Victor Chen
Associate Pastor of Outreach
Staff Position: Overseeing Global Outreach ministries, which includes coordinating seasonal missions projects, connecting with foreign ministry partners and preparing future workers to go out on the missions field.
Education and/or experience:
Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cell Developmental Biology from UCLA and a Masters of Divinity from Talbot Seminary. Previously employed at International Medication Systems (IMS) as a Bacterial Endotoxin Analyst in the Microbiology lab (sounds more important than it is).
Family: Husband to Kelly and father of daughter Zoey
Favorite Hymn: Be Thou My Vision
Favorite Worship Song: Open the Eyes of My Heart
Favorite authors: C.S. Lewis and Tim Keller.
Favorite band: David Crowder Band (so sad they're breaking up)
Favorite singer: Tim Ouyang of Timbetold
Favorite songwriter: Brooke Fraser
Hobbies, interests, pastimes: Huge sports fan following UCLA athletics, the Lakers and Jeremy Lin! Enjoy playing basketball and golf. Huge David Crowder fan. Enjoy playing guitar, piano and writing songs. Huge Kelly and Zoey fan. Enjoy playing with Zoey and living life together with Kelly.
Top 3 favorite Lakers basketball players:
3. Eddie Jones -When I really started getting into playing basketball in Jr. High, I wanted to play like Eddie Jones. He had a move -from the corner, cross over, go baseline for a layup -that I would practice over and over again.
2. Sedale Threatt -I really began to follow the Lakers after Magic retired and so I followed the point guard who replaced him. I still remember his 35 point game against the Suns in the playoffs.
1. Magic Johnson -I guess you don't really appreciate Magic until you realize that you will likely never see another player like him. He made Lakers basketball fun to watch as a kid -something all Lakers fans deeply long for.
Favorite foods: I love pho and any other noodle soups (Ramen, Niu Rou Mien, Jam Pon, Thai boat noodles, etc.)
Life verse: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” -John 3:30
Favorite people in the Bible: Joshua, Elisha and Timothy -Second string guys that God called to be first string guys and by God's power were able to fill the shoes of legends (Moses, Elijah and Paul). I guess I identify more with these guys than the legends.
More recently, I've appreciated the ministry of Barnabas and model much of my ministry after his.
Countries I visited: Canada, China, Greece, Haiti, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Thailand, Turkey
Countries I hope to visit next: Japan, some place in Africa and South America
Books I recently finished:
- Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (read it after watching Wicked)
- Peter and Wendy by James Barrie (read it after watching Hook)
- Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller (read it after studying the book of James)
- What is the Mission of the Church? by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert (read it amidst the ongoing debate)
- Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (finished it in two days! Powerful fictional retelling of Hosea)
Current books I am reading:
- Forgotten God by Francis Chan (I always enjoy reading Chan)
- Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Spy by Eric Metaxas (I'm really enjoying this Biography)
- The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (The Kindle was made for fictional works like this)
- But No Elephants by Jerry Smath (My daughter's current favorite)
- The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm (Parents, this is the children's bible to get!)
- The Rhyme Bible Storybook for Toddlers by Linda Sattgast (Parents, this may be easier for toddlers)
Latest blog: To the Ends of the Earth
Facebook: Victor Chen
Twitter: victorkchen