Maj. Victoria Shiroma - My Joy and Privilege

It has been a joy and a privilege to serve as a member of the Nazarene Bible College adjunct faculty since 2017. Having retired as a Salvation Army officer and minister just two years earlier, I was grateful for the opportunity to continue in ministry in a new way —helping prepare and encourage those who are called to serve Christ and His Church.

One of the special blessings of teaching at NBC has been reconnecting with students I previously taught at The Salvation Army College for Officer Training. Watching them continue to grow academically has been rewarding but seeing their growth as spiritual leaders has meant even more to me. There is something deeply meaningful about witnessing God continue to shape the lives and ministries of those you once had the privilege of teaching.

At the same time, meeting new students from both The Salvation Army and the Church of the Nazarene has added even greater richness to my experience. Each class brings together students with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Their insights and life stories continually remind me that teaching is never a one-way experience. I often find that I learn just as much from my students as I hope they learn from me.

There was a point when I seriously considered resigning from teaching. I wondered whether it was time to step aside and allow a younger generation of educators to take over. Yet my students seemed to have a different idea. Through their encouraging comments, personal affirmations, and feedback on end-of-course surveys, they repeatedly encouraged me to continue.

I am very thankful that I listened.

Today, I find myself enjoying my role as an educator more than ever. Teaching at Nazarene Bible College continues to give me an opportunity not simply to share what I have learned through many years of ministry, but also to walk alongside men and women as they prepare for the ministry to which God has called them.

As long as God continues to provide the opportunity — and Nazarene Bible College will have me — I hope to continue teaching, learning, encouraging, and serving for many more years.

- Maj. Victoria Shiroma serves as an adjunct instructor at Nazarene Bible College in Pastoral Ministries.