About David Jang

Dr. David Jang is the Founder of Olivet University. A visionary Christian leader, theologian, educator, and Korean-American missionary, Dr. Jang has dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.

He pioneered grassroots mission efforts, personally traveling on foot and leveraging digital media to spread the Gospel in challenging and restricted regions globally. Emphasized mission training via Olivet University as a ‘seedbed,’ producing disciples and leaders committed to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19).

Early Life and Education

Dr. Jang was born in 1949 and earned his Bachelor of Theology and Master of Divinity from Hanshin University, Korea’s premier Presbyterian theological seminary. He also earned an M.A. in Communications from Yonsei University, a private Christian research university in Seoul. Additionally, David Jang has his Ph.D. in Public Administration of Social Welfare from Dankook University, a top private university in Seoul.

His mentors include Dr. Ralph D. Winter, a leading American missionary (U.S. Center for World Mission), and Dr. Jang-sik Lee, a respected teacher of Korean church history, missionary leader, and founder of Olivet University Korea.

Founding Olivet University, San Francisco

Dr. Jang founded Olivet University in 2004 in a humble basement in downtown San Francisco. He chose this city because of its rich ethnic diversity, which continues to be part of Olivet’s diverse faculty and student population.

David Jang quickly aligned Olivet with the needs of the Great Commission and the global Christian community, expanding beyond its flagship Theological College & Seminary to include schools of Music, Journalism, Art & Design, and Technology. He also invited Dr. William Wagner, a renowned mission strategist, to join the faculty, who, in turn, brought in local scholars who continue to serve Olivet today.

In 2005, Olivet moved into the former UC Berkeley Downtown Extension Campus, ideally equipped for its mission. The following year, Dr. Jang passed the presidency to Dr. David James Randolph, becoming International President to lead global outreach.

Under Dr. Jang’s leadership, Olivet flourished, gaining accreditation from the Association for Biblical Higher Education in 2009, launching new schools of Business and Language Education, and expanding to offer a full range of degrees, including doctoral programs. Partnerships also deepened, most notably with the World Evangelical Alliance, where Dr. Jang joined the North American Council in 2007.

Dr. Jang’s vision to train young men and women for global mission through formal theological education continues to shape Olivet’s growth and service to Christ today.

Founder of Christian Media Outlets

A seasoned expert in both theory and practice in church administration and Christian media, David Jang founded numerous Christian media outlets. He is the founder and senior advisor of Christian Today, Christian Daily Korea, and Christianity Daily International. Dr. Jang is also a founding team member and former senior advisor of The Christian Post.

Recognized for Journalistic Excellence

Christian Daily International was recognized with the Evangelical Press Association’s (EPA) Award of Excellence for Newspaper/Online News in 2025, earning second place. The award, presented at the Evangelical Press Association’s annual convention, acknowledges the publication’s overall excellence, including writing quality, editorial content, design, and navigation. Additionally, Christian Daily International previously earned second place in the EPA’s “Best in Class” awards in 2024.

Leadership Roles

He helped establish and is the President of one of the most prominent Christian media outlets, Holy Bible Society. He leads efforts to leverage digital technology for bible accessibility in unreached mission frontiers.

Dr. Jang was a North American Council member for 11 years of the World Evangelical Alliance, contributing to evangelical unity and mission strategy globally. He was also the 88th president of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Korea, serving in high-level leadership within the denomination.

Dr. Jang founded Apostolos Missions, a campus mission organization, and 11 specialized mission organizations, dedicated to spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth and making disciples. He also founded the Diakonos, a gathering of deacons, and devoted his life to fostering the church’s interest in front missions to fulfill the Great Commission. He also trained back-mission workers, or business as missions, to support this effort.

He continues to counsel and minister to many families in Christ, commenting on the Bible and teaching students.

A Life of Giving

After completing his doctorate, Dr. Jang started a church and donated all its assets. Since then, he has been working to support and educate poor students and families financially. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). He believes that through knowing the grace of Jesus Christ it is our duty to imitate his emptiness and humility, and to work to enrich the poor of this world.

Personal Life

Dr. Jang is a respected family man, husband, father to two sons, and grandfather to his beloved granddaughters. His hobbies include golf, swimming, tennis, and reading.