wfn.org | Nishioka Named APCE Educator of the Year

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

6-February-1997 
97070 
 
             Nishioka Named APCE Educator of the Year 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
SAN DIEGO, Calif.--Rodger Nishioka, Association of Presbyterian Church 
Educators (APCE) Educator of the Year, believes that when God is at God's 
very best, "junior highers" are the result. 
 
     "I discovered this profound theological truth when I was teaching at 
Curtis Junior High School in Tacoma, Wash.," Nishioka said. "I love the 
energy, compassion, and resilience of early adolescents.  I very much see 
God in and through them." 
 
     Nishioka was born in Honolulu and grew up in Seattle in the Japanese 
Presbyterian Church where his father serves as pastor. "Those were 
formulative years for me," Nishioka said. "Kind and gracious folks conveyed 
the love of Jesus Christ to me in a distinctly Japanese-American setting. 
I'm profoundly grateful."  
 
     After teaching in public school, Nishioka was called to serve as the 
associate for youth ministry in the Atlanta offices of the former 
Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). "I call it my 
 Jonah routine' when folks ask how I got this job," he said. "I was 
reluctant and not at all sure that God was calling me to come work for the 
General Assembly. But my parents were supportive as were some key friends 
from around the denomination and Robert Miller, then the director of the 
National Ministries Division, was persistent and persuasive." 
 
     In his 10 years of working for the General Assembly, Nishioka has 
served as staff for the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, the annual Continuing 
Education Event for Youth Ministry Professionals, the National Presbyterian 
Youth Council and the Montreat Youth Conferences.  He travels frequently, 
leading workshops and keynoting youth events across the church. 
 
     Nishioka has also written and edited Presbyterian youth resources. His 
major accomplishment has been helping launch the Presbyterian Youth 
Connection, the church's new initiative in youth ministry. 
 
     "It's so exciting," Nishioka said. "The responses from the 
congregations large and small have been phenomenal." 
 
     In January, Nishioka assumed a new role with the General Assembly as 
coordinator of youth and young adult ministries. "Our congregations are 
filled with wonderful and faithful folks," Nishioka said.  "But if we look 
around, the one age group that is not with us is young adults, people in 
their 20s and 30s.  This new initiative is very exciting. We need to 
understand how we can attract and support young adults in our 
congregations." 
 
     Plans for this year include developing an initial resource for young 
adult ministry, a major new research project to deal with young adults who 
have left Presbyterian congregations, and the developing of a spiritual 
retreat model for young adults. 
 
     Nishioka is also studying full-time at McCormick Theological Seminary 
in Chicago for a Master's Degree in Theological Studies. He plans to pursue 
a Ph.D. in religious education and hopes to serve in a Presbyterian Church 
(U.S.A.) seminary as professor of Christian education. 
 
     "It's been an amazing journey," Nishioka said. "I am profoundly 
grateful to so many for their kindness and witness to me of Jesus Christ, I 
am so enthusiastic about what is ahead. God has great things in store for 
us. I am convinced of it." 

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