by Nicole Hackett, Student Public Relations Writer
Mother and son duo Karin and Justin Daun will graduate with their Master of Ministry (M.Min.) degrees from Cedarville University this coming May.
In 2017, Justin graduated from Cedarville with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. As an undergraduate, he connected with Dr. Trent Rogers, interim Dean of the school of biblical and theological studies and director of the M.Min. program. Rogers encouraged Justin to read more from Christian authors like C.S. Lewis and John Piper. The suggestion soon turned into a habit for Justin which continued after graduation.
Soon after graduating, Justin sought relationships with people who challenged him to think deeper about the books he was reading. So he contacted Rogers for options, and Rogers introduced Justin to the M.Min program at Cedarville. A selling point: Justin could complete the degree online while working full time.
While on a bike ride with this mom, Justin told her about his plan to pursue a Master of Ministry degree. Although Karin had not previously considered going back to school in her retirement, within two minutes, Karin felt led to join him. Karin knew she wanted to do Kingdom work after 33 years in corporate America, but she did not realize it meant going back to school until that bike ride.
“I love studying the Bible, but I felt like I needed more structure and more accountability,” said Karin.
The pair has taken about 80% of their classes together, giving them the opportunity not only to study the Bible in more depth individually but also to explore Scripture together.
“After being out of school for over 35 years, it was reassuring to have Justin as a classmate. I’ve loved being able to talk through what was discussed in class with Justin,” said Karin. “The conversations often carried over into our family time together.”
Justin still plans on continuing his career in engineering, but the personal growth, especially in humility, has made earning the master’s degree more than worth it in his eyes.
“When we obtain new knowledge of anything, we can choose to take pride in that knowledge or be humbled,” explained Justin. “As I have learned more in the M.Min, I am humbled by how big and infinite God is.”
This heart of humility is also helpful to Justin when engaging others in theological conversations, especially his coworkers who are not yet believers.
“They see me studying or reading during our lunch break, and I’m able to share how I’m earning a master’s degree in ministry,” said Justin. “Especially in the engineering workplace, saying, ‘I’m earning a Master of Ministry degree,’ usually sparks a conversation. I’ve been able to discuss some of the ideas I’m studying with my coworkers.”
Karin is semi-retired, devoting much of her time to serving with several international ministries and her local church. She has used, and will continue to use, the resources gained in the program as she works with mission organizations and as a Bible study leader and disciplemaker.
“I would absolutely encourage everyone to get a Master of Ministry just to keep growing in their faith,” said Karin. “As we grow deeper in God's word and the disciplines of the Bible, we will be better missionaries, whether it's here or abroad.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,550 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Master of Ministry degree, strong graduation, and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.