I’m sorry I didn’t respond earlier to your questions that you posted to me. Many things occupied my time and also I had internet problems at home.
You asked, “When are you going “to give the local leaders lead”? I mean, are you going to follow the UBF standard and “bury your bones in your mission field”? Or you have in mind that once you will step aside and set Jesus free in the hearts of local believers and in your church/chapter?”

When John and I became missionaries in Ukraine, I wanted to change our citizen ships permanently and live in our mission field but M.Sarah Barry told us not to do so because we don’t know God’s will in this matter for the future. She also wanted to bury her bones in Korea but God lead her back to the States. She said when she went to Korea as a missionary she gave the leadership to the natives and left. Also Vitaly my brother went as a missionary to the Philippines and began Philippine UBF. Then he left and let the native leader have leadership and the result now is amazing as Dr. Ben reports many times. Personally I will be happy and contented if a native leader will take over our ministry. John and I have poor health and the climate here is not good for us to live. John had TB as a child and he is often sick in the winter. Once he was hospitalized for 2 weeks for pneumonia. We are just bearing to live here until God raises a leader to take over our ministry. We are following the leading of the Holy Spirit. He will let us know in his time when he wants us to go.

Your other questions, “why do you hold on to this “strange” “human organization” called UBF? What do you think of those “who loves Jesus and dedicate their lives for his service” outside UBF? And what is more important, what do you think the Lord considers UBF and your choice for UBF?”

Vitaly as I said many times I met God through this ministry. You mentions that this organization makes people do many strange and crazy things. Each person has a choice to do what is right before God. If my UBF leader tells me to have an abortion I’ll tell them no way. While working with Samuel C. Lee, he asked me to do things that I didn’t agree with and I told him it was not right and I’m not going to do it. Later he realized I was right. These happened several times. If your UBF leader tells you to do something which you believe is not right before God. You have a choice. Don’t do it.

My brother left UBF and Philippines UBF after pioneering it. I respect my brother a lot. God used him. I have many Christian friends from other ministries. I love them and respect them tremendously. Now our ministry is working with Parish Nurshing in Ukraine. It is headed by an Orthodox priest, whom I highly respect. In my former response I said that God led me to this ministry. Before this ministry I was a Catholic and later a Charismatic. I’ve studied Bible with the Baptist ministry and even Seventh day Adventist. I’ved attended, church services in a Reform church and Assembly of God. But my heart and home is in UBF.

For instance, if we teach from the Bible that “immorality is bad,” without proper nuance and biblical balance and gospel focus, we will inadvertently communicate that “morality is good,” or that morality is better than immorality. But is this really true??? Are the nice looking moral Pharisees “better” than the disgustingly immoral prostitutes?

Similarly, being faithful, committed and unwaveringly doggeded could be good. But without nuance and balance, it can just as easily communicate pride, stubbornness, sanctimony, and self-righteousness.

In case you or anyone else is interested, this song has lyrics that describe very well what I went through as I left UBF. I had built a glass cathedral with others in Toledo UBF, and it crashed to the ground:

Glass Houses

In my case, no UBF person “fished me.” God was working in my heart, and in 1980 I personally approached a Korean Christian at my hospital who happened to be a UBF missionary. In my case, clearly God led me to approach this man, who taught me the Bible and brought me to UBF. While preparing to study the Bible with him, I became a Christian in 2 weeks at age 25. I have little doubt or question that it was God’s guidance and leading that led me to this man, to Bible study, and to UBF.

As I look back on my 24 years of UBF life and experience more and more of orthodox Christianity, I would strongly contend that your list is a list of han-syndrome shortcomings.

I would contend that most UBF members are not committed to Christ but are committed to UBF heritage and to specific people in UBF. The UBF machine doggedly rolls on, connecting to other Korean/Asian groups and presenting a better and better public face, all the while ignoring the pain of hearts, minds and lives shredded by their teachings. Such doggedness is a horrible sin, not a strength.

People must decide for themselves whether it makes sense to stay, and also whether or how long they can do so without making companionship with evil or becoming corrupt themselves. As Vitaly says, there is a point where your conscience will not allow you to stick together with corrupt people or organizations any longer and associate with them, and the Bible also says that this is not a good idea (Rom 16:17, 1Cor 5:11, 2Cor 6:14, 2Thess 3:6 etc.). But everybody must decide on his or her own whether that point has been reached or not. A general measure stick and a hallmark of a Christian is whether somebody is open to talk frankly, to admit mistakes and principally willing to repent. In that regard I have little hope for the old time top UBF leaders. I can have more hope for the next generation, but I think they should make a clear cut and not compromise or cover up the past.

One last remark regarding your point number 1: “God put me there.” For you, this may be clear, but what do you really mean with this? UBFers often talk like “God did this and God this that”. For instance, the official UBF sites wrote last year “God chose Dr. Abraham T. Kim as the new UBF General Director”. How do they always know whether God did this or that? I think UBFers should really abandon such language. Everybody knows that in reality, some behind-the-scenes committee of top UBF leaders (that is not even mentioned in the report) chose Abraham Kim. Why do they know God chose him? Probably the same people who chose Abraham Kim wrote titled their report “God chose Abraham Kim”. How hubristic is that? Of course, you can interpret everything that happens as “God did”. But then, why always mention this? And why only mention this for particular things? If everything that happens is done by God, then the criticism of UBF is also done by UBF. There is another issue with believing “God put me here”, which was also my belief for 10 years. You feel that it’s a miracle that some Korean missionary knocked on your door and invited you, and interpret it as a sign of God. But on the other hand, you know they knock on everybody’s door. It was just a time where you had been particularly susceptible. For “pushy” organizations it’s easy to make people believe that God had led people into their arms. This also continues. When your shepherd or director gives you “orientation” or “direction” you again interpret it as God is doing this, and are expected to write “God told me to…” or “God showed me to…” in your sogam. Really? People should grow up and make their own decisions about their own lives, based on their own conscience and let the Holy Spirit talk to them directly. It would be better if people said “I feel like God put me there” instead of just “God put me there.” But even then, you may just as well feel that God will put you out there again.

1) God put me here. I did not ultimately choose to be here.

2) Christ is the head of UBF and I worship Him in this body of Christ.

3) Some of my children are in UBF. My grand-children will likely also grow up in UBF. I want to work for a better UBF for my own family.

4) Many of my closest intimate friends are in UBF. They will be affected in some way if I leave. It may be discouraging to some.

5) I have an audience in UBF who will hear me share what I believe. If I leave, I will perhaps be heard less well. I want to be invested for the future good of UBF, which is the bride of Christ.

6) Though this is subjective, my conviction and submission and acquiescence and worship is ultimately to God by staying in UBF.

In UBF our overemphasis on what we must dutifully do as good Christians sometimes clouds the beauty of the gospel of what God has done for us, so that we indeed worship and rest from our souls. Our UBF “religion” sometimes obscures the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24).

Here’s my recently coined contrast from my sermon yesterday: http://westloop-church.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=273:man-schemes-god-reigns-gen-381-30&catid=15:genesis&Itemid=13

Religion (wrongly understood and poorly communicated) says, “Live like this.” The Gospel says, “You can’t!” Religion says, “Obey.” The Gospel says, “Believe.” Religion says, “Conform.” The Gospel says, “Be transformed.” Religion says, “Work.” The Gospel says, “Rest.” Religion says, “Do.” The Gospel says, “Be.” Religion says, “Change.” The Gospel says, “Respond.” Religion says, “Disgrace.” The Gospel says, “Grace.” Religion is about rules. The Gospel is about Jesus.

I think that you are certainly correct that anyone’s greatest strength can also be (and probably is) their greatest weakness. The same is true for a UBFer’s determination, devotion, doggedness, and do-not-give-up spirit (I know, Ben, that you love alliteration!). Ben, you mention the flip side of doggedness as being unapologetic. I agree with that, but I would add another: being so dogged and determined and focused on a task that they lose focus of the pure worship of God. The primary goal of a Christian and the church is worship. Evangelism, preaching, raising disciples–these are all temporary necessities for this present age that will fade away when our hope is revealed in Jesus’ coming and the eternal kingdom of Christ. I think when a UBFer is so dogged and determined to keep to the task and be a good soldier and fight the good fight, they risk ignoring the higher calling of worshipping God and simply enjoying His freedom and grace in Christ.