LOL. When was the last time you went to a staff conf? Oh wait :)

KOPHN is very much used. I heard it over and over and over at every conf/staff conf up until 2011. It’s in most “work of God reports”, in most prayer topics, and in many “messages”.

Well put, Brian. In ubf I was taught that there is “no equality among the believers and no communism, the one who works harder is higher and greater, and missionaries work harder and they sacrificed a lot, left their own country and came here. So, of course, in heaven the missionaries will receive more reward and will be greater and higher that the shepherds. There is capitalism in heaven!”. There is no equality in ubf even in heaven.

Out of ubf I learnt that there is the beautiful equality in Jesus among believers here on earth and of course in heaven.

There is the complex, multi-layered answer dealing with cultural issues, theological issues, historical issues, personality issues, etc.

Or there is a rather simple explanation: KOPHN. Outsiders have no idea what this means. But every ubfer certainly does. KOPHN explains all the phenomena reported here on this website and in all the 150+ public testimonies of former members. It is the starting point of dialogue in regard to each of the 3 reform movements in the past 50+ years, as well as the current ubf-labelled “crisis” of leaders leaving.

KOPHN simply does not equate to the sound doctrine called the “priesthood of all believers”. KOPHN is a faulty explanation of a couple verses taken out of context.

KOPHN is a fantasy, disconnected from reality and disconnected from the bible canon. KOPHN goes way beyond theology or ecclesiology or correct Christian mysticism and enters the realm of magical fantasy and cult-like control. KOPHN requires much manipulation, denial and perceived reality to be sustained.

KOPHN is exposed with verses such as Hebrews 11:13-16. Christians do not look for a literal “holy nation” here on earth. Our citizenship is in Heaven. Our city is yet to come. All of Hebrews ought to be studied by ubf as a means of correcting this fatal flaw.

“13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

As many have already stated, a simple acknowledgment of the obvious facts that have already been expressed by countless people will go a long long way. Why might this be so hard to do?

“‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” This principle was beautifully illustrated by God’s people in UBF.”

Indeed, that is what I experienced. Too bad such a teaching is coupled with “Be thankful and loyal to ubf while you submit to your shepherd until the day you die and then one day you bow down to your shepherd in heaven.”

I love this articulation: “I had responded well to externally-imposed regiments like devotions, testimony-writing, and Bible study, but I had not actually become disciplined in my inner person.” A big DITTO for my experience as well.

I can say I learned a handful of truths in ubf over 24 years. But I am currently learning bucketfuls of truth on a daily basis now that I’ve thrown off that which was entangling me.

Like Ben, I wrote testimonies (or messages) every week ubf style for 24 years and missed only 3 Sunday services (I was called “Satan” for the first of those…I’m such a sinner…!) But I write SO much more and SO much more meaningful now! (at least to me :)

And THAT is why WL is #1 on my redeemed ubf list…which at the moment is a rather short list. Could this list become so long someday that I can’t keep track? I hope so!

For myself, after 27 years of “writing testimony” every single week without fail, I finally said, “I’m done!” I decided to never write another testimony for the rest of my days!

Two conflicting emotions arose: Guilt and Liberation. Am I sinning and grieving God if I do not write a testimony? Emotionally I felt I was. But logically and reasonably, I knew I was not. Then the explosion of liberation flooded my soul.

Interestingly, after deciding to never write another testimony for as long as I live, I have been writing more than ever. With testimonies I write only once a week. But with blogging, commenting, emails, I am probably writing far more than I ever did during those 27 years of weekly testimony writing.

Now at WL, the vast majority of us no longer write or share testimonies weekly either. But it does not mean that we no longer share. Boy, instead, we are now free to share or not share. Especially, the quality, depth and authenticity of our spontaneous and extemporaneous sharing has been real and refreshing, which in my opinion builds relationships and intimacy among ourselves in Christ more genuinely.

For our gatherings, we no longer follow a predictable formula, but perhaps follow the pattern of 1 Cor 14:26-33, where I think you can interchange the words “prophets” and “prophecy” for “sharer” and “sharing,” without butchering the exegesis.