12 Things UBF Taught Me (7)
“Lay Missionaries” – This is also known as “tentmaker missionaries” or “self-supporting missionaries”. The idea is that a missionary does not need to be officially ordained and should not be supported financially from a main sending organization. The idea stems mainly from Apostle Paul’s tent-making business, as in Acts 18:3.
12 Things UBF Taught Me (6)
“Spiritual order” – This heritage point is one of the most vague, and perhaps the most misunderstood and misused. I was taught two meanings of this point, and I found a third meaning recently being taught at the Chicago headquarters chapter of ubf. If you want to find out what ubf is all about, start asking what “spiritual order” is. You’ll likely get multiple answers. This is one of the most used, least documented slogans of the ubf heritage. I believe we need to start sharing how this was used or misused, how it was taught and what to do about it.
12 Things UBF Taught Me (5)
“A spirit of giving” – This means to support youself. Be independent. Don’t look to other people for help. Don’t have a beggar mentality. Give, even when you are poor. Be a “tent-maker” like Apostle Paul. This heritage point is derived mostly from verses in the bible such as “You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16) and “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).
12 Things UBF Taught Me (4)
“Manger spirit” – The manger is perhaps the most recognizable Christian symbol, next to the cross. ubf taught me “manger spirit” and gave a whole new meaning to this symbol. Sometimes this was expressed as “manger ministry”. And the teaching is about the manger, literally. This teaching was not about Jesus directly, but about imitating what Jesus did. Jesus was born in a manger and became the Savoir of the world. Likewise, I was taught that I too could become a “savoir” and “be a blessing” only when I imitate the manger.
12 Things UBF Taught Me (3)
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Campus Evangelism” – The third point in the ubf heritage is about college campus ministry. I normally combined “World Mission” and “Campus Evangelism” in to one slogan “World Campus Mission”. But really there are two slogans here. Campus evangelism refers to some specific lifestyle choices that are eventualy required of bible students in ubf (called “sheep”).
12 Things UBF Taught Me (2)
“Do world mission” – The second point in the ubf heritage is World Mission. I learned that World Mission is something you do. The idea is that people in the world are in terrible shape. The “world” was defined as everyone outside ubf. All those worldly people are from many different countries, and the worst of them are on 561 American campuses. [Note: The 561 number came from a old Navigator survey that found 561 major campuses in America at the time.]
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.
UBF Doctrine – Introduction
What does ubf believe? What are their doctrines? The answers to these questions have been ellusive at best for over 50 years. Some people point to ubf’s Presbyterian roots. Some point to Samuel Lee’s lectures. Some claim ubf is just a “mainline evangelical church”. But none of these accurately describes what ubf officially believes. There is no official doctrine statement. There is no “core values” document. What we have is the “missinoary pledge”, but that doesn’t begin to explain what ubf officially teaches or believes. In some sense, ubf is a “one-legged stool”, focusing on orthopraxy while ignoring or marginalizing orthodoxy and orthopathy. The best we have (insiders or outsiders) is the ubf heritage list.
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.
Jesus is Lord
When Christians preach the gospel of Jesus they say to their converts that “Jesus is our Savior and Lord”. We all discuss UBF here and we all know what UBF is, what it teaches and preaches. To newcomers UBF shepherds preach Jesus as their Savior. When newcomers come to know Jesus the Savior the Holy Spirit gives them new birth and makes them Christians. Then in the life of the newborn Christians in UBF starts what we call here “abuse”. It is because after the new birth young students are not taught the lordship of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
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