Volker and JinHyeog Glissmann served with Operation Mobilisation in Russia for three years from 1997 to 2000. Out of this experience they developed a strong desire to continue to serve Christ's Church. Working alongside both city and rural congregations, among people who had survived the Soviet persecution in Siberia, they repeatedly noticed the need for relevant biblical and theological training for both pastor and elders, as well as for ordinary church members.
In 2002, with their first child just eight months old, they began to prepare to be better equipped for God's service.
Lacking the right entrance qualification for a university degree, Volker began with a one-year certificate course at Belfast Bible College, taking his A-Levels at the same time. Eight long years of continuous study culminated, in early 2010, in Volker being awarded a PhD in Old Testament Studies through Queen's University, Belfast.
Volker testifies: “God has been faithful and saw us through a number of years of study. One year was spent as an exchange student at Trinity Theological College in Singapore, a year that proved to be very fruitful and stimulating because of its deeper church focus.”
The Glissmanns never imagined they would ever consider serving in Africa! Looking back, they can see how God has opened so many doors, guiding them not just to Malawi but in particular to work with TEEM – Theological Education by Extension in Malawi – a nationwide, distance-learning theological institution. TEEM epitomises everything they long to be part of, especially its new focus: providing training for leaders in rural congregations.
The really exciting thing for them has been the realisation that the seemingly different and varied strands of their lives are, in fact, purposefully connected: the eight years or more of experience that Volker gained in administration, working as a clerk for the German government (his last job was as registrar for international students at a university); his theological training in recent years; their shared mission and cross-cultural study experiences; and Volker’s interest in theological education - all coming together to form a foundation for what’s to come.
Volker is Director of TEEM, which prior to taking up this appointment was without a fulltime director for about a year. TEEM had also had quite a number of changes in both staff and board membership. Currently, TEEM offers a Diploma in Theology,accredited through the University of Malawi, along with Lay Leadership Coursesdesigned to help lay ministers and local church leaders.
TEEM’s main office is in Zomba, where the Glissmanns are living, but it also has offices in Lilongwe, covering the Central Region, and in Mzuzu in the North, so this means that Volker will have to travel quite a bit.
Part of Volker's role is to update TEEM’s overall curriculum. Some courses need urgent revision and rewriting, while new courses need to be designed and implemented. In addition, the balance between academic, spiritual and practical elements of the material needs to be addressed, so that TEEM can maximise the benefits gained by its students and the churches they serve.
Much of JinHyeog's time is taken up with running the home and looking after the children. However, after being Director of Music in Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church for three years, she was keen to find an outlet for her musical gifts, which she now has through teaching a music course at Zomba Theological College.
The Glissmanns are a truly cross-cultural family: Volker is German; JinHyeog, South Korean; whilst until moving to Malawi, Northern Ireland is the only ‘home’ their three children have known!
In moving to Malawi, they have had to cope with big changes and many challenges but they are excited by the way God is using them in this new sphere of service in Malawi, building on their previous work and mission experiences, as well as on their theological studies and interests in theological education and music.
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