Yet another self-glorifying report of ubf work

“I wrote this report according to late Dr. Samuel Lee’s spiritual legacies.”

“Jesus’ prayer topic for his disciples was to be unified. Shepherd Mark Vucechovich, who was my instructor while I was in training for new mission field, said to me, “You should never say, ‘I will change this ministry or I will fix up.’” I followed his teaching faithfully. It worked well.”

“On the other hand, UBF missionaries look like a handful of mountain goats because many of us, like me, don’t have any seminary education background and experience. Instead, we do self-Bible study and dig the Scriptures and we are equipped with the knowledge of God. UBF missionaries directly interact with native college students using the very words of God through one to one. UBF missionaries teach them, train them, rebuke them, and raise them as future spiritual leaders of the country and shepherds for the flock of God.”

“In addition, many of us are self-supported. This too is God’s grace. In a very unique way, God has worked in UBF world mission. Actually, Jesus was a lay missionary as a carpenter apprentice of his father Joseph’s carpenter shop. He left with divine glory and power. He served sinners in many ways and suffered many hardships of sinful man and endured persecutions. He faced misunderstandings even from his own family, insults, humility, and abuse and eventually gave his life for our sins.”

And yes, marriage by faith (arranged marriage) is still reported:

“We pray that God may raise two exemplary house churches in this year between Ap. Mike and Patience and shep. Albert and Ap. Nakato.”

Speaking of the child abuse event you mention, here is my article with links to German newspapers about the 2001 event in Germany ubf.

Let me quote the Bible once more: “… train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, …” Even Apostle Paul, who was not a family man, did not preach that parents should neglect their children.

By the way, there was a big scandal in 2001 around the UBF chapter in Bonn, becuase of beatings of children and members, and child neglect. It was so evident that even neighbours and Kindergarden teachers noticed it and reported it to the police. The same UBF director under whose regiment this neglect happened was demonstratively praised and backed up by Samuel Lee and then became European national director.

This is really truly so very very sad to hear, Joshua: “My wife tried bringing the baby once to campus in a stroller for fishing, and was severely rebuked. And so our three daughters spend 5-6 days/wk with a babysitter and my family accrued >$15,000 of debt due to babysitters alone. And heaven help us if our babysitter was sick on Sunday morning and our children had to come to the SWS! Even when there were no other students in attendance, we were still strongly chastized for making a “bad environment for students” by bringing children.”

My wife took my kids fishing with her at UIC almost as a weekly norm for many years, so much so that my kids take credit today for UIC students coming to Bible study. It was because the students were “cooked” by how cute my kids were and their hearts were melted by them when my wife invited them for Bible study.

Not to mention that most mornings were spent in daily bread meetings. But you’re right, I had a wonderful time hanging out with my children and talking to them for 15 minutes between getting home from daily bread at 7:30 and leaving for work at 8:00. And let’s not forget the kiss on the forehead while they were sleep after returning from our meetings, and the “family worship service” we squeezed in before the regular SWS. High quality UBF-style parenting! They are certainly ready to maintain the legacy and carry on the UBF mission of obliterating families for the “sake” of the gospel. Mission accomplished!

So, I’m glad that the above didn’t happen to your family. But do you know what that means? The missionary/shepherd serving you completely failed to properly teach you the “heritage” and “legacy” of UBF. You dodged the bullets that have laid waste to hundreds of families, spouses, children, and grandchildren in the trenches of “UBF campus mission”. They are the ones who are really on the front lines and who are really being shot down and attacked, the bodies being trodden underfoot as the so-called “marines of Christ” march ever onward in conquest.

That’s not quite true. You just don’t have the time to hang out with your kids if you’re a commited UBF member, who needs to be “financially autonomous” (“tentmaker”), feed many sheep, and take part in all activities. During the week, you work at day and make Bible study with your sheep or have UBF meetings in the evening. And the weekend is crammed with UBF activities anyway. Not to speak of taking vacation. You can’t have vacation with your family like normal parents do because you have always to be there for meetings, particularly the Sunday service. You cannot skip even once. Also, taking vacation is seen as lazy and ungogly. This thinking was so deeply ingrained in us (trhough UBF!) that we couldn’t even have normal vacation for some time after we left UBF, because we felt this would have shown that we have become lazy and wordly after leaving UBF. Whenever there was a holiday, our chapter director fille it with UBF activity. And then tere were all the conferences and conference preparations. So, considering all these things, when do you have time to talk to your kids and hang out? In practice it’s impossible if you lived in a chapter like mine and if you’re a commited UBF member.

Of course, there are chapters that are a bit more relaxed, and there are some thick skinned members who don’t really care and manage to live in UBF according to their own lifestyle, considered as unspiritual by the commited members, and always on the edge of being kicked out. But I think they are a minority and they do not represent the typical traditional UBF mindset.

This stuff is real folks. As former members who went through the ubf shunning process, our children, our lives and marriages are on the line.

Christian pastors have been helpful but ubfriends is my church community. Thank you so much for the “cup of cold water” you and Joe have given our family, Sharon. It means more than anyone could possibly know.

But, I am fully aware about dynamic and changing chapters. Presently, I am in one of the most dynamic chapters I have ever had contact with. But I cannot say which one. This chapter does get judged by other UBF chapters though, but I will not go in to detail. Personally, I did not have similar problems to my statement. My statement was a result of my observation of my close brothers and sisters in the ministry. When I read Ben’s article it interrupted my moment to go to bed. I had to contribute something. The only thing in common that I share is the experience of being victimized by someone and not being able to do anything about. Sadly, the only power for the victim in UBF is to leave – please see other articles and threads, I will not repeat what others have said better.

“Ben, I so agree with what you said here and how true it is. UBF can’t take credit for God blessing a person who attended there. God blessed us in spite of ourselves. I know I am Blessed; that was from God not UBF. I go to a mega church. It was small when I started. We serve the community. We serve beyond the walls of the church and show Gods love in a practical way. When was last time people from UBF helped in the community, serving at a soup kitchen, a medical center, serving single moms and not judging them. When I was there I was basically told shut up do 1 to 1 study that’s all that mattered. Being told I wasn’t smart enough to finish school let alone nursing school. Was told I wasn’t good enough or worthy enough to serve. Some have even tried to take credit for my salvation. I was saved before going to UBF! Some in UBF refuse to see that they did anything wrong, believe the ends justified the means. Some leaders are not held accountable. UBF is exclusive not inclusive. I have visited a few chapters and some I was treated ok at. Was basically told it wasn’t my church, some were not interested in being my friends. By definition UBF is a mega church. My mega church does some 1 to 1, they promote life/small groups and doing life together. UBF wants people to put UBF before God and their families. UBF cares more about quantity than quality of 1 to 1 s, and the quality of spiritual growth. How are the quote Shepard’s and missionaries growing spiritually? What are they reading besides daily bread and UBF conferences? Who are they accountable to? The local church is hope of the world, Bill Hybels. That scares me to think that of UBF. When put into the context of that quote.”

“I’m hopeful that the ethics and accountability commission can begin to iron out the differences between chapters and chapter directors”

> I would not hold my breathe on that one. If JA were still part of that, then I would have some hope as you say. But I seriously doubt there will be any ironing out of differences by the ethics committee or by the unity committee.

1) Poorly trained UBF missionary who was taught to “train” his/her sheep to be a UBF-centered disiple who knows how to only relate to UBF and not to other Christians or churches.

2) Innocent, naive, helpless sheep, perhaps trapped in some sin or sorrow.

3) Sheep’s family, who is often excluded from their child’s new UBF family.

4) Sheep’s spouse. Sadly, the wife is often blamed for the husband’s sin.

5) Sheep’s children, who may be sacrificed on the alter of UBF mission.

@gc: You forgot the zero-th level of victim: the missionary/shepherd who is not properly held accountable by the organization, in whom abusive or authoritarian practices can grow unchecked even without him noticing. Such people are victims also who deserve our empathy and prayer. That’s what I’m struggling to do now.

I was! Even though ubf convinced me I was not a Christian and demanded I make a “before/after” life testimony, I was a Christian before going to ubf.

I remember the afternoon well. I was 16 years old. I became a Christian. I wanted to be a priest. I was and still am a Roman Catholic. Only when I engaged in a 9 month study group at our church with my wife did I come to terms with my true life narrative. I am much healthier now that I’ve done that.

If anyone doesn’t like my scary, crazy, ugly self portrayed here, I suggest you see me as a mirror. All of my adult formative years, from 18 to 42 were formed by ubf. Don’t like my character? Guess what, I am the kind of person ubf is raising. The difference between me and others is that I took my mask off (as Sharon pointed out somewhere). And that is what I invite ubfers to do: take off the mask. This is a safe place to do that.

@Ben: This article hits the nail on the head. ubf theology could be called “Throw Joe into the well” theology. If you look closely you can actually see this explicitely taught in many ubf lectures. Who would say that Joseph was wrong in the way he treated his brothers during the famine? He crossed some lines yes but he was acting out of grace, love and justice.

The Korean sense of justice is flat out wrong. Justice is not based on loyalties. Justice is based on truth. I think as a Christ-follower we need to combine all three: grace, love and justice.

Where is the sense of justice in ubf? According to the bible justice is God’s measuring line, not loyalty.

@formershep. A UBF leader who does not like the words “spiritual abuse” is like an overweight person who does not like the words “fat,” “obese,” “Miss Piggy,” or “Humpty Dumpty.” Sorry if this is a horribly bad or politically incorrect analogy!

@gc. I thought I was blunt and brutal. I think I have met my match. Your 4 levels of victims in UBF is SCARY if it ever plays out to its full extent.

@Vitaly. I think that perhaps some UBF leaders are a little more careful now with their authoritarian top down hierarchical spiritual abuse. Some know that they will be exposed if they dare do it as blatantly as they did in the past.

Anyway it is God who works. I think that it is very difficult for him to work in the atmosphere of ubf. And anyone who leaves at once experiences God’s work in him without any hindering.

So to claim that ubf is OK is very strange. That’s a self-righteous habitual idea. Again I advise every ubfer to follow Brian’s challenge and “leave” ubf’s activities for one month just to clear out where God works and where humans manipulate your life.

I asked because one of the most offensive aspects of entering UBF is the change in your history and identity as a Christian. One of my friends has been Christian all of his life and joined UBF. When family heard the adjusted life testimony they were not only offended from a personal point of view, but also from a faith point of view, because the testimony undermined his Christian identity before entering UBF. UBF is good at taking the glory away from other churches when they acquire someone who is strong in faith. But actually, this is not the glory that belongs to a church – it is glory belonging to and from God alone.

To turn a blind eye to abuses because people who have left have become great inside another church does not make UBF look good. It makes the faith of that person stand out because they could get through such difficulties without throwing their faith in the garbage. UBF will always look bad in the midst of all the unanswered problems. Like I said last time – we can all handle mistakes – it is how we grow and learn. But UBF leadership boldly does the same thing again and again. It places failure on anyone who cannot meet the desired expectations – whatever they may be. Sometimes I wonder if there is a board game in the director’s office where toy soldiers are being played with. Those toy soldiers are real people – there are consequences in this.

I will close on this point. UBF boasts about how many shepherds (Bible teachers) have been raised. It boasts about how many missionaries have been sent out to X number of countries! How many of those people have quit? How many of those people have tried to seek council for the benefit of UBF ministry? How many are here right now either reading, preparing their own article, or are commenting on something? How many of them are in a healthier relationship with God, with their brothers/sisters in Christ and with their families?

Remember one thing the first victim in UBF is the student who consents to Bible study. The second victim in UBF becomes that person’s parents-family. The third victim becomes that person’s spouse. The fourth victim becomes that couples children.

You can see where I am going – it is endless!

It is not okay because God blessed UBF. Why did Abram refuse the King of Sodom’s wealth? He did not want the King of Sodom to say he made Abram rich!! Likewise, if there was ever a former shepherd or missionary who became a leader in an outside church than that is a reflection of personal faith in God – because God used and blessed that person!

Because God “blessed” UBF, each chapter director should personally telephone every former member and quietly say, “You were God’s blessing, but I treated you as my own possession. I am wrong; please forgive me.”

Because God “blessed” UBF, every senior leader should renounce that the UBF spiritual heritage had anything to do with the success of UBF. The ubf.org webpage should be taken down and replaced with the statement, “We will no longer glorify ourselves on this website. Even though we are weak sinners, God mercifully worked by His grace. We mostly failed, but God’s grace prevailed.”

Because God “blessed” UBF, instead of a mission pledge at the ISBC, there should a public, corporate confession and repentance, and a pledge to open the doors to allow the unhindered work of the Holy Spirit.

Shall I continue?

God’s blessing is not evidence of UBF’s success, but evidence of God’s grace. It should not lead to self-satisfaction, but to humble self-examination, repentance, and change.