12 Things UBF Taught Me (1)
“Go back to the bible” – The first and most obvious thing ubf taught me was to read the bible. I wasn’t taught to study the bible as in seminary school. It was more of a command to stop worrying about my problems and go seek answers in the bible. Don’t become defeated or fatalistic about your life. Don’t struggle with people or problems, wrestle with God through the bible with a holy struggle. Don’t spend too much time dealing with inter-personal conflict, but go and read your bible. Don’t engage in godless chatter. Be quiet and read the bible.
What if UBF Had Used The NASB?
Think fast: what is the #1 most popular Bible verse in UBF? I think that those who have studied the Bible in UBF, who have attended UBF wedding ceremonies, read UBF mission reports, or just read the ubf.org website might answer: Genesis 12:1-3. The study of this passage has a prominent part in the Bible studies in UBF. The famous Genesis group Bible studies of Sarah Barry perhaps kick-started the early portions of the UBF ministry in Korea.
Why John 17 is About the Mission of Jesus
My good friend Ben recently posted an article where he shared his concerns about the upcoming ubf summer bible conference (ISBC). Ben has become a friend who fits the “best friend” category. I am so grateful for his voice of reason and sound theology in the midst of the ubf crisis. Today I am compelled to explain my biggest concern for the conference: the lectures. All of Ben’s concerns are valid and deserve a response from ubf. But in my mind the root cause of those concerns is twisted theology. ubf theology has glaring holes in it. This ISBC highlights one of those holes like never before.
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Bible Study: Is More Always Better?
In the weeks before Samuel Lee unexpectedly passed away, the advice that he gave was, “Go back to the Bible.”
That saying, “Go back to the Bible,” features the word back. But this juncture, we have no choice but to move forward. No matter how much we pine for familiar comforts, we press on to a future that is strange and uncertain.
In this climate of postmodernity, we hear questions that a generation ago were unimaginable. In my undergraduate days, people were asking, “How can I know that Christianity is true?” The words know and true needed no explanation. But today, many are asking profound, unsettling questions about the foundations of truth and knowledge. If we cling to old ways of speaking about the Bible without understanding the ethos of the times, we risk alienating an entire generation, rendering ourselves and our message irrelevant.
Is going back to the Bible an appropriate direction for today? That depends on the context.
Slavery, Harps and Fig Newtons
Last year during a blogging discussion with various people, I had someone tell me: “The bible says it, and so I believe it. End of story.” Such an attitude left the person in an odd situation. Her own words contradicted her beliefs because she failed to reason through the topic at hand. As I continue through my paradigm-shifting transformation, this notion of the “bible alone” has struck a deep chord with me.
Is the bible sufficient for every facet of life? What role do traditions, organizations and other inspirations play in the life of a Christian? Who is it who guides us into all truth?
The BCD of Teaching the Bible
While preaching through Titus, I came up with the BCD of Bible teaching and preaching. Each letter stands for 2 words which should always go together when we study the Bible or preach the Word:
- Belief and Behavior.
- Creed and Conduct.
- Doctrine and Duty.
Necessarily, the first always precedes the second, or the second always follows the first. Through Bible study, our behavior follows our belief, our conduct follows our creed, and our duty follows our doctrine, and not the other way around.
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Praying like Daniel?
I recently participated in an encouraging and delightful bible study where we studied the famous story of Daniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6). In particular, the fact that Daniel prayed three times a day was very intriguing to most of us. To pray three times a day is not a biblical command or a doctrine. But the New Testament tells me: “Be unceasing in prayer.” Thus, a very straightforward application from Daniel’s story could have been: “Go and do like-wise.”
But I have to admit that something in my heart went against it. Continue reading →
SCARY Bible Verse: Your Sin WILL Find You Out
Your sin will find you out. “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Num 32:23). Isn’t this a scary Bible verse? Who can say, “I didn’t sin”? We all know we sin. The Bible warns us crystal clearly, “you may be SURE that your sin will find you out.” My God! That’s scary, isn’t it?
The consequences of sin remain, even after God forgives our sin. David did not want his adultery with Bathsheba known. He committed the “greater” sin of murder in order to cover up his “lesser” sin of adultery. His sin found him out. God forgave David’s sin (2 Sam 12:13). We Christians will meet him in heaven. But the consequences of David’s sin were devastating. Continue reading →
Happy, Healthy, Humble View of Self
Real happiness. As I have been studying the little letter of Philippians, it is quite fascinating to me that Paul was truly such a genuinely happy man. He knows a peace that is beyond knowing, a peace that passes understanding, and he comprehends a peace that is beyond comprehension (Phil 4:7). He is truly content (not complacent), regardless of his circumstances (Phil 4:11-13). He has a joy that is not forced, and that is bubbling and overflowing (Phil 4:4). He experiences all of this “real” peace, contentment and joy while he is in prison! How is this possible?
Sanctification Versus Perfectionism/Elitism
This post is my 2012 reflection and prayer for myself and for my local church community: West Loop UBF Church. We had prayed that 2010 may be a year of the Gospel and that 2011 may be a year of Grace, in order for us to renew the limitless grace of Jesus in our own hearts, and not suffer from CFS: Christian Fatigue Syndrome! For 2012 I thought it appropriate to pray that it may be the year of Sanctification. (This sounds really scary, especially for me!) As I began reading and reflecting on sanctification this year, I felt that perfectionism was a real enemy of sanctification.
What is sanctification? Continue reading →
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