Seriously though this speaks to the undue religious influence found in the unredeemed ubf chapters. Dr. Singer’s point #3 explains the bigger issue here:

“3. Systematically create a sense of powerlessness in the person. This is accomplished by getting members away from the normal social support group for a period of time and into an environment where the majority of people are already group members. The members serve as models of the attitudes and behaviors of the group and speak an in-group language.”

Notice the contradiction here. In unredeemed ubf chapters (who hold to the non-Christian hamster wheel gospel and heritage slogans) leaders will condition a young adult to have enough cognitive dissonance to hold two contradictory beliefs:

1. Mission is more important than family, and being family-centered is unspiritual.

2. Mission requires forming a family, called a “world mission family” or “house church”.

Thus you end up with the strange non-Christ-like “marriage by faith” teaching as an attempt to hold this tension together. Eventually, after having children, this all falls apart.

UBF practices in effect are all nothing but imposed legalisms on UBF members to either conform or be regarded as sub-par or “not really UBF,” a phrase I have heard often in reference to me over the last few years.

UBF is sadly often not marked by Christ, the Sermon on the Mount, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, but by implicit or explicit imposed expectation of conformance to their practices and methodology.

Perhaps this may be changing, but as Charles was told, “Wait, it will take more time.”

I mentioned this to my roommate who agreed. He said I had “denounced everything that was UBF.” I mentioned that I had “denounced undue emphasis that leads to an incorrect understanding that these activities are needed for justification” But I think this fine distinction is lost. It is true that bible study and fishing might be “better” than not bible study or fishing, but when we demand and make our love as a church conditional on them that’s an issue. I said “the line is when people are compared and judged based on their obedience to these practices”

In my opinion, as you implied, it is not possible, because the imposition of the “core values” has become a legalism, and a boundary marker and outward sign (just like circumcision, which the Judaizers [Jewish ‘Christians’] imposed upon Gentile Christians) of being a “highly valued UBF person.”

What I’m getting at is that to me certain laws or a legalism, for lack of a better word right now, might not necessarily be bad. Paul even called the law holy and good (Romans 7:12). My impression is that the natural bend to legalism you’re talking about might also be our natural inclination to cover ourselves like Adam and Eve. This is not to say that there are not certain legalistic people who try to take the place of God by their own laws. Such people exist. In that sense, even their legalism is a rebellion for it is a man made covering that doesn’t work, just like fig leaves.

I have found that turning my back on the world was not beneficial, but having the mindset of turning to Christ was, if that makes sense. As you said, he is the one who changes and cures hearts. Anyway, Jesus has left his disciples in the world, though they are not of the world, to interact with and witness in the world.

Brian, I find this one truthful and comical. Is there any appropriate follow up saying? How does the monkey get back up in his tree, for example?

Thanks for sharing! Upon first read, I picked up on a conflict between your “natural bent” to legalism and the legalism you are experiencing and seeing in your church environment. You can correct me if I’m wrong on this. Do you think these two are in conflict with each other or is that you are just expressing the existing hostility in both yourself and your church between being free in Christ and yet being bent or attracted towards legalism in yourself? I ask because in the first part you point that those who are legalistic deserve their condemnation, but are you also condemning yourself then? I was confused about this. Also your statement that to be transformed you must turn your back on the world. I’m not sure what it means to turn your back to the world.

sheep-less shepherds who needed to repent
one sheep shepherds who needed to repent
multi-sheep shepherds who were praised

This style of “praying” didn’t last long since the “no sheep” category was always the largest and no one wanted to face the fact of our declining ministry.

콩 심은데 콩나고, 팥 심은데 팥난다.
“Kong simeundae kongnago, pat simeundae pat nanda” (basically The fruit/bean doesn’t fall far from the tree)

낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다.
“Natmaleun saega deudgo bammaleun juiga deudneunda.” (basically The walls have ears.)

원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다.
“Weonsungido namueseo ddeoleojinda.” (basically Even monkeys fall from trees/Even experts make mistakes.)

I do still like things about my chapter and I stay here until I think its time for me to move on. There is a season for everything and i think its my season to be in UBF here is St. Louis.

1. Someone threatens to leave (even though they say “go ahead and leave” this is actually the last thing they want, and they will accommodate you for a while).

2. Someone uses the cult label (even though they do see this as a badge of honor in some twisted sense, they really crave honor and recognition, so they will start reacting to this, eventually.)

3. Many people either leave or don’t attend (even though they often speak of “one person” highly, they really do count on numbers and desperately seek to increase numbers of people, so they react to decline in numbers).

BK, this resonates with me because (as someone pointed out to me) most autonomously directed/driven people have left UBF or were basically forced out or shamed and marginalized until they left.

A classic statement (or implicit sentiment) is when a senior leader says to a younger member, “If you don’t like what we do in UBF, you can leave.” It promotes legalism, tribalism, conformity (without diversity), elitism and exclusivity and communicates the non-negotiable imperative that “You either conform to UBF ways or you leave.”

Such leaders think they are being clear and absolute and uncompromising, without realizing how arrogant and unChrist-like they are.

That said, I think that some/many UBF leaders are being increasingly humbled because many UBF chapters have declined significantly. As Joe indicated their chapters are primarily composed of missionaries and 2nd gens with very few native indigenous leaders.

Yea, like watching those evil Atlanta Braves or going to Alabama to watch the Crimson Tide… I guess such people just aren’t leadership material and aren’t committed to obeying Jesus…. (sorry inside joke)

“They resisted or rejected the call to campus mission.” How nice. I’m sure that the 20 or so former members would wholeheartedly agree.

“Just as you would not have me blindly accept a UBF claim BK, I do not blindly accept your claims either.”

I love your honesty, directness and critical thinking abilities. You have a great independent mind that also can collaborate in a group. What is more, you are open to new ideas and to correcting yourself. Sadly, most of my friends with these traits were shamed/shunned until they left ubf.

I rejoice when someone proves me wrong, for it is a time of learning. In fact I really want to be proven wrong about ubf. Unfortunately, I’m often proven right.

I say: What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

(Does anyone know if there is a Korean version of that idiom? I would guess that there isn’t, because equality and impartiality are alien to Confucian values.)

Here are snippets of a conversation via text messaging.

I start by quoting part of a book I read that claims
“I accepted for example that I must remain loyal to my personal spiritual supervisor for the rest of my life, checking with him for major life decisions to see if my decisions were ‘God’s will’.”

The reaction I suspected was one of denial, or at least acceptance with maybe a “You are free to do what you want though.”

Instead I got this gem
“Paul would advocate loyalty to your Episcopos (bishop) which translates to English as overseer or Latin supervisor, as long as their teaching is in line with sound doctrine…my shepherd is…better equipped to discern God’s will.”

I remarked that the passage in question was used to justify papal infallibility in the 4th century. Then I cited 1 Thess 5:21 and remarked that 1 Tim 5:19-20 tells us that pastors are not above scriptural obligation and that just because a teaching isn’t explicit does not make it less of a teaching. I mentioned that my pastor said dating was allowed, but then broke up two people dating. Then he said the most damning thing I have heard. He actually defended this! I read in disbelief
“As your bible teacher he *should* pressure (influence, not course) you to do what will help you grow.”
I say
“How do you define growth.”
and he says
“becoming more spiritually mature, more like Christ, more committed to and effective at serving Christ”
I respond
“Yes but in practice you mean fishing more, wiring more testimonies, doing more 1-1 bible studies, marrying by faith, pioneering.”
And he says
“Those are the normative and visible means of expressions of spiritual growth in UBF. Spiritual growth can take other forms but and those don’t indicate 100%.”

I showed this to Paul and John Lee who both said he was wrong. John Lee said ‘(your roommate) started his Christian life in UBF, but you came afterwards. You were more mature. He is trying to impress his experience onto you which is wrong.” Paul brought it up and i didn’t hear the whole conversation but I heard him vividly missing the point as he explained we shouldn’t miss church to go to a ball game.

“Dear Church Members and Attenders:

We hope that you are sensing that God is up to something significant at our church during these past few months. We, as Elders, are very optimistic and excited for what lies ahead. We feel blessed to have watched the staff and leadership team do an outstanding job in our lead pastor’s absence over the past five months. And we believe that our interim pastor has done an outstanding job of teaching, serving and leading during his absence.

We the Elders (who are charged with governing the church here) want to communicate with you what we have been discerning. We want to share with you what we are currently sensing and how we are being led. We also want to invite you to join with us in seeking God for clarity, regarding His purposes for our church.”

Perhaps we can discuss the concerns while the ubf silents read?

Trying to build a KOPHN here now means we would be fighting against God’s will. There is no spiritual order in an authentic Christian community; only Jesus our Lord and his Lordship and mutual submission. Legalism attempts to establish a KOPHN full of horrid hierarchy, which then becomes a prison. Galatians and Hebrews sets us free from the KOPHN prison.

ubf is like the Church of Silence in Doctor Who. The Silent church do not want a question answered. They want silence. In the same way, ubf people are normally afraid of answering questions. Case in point: ubf people do not comment here but only click the like/dislike buttons (well usually just the dislike button I presume).

Here is a description of the Silence:

“The alien leaders of the Silence were encountered by the Doctor in 1969 America. The Silence had been on Earth since humanity’s beginning, secretly manipulating humanity and its development for their own ends.”

Because of this maddening silence and demands to make pacts of silence, I have often become the over-the-top, pirate-like, massively vocal critic of all things ubf. And until this cowardly silence ends, I will continue to play this role.

The meeting-after-the-meeting takes still takes place in many chapters. Non-Koreans are rarely invited.

I only “discovered” the freedom Galatians proclaimed after 28 years when we studied and preached through the epistle of Galatians for the first time in 2009 at West Loop. God is good.

Your article caused me to read Galatians 6 again. I am amazed at how much wisdom is in this short passage of Scripture!

I only recall studying Galatians 1 time in my 24 years at ubf. The only thing I recall is Galatians 6:6-9, with emphasis on “don’t become weary in doing good”. Since “good” had been redefined as “ubf”, this study burdened me immensely at the time.

In reading the passage I can see why. Galatians 6 has so many “rebellious, disobedient, disloyal” type thinking that comes from the devil to tempt you to stop doing ubf activities ;)

This passage does have some good advice on how to write your sogam in ubf if anyone complains about not understanding what you write or claims you have been influenced by those evil ubfriends people. Just follow the advice in Galatians 6:11.

He talked about how much he could suffer and do for Christ so that he might “bear on his body the marks of Jesus.” Yes, how many works he could do was what he got from Galatians 6:11-18.

Your thoughts here cut to the heart of perhaps the biggest flaw in the gospel taught by most ubf people:

“If I am attending church every Sunday and never missing bible study I can say to myself “I am justified.””

The ubf lifestyle is all about making yourself feel good, as if you “did your duty” each week. But as you already found out, this is not genuine goodness. That’s why I am writing a second book, to re-connect with the goodness that was re-defined for me by the ubf missionaries. Goodness was promised but never delivered. Goodness was re-defined to mean “glorify God through ubf”.