“I am not going to join your Bible cult!” The words sting. My heart races. I smile weakly and walk away. That was my last encounter while fishing on campus for someone to be part of the kingdom of priests and holy nation. What is fishing, you may be asking? What is a kingdom of priests? Good questions. Fishing is the insider language we used at a Korean campus organization called University Bible Fellowship (UBF). Fishing is the group’s interpretation of what Jesus meant when He told His followers they would become “fishers of men” (see Matthew 4:19). The idea was to go fishing on campus. It meant a weekly or daily excursion walking around a college campus and inviting students to Bible study. We had the holiest of intentions in doing this. The fact that I need to translate what I used to do on campus speaks volumes as to why I wrote this book. My hope is that current members will be reading this, and so I begin with some thoughts for them to consider.
The quote above is from my book, Identity Snatchers (now available in Spanish!)
As the new semester begins on campuses around the world, I feel compelled to promote my book and to share a new resource that may be of help to former ubf members. This is the book I wish someone had given me back in 1987… I would have known that “one hour per week” invitation to one-to-one Bible study was a ruse masking the missionary’s desire to guide me into arranged marriage and to train me with dead dog training.
For students being recruited by ubf shepherds, I suggest reading my four books. I hope you will read them before being approached by a depressed-looking-plastic-smile ubf Bible shepherd.. before the entanglement of UBFism finds you on campus.
For those former members who need help after the traumatic experiences of the ubf cult, I suggest a new resource a friend brought to my attention today: The Courage Conference. The abuse at ubf chapters ranges from spiritual abuse to sexual abuse, and all kinds in between such as financial abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, identity abuse and time abuse.
Just recently, the 40th person contacted me for help to understand UBFism and/or to leave their ubf chapter. For them, I am all the more committed to the tagline of the Courage Conference. I will discern, defend and deliver.
“dead dog training”: sad that man’s best friend has to be denigrated to fix man’s failed religion:)
Yes mark, sad indeed.
Here are more quotes from my book in case anyone is interested:
http://ubfriends.net/quotes-from-my-new-book/
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!