Enoch Wan Recognized for Contributions to Evangelical Missiology

Nov. 5, 2025

This fall, Western Seminary’s Enoch Wan, PhD, was recognized for the enormous impact he has had on the field of evangelical missiology over the past several decades. Dr. Wan was presented with the Lifetime Service Award by the Evangelical Missiological Society (EMS) on Oct. 4, 2025, in Dallas, Tex. He is the director of the PhD in Intercultural Education, and the Doctor of Intercultural Studies at Western.

As the architect of Diaspora Missiology, Dr. Wan opened up a new field of study that has since reshaped how we understand global migration in the context of God’s redemptive mission. His development of the Relational Paradigm has likewise provided a compelling theological alternative to the individualistic assumptions that have long undergirded Western theological models. Through a lifetime of publications—books, articles, and editorial work—he has equipped and inspired a generation of scholars, missionaries, and practitioners.

“Over the years, I have come to admire Enoch not only as a pioneering scholar, but as a man of deep character, quiet conviction, and gracious presence,” said Western President Chuck Conniry, PhD. “In many ways, he represents a model of what theological education should be: rigorous in thought, missional in purpose, and relational in practice. His work has been driven not by ego or acclaim, but by a desire to see the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed among the nations and lived out in the local church.”

In addition to receiving the EMS award this fall, Dr. Wan’s colleagues presented him with a Festschrift – a collection of writings published in honor of an academic scholar – at a conference in Edmonton, Alberta. The publication was titled “MAP: Missionary, Anthropologist, Professor,” and was edited by Jacky Lau, Mark Hedinger, and Sadiri Joy Tira.

“This Festschrift is a fitting tribute to a man whose legacy spans continents and generations,” said Conniry. “But more than that, it is a celebration of a life lived in obedience to Christ—a life that continues to bear fruit in the lives of those who have been shaped by his teaching, his scholarship, and his example.”