theological Seminary - M. Div. level for church and seminary ministries in Philippines and Asia.
4. Asia Graduate School of Theology - Philippines - ThM, Ed.D. & D.Min. level for Asian seminary faculty
Member, Area Committee - June 1988 - May 1991
Lecturer - Biblical Hermeneutics, NT exegesis (Matt. 5-7; 1 Peter), Theology of Mission
5. Penuel School of Theology - B.Th. level for urban poor pastors
Member, Board of Directors - August 1987 - August 1992
6. Philippine Association of Bible & Theological Schools (PABATS) - fellowship of evangelical Bible schools & seminaries
President, Board of Directors - September 1987 - August 1991
Acting Executive Director - September 1989 - July 1992

B. Wholistic Ministry Development (for Christian Professionals)

1. Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship-Philippines - in student and graduate ministry
Co-founder & President, Campus Chapter - February 1971 - March 1974
Chairman, Bacolod Leaders' Council - July 1972 - March 1974
Member, Board of Directors - June 1982 - May 1983; June 1989 - May 1991
2. Metonoia Foundation, Inc. - in psychology & education
Chairman, Board of Directors - August 1987 - December 1992
3. ATS Center for Transformation Studies, Inc. (ACTS) - in media, government, politics, law, and business
Chairman, Board of Directors - June 1988 - March 1992
Acting Executive Director - June 1988 - December 1991
4. Asian Center for World Mission, Inc. (ACWM) - in para-church & mission agencies, and church mission boards
Chairman, Board of Directors - June 1988 - February 1992
Acting Executive Director - June 1988 - February 1992
5. C.A.R.E. - Philippines, Inc. - in urban poor ministries
Treasurer, Board of Directors - August 1988 - December 1992
6. Ethnic Services Foundation, Inc. (ESFI) - in Muslim mission
Treasurer, Board of Directors - September 1988 - December 1992
7. Asia- Pacific Christian Mission-Philippine, Inc. (APCMPI) - in urban & tribal ministries
Member, Board of Directors - September 1987 - May 1989
President, Board of Directors - June 1989 - December 1992
8. Fellowship of Christian Urban Stewards (FOCUS) - in coordinating & training urban ministries in Metro Manila
President, Executive Committee - June 1988 - June 1990
Member, Executive Committee - July 1990 - September 1992
9. Christian Leaders Alliance of the Philippines (CLAP) - in representing evangelical churches on national issues
Secretary, Executive Committee - July 1988 - June 1991
Secretary, Paper Drafting Committee - July 1988 - August 1992

C. Chinese -Filipino Evangelization

1. Bacolod Trinity Christian Church, Bacolod City
Infant Baptism (Presbyterian) - 1954
Confirmation - 1970
President, Trinity Youth Fellowship - 1970-73
Sunday School (secondary level) teacher - 1972-74
Choir member, Trinichords, Triniteens - 1970-74
2. United Evangelical Church of the Philippines (UECP)
Choir member - August 1974 - August 1977
Intern Youth Minister - June 1975 - August 1977
Vol. Youth Minister - November 1978 - May 1983; August 1987 - August 1989
Youth Pastor (part-time pay) - September 1989 - August 1991
3. Philippine Young Ministries' Koinonia (PYMK)
Co-founder & Executive Secretary - January 1982-May 1983
Secretary - January-December 1988
President - January 1989 - December 1991
Co-editor, Koinonians - January 1989 - June 1992
4. Filipino Chinese Christian Foundation, Inc. (FCCF)
Member, Board of Directors - September 1978 - May 1983; Sept. 1987 - Dec. 1992
Associate General Secretary - July 1981 - May 1983
Program Coordinator, Summer Conferences - 1988-1992

D. International Partnerships

1. International Fellowship of Evangelical Mission Theologians (INFEMIT)
Member, Partnership in Mission-Asia (PIM-Asia) - March 1982 to present
Member, International Council (Asia Rep.) - April 1990 - August 1993
Southeast Asia Coordinator, PIM-Asia - September 1990 - August 1992
2. International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS)
Member - 1990 - present

Major awards

Feb. 11, 2000. Most Outstanding Alumnus, West Negros College, Bacolod City.

Featured in:

Yao, Santos. 1999. "David Lim." In Footprints of God: A Narrative Theology of Mission, eds. Charles Van Engen, Nancy Thomas & Robert Gallagher. Monrovia: MARC. Pp. 164-173.

Quoted extensively in:

Davis, John. 1993. Poles Apart? Contextualizing the Gospel. Bangkok: Kanok Bannasan (OMF Publishers) and Bangalore: Theological Book Trust.
Tizon, F. Albert. 2005. "Mission as Transformation in the Philippines: The Holistic Journey of Radical Evangelicals in Global-Local Perspective." Ph.D. Dissertation, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California.

Major Works:

1983

"Biblical Christianity in the Context of Buddhism" in Sharing Jesus in the Two-Thirds World, ed. V. Samuel & C. Sugden (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983): 175-203.
"Baptism and the Church," Christian Forum 6 (1983): 57-73
"Of Filipinos and Fiestas," Christian Forum 6 (1983): 95-104

1984

"Speaking in Tongues," Christian Forum 7 (1984): 34-73
"World Evangelization: Mission Impossible?" Ambassador Communique (June 1984): 1-2.

1985

"Towards a Christian Response to Communism," Evangelical Thrust 12 (November 1985): 12-14

1986
(Chinese) "Ethnic Identity," Challenger (January 1986): 1-3.
"Why We Should Form an Evangelical Political Party," Evangelical Thrust 13 (August 1986): 12-13; and (September 1986): 14-15, 18-19.
"A Plea for an 'Ethics of the Cross'," Transformation 3 (October-December 1986): 1-5.

1987

"Beyond Success: Another Awakening Through U.S. Evangelicalism?" The Evangelical Round Table, II: Evangelicalism: Surviving its Success, ed. David Fraser (Princeton, N.J.: University Press, 1987): 210-236.
"The Origin, Nature and Organization of the Synagogue," Studia Biblica et Theologia 15/1 (April 1987): 23-51.
"The Development of the Monepiscopate in the Early Church," Studia Biblica et Theologica 15/2 (October 1987): 163-195.
"A Biblical Theology of Christian Patriotism, Part I," Evangelical Thrust 14 (September-December 1987): 4-7.

1988

"The Living God in the Structures of Philippine Reality," Transformation 5 (April-June 1988): 1-7.
"U.S. Military Bases: Out!," Evangelical Thrust 15 (July-August 1988): 18-19. Also in National Journal and Isip-Isak.
"A Biblical Theology of Christian Patriotism, Part II," Evangelical Thrust 15 (July-August 1988): 36-39.
"Asian Churches as Servants of God," Evangelical Review of Theology 12/4 (October 1988): 292-306.

1989

"The City in the Bible," Urban Ministry in Asia, ed. Bong Rin Ro (Taichung: Asia Theological Association, 1989): 20-41. Also in Evangelical Review of Theology 12/2 (April, 1988): 138-156.
"The Servant Church," Evangelical Review of Theology 13/1 (January 1989): 87-90.
"Evangelization of Asia: Our Biblical Mandate," Asian Center for World Mission (ACWM) Newsletter 1 (April 1989): 1-3.
"Church and State in the Philippines, 1900-1988," Transformation 6/3 (July-September 1989): 27-32.
"Manila Manifesto's Twenty One Affirmations: A Commentary," Ministry Digest 1/2 (September- October, 1989): 7-8.
"Chinese Filipinos: Patriots or Parasites?" Koinonians 1/1 (December 1989): 1,8.

1990

"Doing Christ's Mission in Christ's Way," ACWM Newsletter 3 (January-June 1990): 5, 8-9.
"Death Penalty: It Depends on the People's Moral Maturity," Ministry Digest 1/4 (January-March, 1990): 24-25.
"Holy Church in the Secular World," Koinonians 1/2 (March, 1990): 2-4, 6.
"The New Testament Teaching on Jews in Relation to Jesus," Paper presented at the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelization (March, 1990), 32 pp.
"The Doctrine of Creation and Some Implications for Modern Economics," Transformation 7/2 (April-June 1990), 28-32; and 7/2 (July-September 1990): 21-23.
(Chinese) "Towards a Biblical Theology of Christian Patriotism," Chinese Churches Today 136 (June 1990); and 137 (July 1990): 40-43.
"Reaching the World through Discipleship Groups," ACWM Newsletter 4 (July-December, 1990): 1-2,4.
"Biblical Basis for National Sovereignty," Isip-Isak 3/3 (December 1990): 4-5.

1991
(Chinese) "Understanding Poverty from the Doctrine of Creation," Chinese Churches Today 143 (January 1991): 45-47; 144 (February- March 1991): 52-55; and 145 (April, 1991): 40-42/
"Born to Debt? Reflections on the Debt Crisis," Patmos 7/2 (1991): 16-20.

1992
Editorial: "We can Raise Good Leaders for the Nation," Transpormasyon 3/1 (First Quarter 1992): 1-2.
"What Kind of Missionaries for World Evangelization," APCM Newsline 4/1 (March-April, 1992): 1.
Transforming Communities: Biblical Concepts on Poverty and Social Justice. Manila: OMF Literature.
Column. "Spiritual Revival and Progress," Christian Journal (September 1992): 8.
"Reaching the Diaspora Chinese" New Testament Insights for the Contemporary Situation," Chinese Around the World (October 1992): 1-6.

1993
"The Maturation of Social Ministry in Local Churches," in Abundance and Maturity, ed. First Evangelical Church Editorial Committee (Hongkong: Christian Communications, Ltd., 1993).
"Fullness," Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, ed. G.F. Hawthorne & R.P. Martin (Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1993): 319-320.

1994

Book Review: "Jeremy Seabrooks, Victims of Development: Resistance and Alternatives (London: Verso, 1993)" Third Way 16/10 (January 1994): 28-29.
"Theological Trends in Asia," Themelios 19/3 (May 1994): 17-19.
"Beyond Success: Another 'Great Awakening' Through U.S. Evangelicalism Soon?" Emerging Voices in Global Christian Theology, ed. William A. Dyrness (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994): 165-197.
"Binding the Strong Men," Third Way 17/10 (December 1994): 20-21.
"The Uniqueness of Christ for Justice and Peace," The Uniqueness of Christ (Carlisle: Paternoster, & Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994): 214-230.

1995
"An Interview with Ruth S. Callanta," Transformation 12/1 (January - March 1995): 12-14.
"Training for Wholistic Missions," Paper presented at a workshop of the Consultation of Missionary Training, December, 1995.

1996
"Comparison of Two Evangelical Missiologies," Paper presented at a Training Seminar in Missionarty Training, December, 1996.

1997
"Evangelism in Early Church," Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Development (InterVarsity Press, 1997): 353-359.

1998
"An Evangelical Critique of 'Initial Evidence' Doctrine," Asian Journal of Pentecostal Sudies 1:2 (July 1998): 219-229.
Speaking in Tongues. Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1998.
Christian Patriotism. Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1998.

1999
How to Share Gospel Tracts. Mandaluyong: OMF Literature, 1999.
"The Fastest Way to Evangelize the World: Church Multiplication." Quezon City: China Ministries International-Philippines, 1999.

2000
"Let's Democratize Missions." Q.C.: CMI-Phil.
"Transforming Churches: From Christendom to Servant Church." Q.C.: CMI-Phil.
"Riding the Next Wave of the Spirit." Q.C.: CMI-Phil.
"A Critique of Modernity in Protestant Missions in the Philippines," Journal of Asian Mission 2:2
(September 2000): 149-177.

2001
"Consolidating 'Evangelicals and Catholics Together." Q.C.: CMI-Phil.
"Role of Evangelicals in Depending Democracy in the Philippines from 1986-1998." Paper presented at Conference on Evangelicals and Democracy, Washington, D.C., 2001.

2002
"Pauline Spirituality in Pauline Contexts." Asia Theological Association Journal, 2002.

2003
"Towards a Radical Contextualization Paradigm in Evangelizing Buddhists" in Sharing Jesus in the Buddhist World, eds. David Lim & Steve Spaulding (Pasadena: William Carey Library, 2003): 71-94.
"The Challenges of Empowering Philippine Churches for Effective Missions to China (and Beyond)" in Asian Church and God's Mission, ed. Wonsuk & Julie Ma (Mandaluyong City: OMF Lit., 2003): 195-210.

2004
"A Missiological Evaluation of David Yonggi Cho's Church Growth," Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies 7/1 (January 2004): 125-147. Also in David Yonggi Cho: A Close Look At His Theology and Ministry, ed. Wonsuk Ma, et al (Baguio City: APTS Press, 2004): 181-207.
"Mobilizing the Local Church in Evangelism and Mission," Journal of Asian Mission 6/1 (March 2004): 43-57.
"Church @ the Frontiers: Transformation through Church Planting Movement and Community Development." Paper presented at Sealink Conference, Caliraya, Laguna (June 2004).

2005
"Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Philippines: the ASDECS Vision and Experience." Paper presented at the IAPCHE Conference, Mumbai, India (January 2005).
Sharing Jesus Holistically With the Buddhist World, ed. with Steve Spaulding. Pasadena: Wm. Carey Library, 2005.
"Vignettes of Filipino Tentmakers," Connections 4/2 (Sunner 2005): 36-37.
"Filipino Missionaries in the Buddhist World," PMA Post (2nd Quarter 2005): 1-3.
Sharing Jesus Effectively in the Buddhist World, ed. with Steve Spaulding. Pasadena: Wm. Carey Library.

2006
"Are Local Churches Hindering Real Church Growth?" Ministry Digest 16/1 (January-February 2006): 13, 34.
"Catalyzing 'Insider Movements' in Buddhist Contexts." Paper presented at SEANET Conference, Chiangmai, Thailand (January 2006).