Dr. Alexander Jun was not a typical PCA General Assembly moderator. In addition to being the first Korean-American moderator, Jun broke the mold with his sheer buoyancy. When he took the gavel from outgoing moderator George Robertson, Jun pulled out his phone to photograph the cheering crowd. Then, he bounded over to Stated Clerk Roy Taylor to snag a selfie with the laughing Assembly in the background.

What did it mean to you to be elected as moderator of the 45th General Assembly?

I had the time of my life. Really. There were moments during the Assembly when I took it all in and found myself praising God for His goodness. The encouraging emails, texts, and Facebook messages I received (and continue to receive) in addition to the many people who intentionally prayed for me … wow. It reminded me once again that this is kingdom work, and thus is a spiritual endeavor.

After serving as moderator, what have you learned about the health of the PCA?

I have come to realize that we are one big crazy family, with cousins and uncles who all love our Lord and at times have disparate ideas and approaches on how to please the Father and bring Him glory. Some family members love the denomination and want to see us change for God’s glory. Others love the denomination and want to see us stay the same for God’s glory. It can get complicated when one fails to recognize and respect the other.

Do you have a favorite moment or memory from the 2017 General Assembly?

Definitely the selfie with Roy Taylor. God used that moment to remind me that while we should take the denomination’s work seriously, we should never take ourselves too seriously. In the end, we are all brothers in the Lord, called to serve faithfully and joyfully.

If I can add a second memory, it would be sharing the gavel as moderator with Mr. John Bise. [Bise was also nominated for moderator but lost the election to Jun.] The opportunity to work together … was a reminder that ministry is rarely done in isolation and working collaboratively brings glory to God.

Are there ways that you will be different as a ruling elder after serving as General Assembly moderator?

I didn’t realize until I returned home from North Carolina [after General Assembly] how much I appreciate the ruling elder’s call to the local church. Upon my return to church I was reminded of the many needs among the members in our congregation. Some members have no idea what I was doing at General Assembly. They  just know that I am their elder. That was something important for me to remember this year and in years to come — that the backbone of my work and calling as an elder is as an under-shepherd, to feed the sheep.