Rev. Dr. Karthik Sibanyanam is currently serving as a lecturer at STM, teaching Systematic Theology, Philosophy and Theology, Theology of Diakonia, and Pastoral Counseling. He is also the Director of the newly established Institute of Diakonia at STM and the Associate Director of the Centre for Religion and Society.
He is an ordained pastor and minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia (ELCM). He has served in ordained ministry since 2001, following the completion of his basic theological education and ministry training at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM) in 2000. Over the past 26 years, he has served in various churches and pastoral ministries in Malaysia.
After completing his Master’s degree in Practical and Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, USA, he continued his pastoral ministry, particularly serving churches in the Teluk Intan and Bagan Datuk areas. His Master’s studies focused especially on Lutheran doctrine, church conflict, and pastoral and marriage counseling. Upon returning to Malaysia, alongside his pastoral ministry, his growing passion for social ministry and community engagement led him to pursue further training in special education. He is a certified special education teacher from Dika College, Selangor, and served as a special education trainer and Director of Bethany Home, Teluk Intan, between 2009 to 2018.
During his ministry at Bethany Home, Rev. Dr. Karthik was actively involved in community development and social care, particularly in serving persons with disabilities (PWDs) and families. He developed partnerships with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, churches, and community groups to strengthen services and create greater opportunities for PWDs and their families. These experiences further deepened his interest in organized social work, community engagement, and the development and management of social and faith-based ministries.
His continuing interest in diaconal ministry and the organization and management of social care ministries led him to pursue further postgraduate studies in Germany, focusing on diaconic theology and the interdisciplinary study of social care and the management of diaconic ministries. In December 2025, he completed his doctoral studies and received his PhD from Bielefeld University, Germany. His doctoral dissertation, Gotong Royong Social Management: A Cultural Approach to Organize and Manage the Social Welfare Care Services in Malaysia, explores Gotong Royong as a Malaysian cultural approach for organizing and managing social welfare care services.
His teaching, research, and ministry interests bring together theology, pastoral ministry, diakonia, social care, community engagement, and the organisation and management of Christian social ministries.