You clearly apply this to everyone on UBFriends, especially to forgive and repent of any bitterness.

But it is not clear to me if you also apply this to UBF chapter directors as well who have a long history of horrible “spiritual abuses.” Are you also calling them to repent? If you do, I don’t hear it. To me, it comes across as blindly and repeatedly defending them, rather than calling them to account.

I have expressed this to many who would hear me out: In UBF the gospel has not yet clearly evangelized the “strong sense of honor” in many UBF leaders. When their sense of honor is challenged, the gospel goes out the door while they cling to their sense of honor even to the point of suicide.

Until the gospel evangelizes UBF’s sense of honor, then UBF leadership will remain weak and forced upon others. The evidence is in:

* the stagnant or dwindling of numbers of UBF people world wide,
* the decrease of tithes and offerings in most UBF chapters, and
* worst of all the departure and disillusionment of many able and promising Christian young leaders, both among Koreans, 2nd gens, and indigenous people.

I think most UBF leaders are not as cute as that. Some feel the exact same way but they respond by not responding. Some, I believe, realize this and want to repent and change, even if they may not or may never ever say so publicly for a multitude of reasons.

The UBF version of papal infallibility is chapter-director unaccountability.

For example, “1.Have a distorted view of respect. They forget the simple adage that respect is earned, not granted. Abusive leaders demand respect without having earned it by good, honest living.”

I still have the email from my ubf chapter director (who was also my self-appointed ubf shepherd after my first shepherd “ran away”), the email where the director told me that I had not shown him even an “ounce of respect” because I had sent a couple emails expressing my honest feelings and observations. His distorted view of “respect” was very predictable, and I knew exaclty how to deal with it.

Recognizing these things is of utmost important for ubfers, so I am glad to see the list pointed out again. The distortion of respect does not come from Korean culture, but is rooted in flawed theology and misuse/overuse of the bible.

I can respect Koreans and love bulgogi, but I cannot respect most ubf chapter directors who simply demand me to shut up and go away and chastise those who they think don’t respect them.

I remember multiple times over the course of 10 years or so when my “shepherd” chapter director would stop me in the middle of our two-by-two prayer and say loudly “You must respect me! Why don’t you show thankfulness to me when you pray!” Each time the prayer ended and I walked away in stunned silence.

James, you’re quoting from the second paragraph of the section “The Cure for Authoritarian Shepherds and Idol-Worshipping Sheep”. But you didn’t quote the first paragraph. Let me do it for you:

“The call of the Word of God to sinners is always ‘repent and believe.’ … Repentance involves confession. Public sins must be publicly confessed; private sins must be privately confessed.”

This is the prerequisite for the things the second paragraph is talking about. And this is exactly what we want to see happening. Once this has happened, let’s talk about the second paragraph, which I think is not even a big issue. I don’t expect that much prayer will be necessary; nearly everyone of us will be delighted to forgive the sins of UBF leaders once they honestly and publicly confess and repent as individuals and corporation, and clearly change their ways.

* the missionary is “more equal” than the native.
* the chapter director is “more equal” than those in his chapter.
* UBF websites are “more equal” than UBFriends.
* the senior/older is “more equal” than the junior/younger.
* senior UBF staff are “more equal” than UBF elders.

This happens because there is no clear teaching that Christ is the head of the church. So the UBF chapter director is functionally and practically the head of the particular UBF chapter. So:

* it is either his way or the highway.
* you must “keep spiritual order and just obey.”
* in many instances he does not genuinely welcome any objection or critique or challenges to his leadership.
* he feels the need to “train you,” “humble you,” and “put you in your place,” (since his place is higher than your place).

The list can go on and on. Here are 10 signs of spiritually abusive churches and leaders: http://www.marydemuth.com/spiritual-abuse-10-ways-to-spot-it/

“All the time you can be duped into believing that your salvation is the only one at risk such people have the power to keep you under their “care”. But, thankfully for the sake of our readers everytime we are faced with this break in open dialogue we can recognize it clearly and state it for anyone who enters this for the first time.”

WOW! What a transformation might occur if college students go to buf with “eyes wide open”. Why hide the lifetime of committment and marriage by faith behind “only 1 hour per week bible study”? Why hide the Confucian value system that will become your measuring line in spite of the fact that justice is God’s measuring line? Why not let new “sheep” study Isaiah 28:9-23 right away and decide for themselves? Why not let everyone in ubf hear God’s message to use “the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness.”?

Let them through off the measuring line of obedience and the plumb line of loyalty!

Clever, but not clever enough. I wish I could just use direct personal examples – I am dying to, but I can’t for the sake of my family. However, I can say that this is exactly the tactic of my previous chapter director. An incident occurs, there is time to cool down or be prayerful about everything. We meet and then he does not say, “Sorry, I repent for XYZ.” Instead he says, “I hope you can forgive me, for your sake and relationship with God.” (Keep in mind I am editing this while keeping the essence of meaning so as not to make it directly personal.)

All the time you can be duped into believing that your salvation is the only one at risk such people have the power to keep you under their “care”. But, thankfully for the sake of our readers everytime we are faced with this break in open dialogue we can recognize it clearly and state it for anyone who enters this for the first time.

But stil, we get it James. We know you want us former members to “not become embittjred but would be forgiving of the pastor’s sins.”

But don’t you get it James? That quote has nothing to do with the context of ubf. THERE NO PASTORS IN UBF! Mr. RW does not count because he is so indoctrinated. ubf only has “directors” and “shepherds/esses” and “missinoaries”… oh yea and the lowly “sheep”.

Why do we pretend that ubf chapter directors are “pastors”? Why do they get such a title/role just by virtue of length of loyalty to ubf heritage and the fact that they are Korean? Are they ordained? Are they trained in any way outside of ubf material? Have they undergone any form of counselling? Do they take regular sabbaticals? Do they even know about the numerous Christian sacraments? Do they practice any form of communion? Do they know anything about baptism? Do they study any of the 2,000 years of Christian history? Do they pray things like “Lord, let all glroy and authority go to you”? Do they pray such as “Lord, let me not get in the way of your Words and what you would speak today”?

Maybe you could share your thoughts on Vitaly’s new article? What do you think? Chris, Vitaly, Joshua, and I and many other former members really don’t want to sit here and discuss ubf stuff, especially stuff that is so blatantly obvious.

We want to talk about Jesus our Lord. We want to talk about things such as What is the gospel? What is mission? What is repentance? we want to talk about following Jesus. Maybe you could find some good quotes for us…

“Pastors guilty of authoritarianism would do well to preach to themselves and their flocks an extended series on 1 Corinthians 13, Philippians 2, the Sermon on the Mount, or John 10. They should not be afraid to humble themselves to the dust before God and their people, for our God does not despise a broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51:17). He comes close to the lowly and meek and raises them up. The true people of God will not despise “a good man who is good enough to recognize that he is not good enough.” Pastors must seek to cultivate the habit of intercessory prayer on behalf of their people. They must pray for great grace to resist the persistent temptation to play God for people. They must learn to redirect potential idol-worshipers to the living God who delights in His Bride but who will not share her with another. They must also pray for the sheep that they would not become embittered but would be forgiving of the pastor’s sins.”

And the reaction of the leadership is still this: “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”

However, I know what he said according to the Bible. His first call was “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15) and his final call was “be earnest and repent.”

This is not a discuss between two “sides”, but a call for an organization that pretends to be a “church” and has commited grievous sins in the past to repent.

And authoritarianism is not an debatable issue; Jesus has already given his opinion about this in Mt 23. What do you need more?

Btw, here is one of the best articles on authoritarianism in the church: http://www.founders.org/journal/fj15/article3.html It also shows that authoritarianism has two sides: there are the sins of shepherds and sins of sheep. Again, this is not debatable issue. To me it is absolutely clear on which side Jesus stands.

When one group of people lord over their authority on other people, turn a blind eye to decades of abuse, insist on enslaving young student with a heritage they love more than Scripture, and dismiss the holes in their theology as “cultural differences”, I really don’t think Jesus would just say “You guys listen to each other…”

And I do not see very many arguments here, hardly any debate. What I have heard (read actually) here on this website is high-ranking, well-known ubf dropouts sharing their painful stories while hearing either silence or cringeworthy quotes from various books meant to get them to be quiet.

What I have read here are the justified expressions of angst from the most prolific and inspired, repentant and Spirit-led ubf leaders ever: Ben Toh.

What I have read here is the last effort by Joe and Sharon to find any shred of a reason to support ubf in any way. Do you realize the profound impact of that observation James?! Do you realize what it would mean for Joe and Sharon to become former members? How can you just ignore and dismiss two of the most brilliant, Spirit-led, godly Christians I’ve ever met? Do you not realize what is going on here? Do you not see what your dismissals have done to these friendly, generous and devoted people?

So while I would not dare to claim to know exactly what our Lord Jesus would do, I am certain he would not say something like “Can’t we all just get along?”

I think the Spirit has already revealed to many of us at least one word Jesus would say, and that is the word: STOP!

Yes, I think Jesus would rebuke all of us. Jesus would rebuke me for not taming my tongue and for my flawed understanding of many doctrines. But I for one never want to hear the words of Luke 11:42-47 from my Lord.

But do you thing Jesus made a mistake when he spoke, Rev 2:5; 2:14-16; 2:20-23; 3:2; 3:15-19?

I sometimes imagine if Jesus is with us and hears all our arguments going back and forth among us, what would he say to us? Would he support one side over the other? I seriously doubt it.

I don’t know what would Jesus say to us. I can only imagine something like this he might say to us. “You guys listen to each other with love and respect. Lean from me, for I am humble and gentle. Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Love one another as I have loved you.” and so on.

Just to clarify: I don’t presume to know who is born again or who not. I’m just saying that I miss certain signs that should be expected from born again people in the behavior of the UBF leadership, and also in the behavior of those in UBF who are indifferent towards the abuse and sins commited by their leaders and the systematic errors and Bible incompatibilities of their ministry.

Do you understand what being born again means? Let me quote from a J.C.Rype (http://www.spurgeongems.org/jcr_bornagain.htm):

“There was probably a time when [the person who was born again] did not think about whether his actions were sinful or not, and he did not always feel grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel between him and sin; they were friends. But the true Christian hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, considers it his greatest plague, resents the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be completely delivered from it. Sin no longer pleases him, nor is it even a matter of indifference to him; it has become a horrible thing which he hates.

However, he cannot eliminate its presence within him. If he said that he had no sin, he would be lying. But he can say that he hates sin and that the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts from entering his mind, or shortcomings, omissions, and defects from appealing in both his words and his actions. He knows that “in many things we offend all”. But he can truly say, in the sight of God, that these things cause him grief and sorrow and that his whole nature does not consent to them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?”

What I am missing is the grief and sorrow about the abuse that happened in UBF, and about the wrong theology of authoritarianism, the longing to be completely delivered from it and the sign that it is not matter of indifference to you. Somebody who is really hates sin does not say “I will slowly get rid of if, but I may not rush and make drastic moves.” Also, he will not try to justify it by saying that his special kind of sin was so common and deeply rooted in his culture. That’s not the reaction of a born again person towards sin.

And again, dont’t tell me that Korean people are not able to see these things. The senior shepherds in 1976 have seen it, the reformers of 1989 and 2001 have seen it. They all were Koreans. And they did not just complain about Samuel Lee, but about the rampant authoritarianism and false teachings in UBF in general, even though they all were raised up with a Confucian worldview. Their conscience did not allow them to participate in this any longer. I can see true signs of born again people in their behavior towards the problem. But I do not see these signs in people who are indifferent and dismiss these things (and their fellow brothers who poured out their hearts and complained about all these things that happened in their church) saying “every church has problems and is filled with sinners”.

And I have a unique perspective on the ubf situation. Sometimes I speak now with what appears to be (and somtetimes is) harsh words because I know how those words sound to a ubf loyalist. I was an ultra-loyalist and I needed the piercing words of men like Chris and others.

People who don’t know anything about ubf won’t understand either side. But I know for a fact that ubfers understand clearly what we former members are saying.

“Does that mean you should not investigate the way how you talk any longer?”

No it does not. I must continually be self-aware.

“Can your willingness to be yourself and to express your thoughts freelly be hurtful or offending to anyone?”

Yes it can. And a few have expressed the hurt I’ve caused to me privately.

“Can it be hurtful without a good reason?”

Yes at times.

“Would it be justified b/c you just wanted to be yourself?”

Partially, yes.

“Don’t you think you still have to consider Scripture suggestions? (e.g James 3)”

Yes, very much so. James 3 is a convicting passage.

You wrote this: “Thank you Brian for this comment. I agree with you. BTW, can you explain what “junzi” means. Everybody seem to know the meaning except me.”

Then you write this: “Korean missionaries grew up in this culture and by the age of twenty I believe their brains are already ingrained and fixed with Confucius ideas. I might say these ideas probably would last lifetime.”

How do you explain such a contradiction? How do we know when you are telling the truth?

I have already started doing that.

You are correct, big bear, we need to remember the children. And we need to remember people like Sarah…

Forgive my use or misuse of this music, but I must:

Here is my Confucian-induced fantasy idea of being “born again”: Christianized confucianism.

Oh how many times I missed the chance to share the gospel Jesus proclaimed! Instead I tried to explain a confucian value system and demand my audience to accept the value system. As a ubf messener I was more like a “confucian cheerleader”. ubf people SO need to hear sermons about Jesus and His gospel.

Born again is just a starting point of our journey of faith. Born again does not mean we are transformed completely at the time we accept Jesus as our Savior. It requires sanctification process which will last life time.

“Korean missionaries grew up in this culture and by the age of twenty I believe their brains are already ingrained and fixed with Confucius ideas. I might say these ideas probably would last lifetime.”

Sure, it is hard to completely free yourself from such subconscious mindset. But then, nothing is impossible for God. Also, the problem is that UBFers are not only obsessed with Confician pecking order in their subconscious mindset, but they also quite openly superimpose it on their Bible teaching, in the form of “spiritual order”. This “spiritual order” teaching and practice is not a subliminal thing in UBF, but openly taught and very distinct and visible and mandatory.

“Even after they studied bible and became born again Christians, they will continue to live in this mindset.”

To me it sounds a bit like “Even after they studied bible and became born again Christians, they will continue to live in sin.” But the Bible says “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin.” Applied to our case this means, anyone born of God will strive to avoid sinful behavior and sinful thoughts. From the Bible (Mt 23 et. al.) we know that authoritarianism and UBFish “spiritual order” is sinful. So we should expect that those who are born again shy away from these things. Usually a Christian who knows he is tempted by a particular kind of sin will avoid that sin even more than other people do. So from Korean Christians I would expect that they very visibly and clearly distance themselves from authoritarianism (even if it is still in their subconcious mind!). This would be a sure sign they are born again. It they try to stay in their old mindset and justify it, then it is not really a sign of being born again, but of some superficial or failed conversion.

This is not a biblical understanding of the family. It is also neither a Jewish, nor Korean understanding of the family unit. All couples have difficulties, that is true, but there is a value and closeness inherent in family. Moreover, how about children? In UBF marriage is a very honourable level of maturity and growth for a shepherd to reach. The next step would be to pioneer and grow as a chapter director or to go out as missionaries.

Why is it seen as family centered when there are basic responsibilities that go along with having kids. Why do Korean missionaries pester young families again and again to have children, “Any good news?” If it is good news than we should not be labeled as family centered when needs arise within the family unit. Please be understood, that I am not talking about an overdose of family leisure, but rather fundamentals.

I know that there is a dilemma in Korea for families. The present generation only knows going to work for long hours and often leaving their children to the grandparents. Has the “work to live” culture in Korea affected how service to Christ in the Bible is understood – or is it rather a sound theology that can be biblically explained? I know that it is an even bigger problem in Korean life with women who chase after a career. As a result, many grandparents are almost singlehandedly raising their grandchildren as they had already raised their own children. Does this come from the subconscious of leaving poverty or greed?

The affluence in America should deem families to not need to be dual income households. However, often you find that they are. But I beg anyone to consider the difference between parents who have a financial choice to remain a single income family and those who don’t have a choice. My generation really only knows the dual income model because of the present condition of the world’s economy etc…

I am trying to divide the reasons why a Korean might do something differently to an American etc…Understandings and motivations can be intrinsically different.

Korean missionaries grew up in this culture and by the age of twenty I believe their brains are already ingrained and fixed with Confucius ideas. I might say these ideas probably would last lifetime.

Even after they studied bible and became born again Christians, they will continue to live in this mindset.

That’s why a lot of conflicts and different opinions with native people can arise. Although one culture is not necessarily superior to another culture, Korean missionaries should humbly learn from native people continuously and try to understand the culture and language and many other things. It is not easy because you have to deny yourselves and come out of the comfort zone, and be transformed by the power of the gospel.

It is difficult for me to distinguish from Chinese Confucianism and Korean Buddhism. Maybe we need someone to explain such differences. All I know is that what I learned in ubf matches what I read in Chinese Confucian documents, except that ubf binds such things to the bible via prooftexts and adds on more and more Christian words onto the pile.

I think I should study some more about Buddhism and Taoism. I remember seeing a small Budhha in my director’s house, and in several other Korean houses I went to. Perhaps it is actually Buddhism we are dealing with.

For example, how many times did I hear the words “grace” or “Holy Spirit” in my 24 years in ubf? Probably only about 24 times, maybe once a year during Easter if I was lucky.

But what about now? Now ubers are continually using the words “grace” and “Holy Spirit” and even “studying” Galatains! After every wave of reformers left, ubf loyalists added another layer onto their teaching, making it sound more and more Christian. But at the heart is a non-Christian gospel.

I don’t think this is what SB intended… in fact I feel as if someone hijacked SB’s ministry.

PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH REALITY, IT IS PRETENDING THAT CAUSES ALL THE TROUBLE

For 50 years and counting, UBF has inadvertently imposed Eastern values and Confucius ideals combined with Christian faith in every UBF chapter throughout the world. This is to be expected since you grew up under such a culture. Brian’s summary of Confucianism is quite good: http://www.priestlynation.com/archives/274 As I read it, I felt as though that is how Korean missionaries act, and how they expect their indigenous sheep to act and behave. That is why that missionary felt it fully justified to want to beat up Chris (and destroy his bicycle) for simply skipping a UBF meeting, which is really no big deal to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit or the Bible. But it is a big deal to Confucius and to his missionary pride.

So even if you feel beat up and violated, please continue to engage us. If you do (and if your fellow missionaries do), then you might begin to understand why so many indigenous sheep have felt oppressed, constricted, controlled, manipulated, guilt-tripped and their personal boundaries rudely and indecently violated by the way that some UBF chapter directors have unbiblically discipled and pastored people in countless UBF chapters throughout the world.

Thank you Brian for this comment. I agree with you. BTW, can you explain what “junzi” means. Everybody seem to know the meaning except me.

I don’t believe that strong, but fair and honest language when pointing out real problems can be a stumbling block for “little ones”. Otherwise all the prophets including John the Baptist, and Apostles like Paul and even Jesus himself would all be stumbling stones.

Concerning the passage (Lk 17:1-2) talking about “little ones” stumbling, the original Greek version and the Vulgate both have here the word “scandala”, from which the English word “scandals” is derived. What are the real scandals that make people stumble? Isn’t it the spiritual abuse, unaccountability and behavior of the leaders who never repent? If church members are told to have an abortion, that is a scandal. And that’s what people really make stumble. I saw so many people in my chapter and other chapters stumble over spiritual abuse. The verse says “woe to that person through whom they (the scandala) come“, not to those who reveal such things in the hope they can be admitted and fixed.

That’s fine, because it may help you better understand how I felt in UBF all the time.

I hope so. But you tolerated when SL showed similar abusive behavior, and even today in retrospect you refuse to comdemn such behavior when it was done by SL. Or would you be willing to do this?

Yes indeed. I hope they simply see the honest reality of how ubf-trained people interact. And most of all I hope they can see the dangers in the ubf machine, and begin questioning it if they are ubfers, be consolled if they are exubfers, and be warned if they know nothing about ubf. I want people to open their eyes and think for themselves and make their own decision.

There are no masks here… I cannot and will no longer pretend to be a junzi man. Nor can I pretend to be a good Christian boy. I am “me”. I am who I am. I just want people to know who I am, as the song Iris says well.

“Eastern culture requires me to smack you with a cane”

And my American culture requires me to get some of my good ol’ country boys and knock some sense into you behind the woodshed :)

I say such an all-out brawl is needed. Oh how I longed to stand up at some Friday meeting and whip an eraser across the room! I imagined myself doing that numerous times as I sat through chair-sitting sessions ad nauseam. I so wanted to stand up in the middle of a meeting and shout: “Is anybody paying attention to what this person just shared? Does anybody care about anything real that just happened?!”

Thank you for sharing honestly. I am glad to hear these words:

“I don’t find this kind of phrase appropriate for a gentleman.”

Correct. Chris is not a “junzi man“. Nor am I. But the hidden ubf mantra has always been “be a junzi man”, using several prooftexts such as 2 Timothy 2:15 to bind junzi to the Christian concept of integrity before God. They are not the same concepts.

So am I asking you to stop being a Korean with Confucian ideas? No. I am asking you to be self-aware, to ask the tough questions like “Is my thinking rooted in my own culture or in Christ? Am I justifying my concept with the bible or am I allowing the Spirit to teach through His word?

And I am demanding that all Korean ubf missionaries STOP judging Indians, Canadians, Americans, Germans, Russians and all peoples by the Confucian concept of junzi. You came as missionaries, but what is your gospel? Will you continue to try to make juzni men and women? Or will you allow Christ our Lord to make His disciples in His way and in His time? Will you allow Jesus, who is our one Shepherd and Overseer for our souls, lead His sheep instead of upholding a religious system built to manufacture junzi people?

I wish that more people would allow themselves to participate and to even “lose control” once in a while. For me, your dialogue may superficially hinder credibility, but in reality reveals someone who is actually sincere when they have an exchange on this blog.

Chris, Wesley almost never or rarely refers to Eastern culture and custom directly. Most of the time those references come from James.

“Didn’t you always say we should consider Eastern culture when talking about UBF?” (Chris)

But that aside, we have to be sure to talk about what needs to be confessed and acknowledged instead of being ignored in silence, denied or accepted with an “I didn’t know!” response.

I respect people who have proven to be worthy of respect. Most UBF leaders haven’t proven to be worthy of respect, due to their abusive behavior and wrong teachings, and their silly attempts to sugarcoat or whitewash the wrongdoings of Samuel Lee and the ministry in general, and stubborn refusal to admit the obvious, let my respect decline even more quickly.

ubf directors act “as the Eastern culture requires” and abuse and hurt and harm especially Westerners and then when the abused say something back the directors say, “Be gentlemen, please, as the Western culture requires”.

“–I have to work hard. I have to do my task. And at the end of the day I have to keep saying that if something good happens, let us praise the Lord for it. But in order to do that, we had better take some time out and experience being present for God and God alone, and that is not so easy.”

Good point, but a bit vague. The word “for” can interpreted in several ways, like “to the advantage of” or “in place of”. I think it’s the whole continuum of meanings at work here. It starts when people try to do things “to please God”, then “to help God”, then to proudly “do God’s work” and finally replace (usurpate) God in the lives of people, and becoming God’s visible and untouchable representative like Moses, only not so humble. That’s not a problem of UBF alone, but of all shepherding/discipling movements. It starts as a weakness, but grows to a sin. UBF and its founder have reached the phase of becoming sinful already after a few years, as you see in the 1976 letter, and stayed in that phase since 40 years now.

“Work for God that is not nourished by a deep interior life with God will eventually be contaminated by other things such as ego, power, needing approval of and from others and buying into the wrong ideas of success and the mistaken belief that we cannot fail.”

I do not claim to have got everything right about the gospel, but to me ubf’s view of the gospel is in fact that of a blind man touching a part of the elephant and telling a story about that elephant with full confidence based on personal experience.

Yes, even this imperfect and partial view helped me and many others, but if we remain there forever, we know we are heading toward increasing lawlessness, injustice and spiritual abuses inside the Church and final apocalyptic disaster.

I think your emphasis on the grace of Jesus is important and the basis of any action we do as Christians. Thank you for this. We should never forget it.

However, I can’t help noting an irony here. One of the strengths of UBF has been a Biblical repudiation of a “cheap grace” that essentially renders the gospel of Christ meaningless and powerless. I’ve learned from the Bible and many people within UBF that the grace of Jesus leads us to humbly acknowledge the sinners we are and spurs us to have compassion for others to selflessly seek their salvation. Also we have taught testimony writing and repentance. If we only say everything is ok now in this context because of the grace of Jesus, what has happened to us?

The forgiveness and forgetfulness you are talking about are true but we have to be careful about how to get there. Certainly if we have a math problem to solve and then write down the answer that appears in the solution key in the back of the book, we have the right answer. However, we have not really worked out the problem nor understood the solution. Philippians 2:12 says, “…continue to work out your salvation in fear and trembling.” Thus, there is a process and responsibility on our part in this that we should not avoid going through.

Per Dr. Lee, I’m pretty sure that he would never want his slogans and actions held anywhere near on equal par with the Bible itself. Also if there are any issues with leaders, it is an especially serious matter. As you know, James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” We honor our leaders but because of their position and influence, they especially have responsibility before God and the people they serve to have integrity. I take this responsibility very seriously in my tiny, insignificant realm of leadership.

“Am I better than him? No. My ugly parts are not so conspicuous because I am more skillful to hide them.”

Maybe, but then it’s a matter between you and God. But if your ugly parts are not hidden, but influence the church, e.g. if you would start to demand abortions or humiliating training like Samuel Lee, that would be different because it is not only between you and God, but it affects the church members, both directly by interfering in their lives and indirectly, by giving a bad example for others to follow. So, such sin must be challenged. What do you think about 1 Cor 5:12-13: “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you.” Honestly, what do you think about these verses? According to your logic, nobody should ever be expelled or judged, because we cannot fully know anybody and because Jesus forgives everything. And here we come to your next misunderstanding of the gospel:

“Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Right, and who is “in Christ Jesus”? Those who live in the light and repent their sins. Jesus clearly said: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven”. Peter said in Acts 3: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” As you see, repentance is the first step and necessary condition for forgiveness in Christ, and even being able to turn to God. Or do you think you need to repent only once? Remember Luther’s theses number one: “When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said ‘Repent’, He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”

James, why need I to tell you all these things? Shouldn’t you know them so well as a “Bible teacher” and even “president” of a Bible study organization? Why are you telling such nonsense? Are you trying to fool me or some of the readers? Are you trying to fool yourself? Why are you trying to denfend the undefendable?

The first step for healthy change of UBF as an organization would be to admit that they followed wrong teachings and tolerated and practiced spiritual abuse, and that these things were engrained in UBF from the very beginnings through the person of the founder and general director Samuel Lee. If you are not willing or able to understand and do this, sorry, I cannot take you and your talk or attempts about “change” in UBF serious. It shows that not Christianity but Leeism is your true religion and you don’t want to ever give it up. I know I sound offensive, but I simply cannot interpret your words otherwise.

THE SPIRIT BE WITH YOU (works be condemned for the sake of Christ)

THE SPIRIT BE WITH YOU (works be condemned for the sake of Christ)

This is how your logic sounds to me:

1) A particular abusive UBF chapter director/senior leader is a sinner.

2) Only God fully understands all people, but we humans cannot.

3) The grace of Jesus covers all our sin so that there is no condemnation.

4) Because of 1 + 2 + 3 above, we cannot specifically and clearly address the sins of certain particular UBF leaders.

Your 1,2,3 statements is the beautiful gospel.

#4 simply thrashes and denies God’s justice and righteousness where there is no favoritism, and no “special people” who are above the law and who cannot be touched and who do not have to be accountable.

As long as you keep sticking to your point #4, I guarantee you that you are making UBF more and more an elitist, exclusive ministry of unaccountability, inequality and injustice, and where favoritism and abuse will continue unchecked and unabated.

I am impressed with something though, James. You nearly perfectly summed up the “gospel” I heard and preached my entire 24 years at ubf.

Never before have I read such an articulate expression of Confucian values cloaked with Christian words.

My point is only Jesus has full understanding of each one of us. He knows all about our good and bad and ugly parts. Some ugly parts maybe more conspicuous to other human beings. Am I better than him? No. My ugly parts are not so conspicuous because I am more skillful to hide them.

To me Jesus’ grace is so abundant. Jesus who has full knowledge of all our ugly sins still do not condemn us. “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Without this abundant grace of forgiveness we cannot stand before the holy God. Jesus who has full and complete understanding and knowledge of our ugly part, says “You are not guilty”. This gracious verdict can be freely give to all who accept what Jesus has done on the cross. Church is nothing but these gathering of forgiven sinners.

That would be a starting point. If you can’t do that, please tell me why. Is it because you don’t think this is true? In this case, how can we help you see the obvious? Bring more examples from UBF and other shepherding/discipling movements? Or is it because of the culture of losing “face” that you can’t admit the obvious like in the parable of the emperor’s new clothes? How then can we help you to overcome that culture and make a leap of faith to follow the gospel instead of Confucius, to base everything on truth, even if it is painful, and to cure your sins and the sins of your proud organization through admittance and repentance instead of covering them up as Eastern culture requires?