Huffington Post

BK recently submitted an article about Trump and Evangelicals. And it made a lot of sense. But what doesn’t make sense is how much media coverage Trump is getting. He pretty much is the laughing stock of the nations. How is it that a beauty pageant organizer/reality tv star/real estate agent is running for US president? He has no political experience. And yet he has gotten so far in running. Like BK said it’s because he’s all about money and that’s what people value most.

Moreover as Chris accurately diagnosed, Trump is a populist politician. There have been many in every country like Le Pen and Zhirinovsky. This is all true and yet, Trump is the one we choose to talk about. I shamefully confess that out of all the presidential candidates, I’ve read the most about Trump. Our society, myself included, chooses sensation over sense.

$85 Million Net Worth

There is another certain American celebrity who get way more media coverage than she deserves. Her net worth is $85 million. What does she contribute to society? Absolutely nothing, except pictures of her behind that break the internet. I am not even going to write her name here because I don’t feel it’s worth any attention. She does squelch and yet she walks into a restaurant and it’s worth increases astronomically overnight.This is because she works the system. She knows what people value: sensation over sense.

The Sexy Life Syndrome

I’ve been thinking about this phenomena and I’ve coined it the “Sexy Life Syndrome.” I got the idea after reading the first chapter of Ramit Sethi’s book, I will teach you to be Rich. At the beginning of his book he asks, would you rather be rich or sexy? People want the sexy life of risky investments and get rich quick plans. People desire the sensational stories of rags to riches overnight. This is the allure of gambling and lottery tickets.

But Sethi’s argument is that getting rich is about making boring and safe financial decisions and sticking with them consistently for 30 years. Budgeting isn’t sexy, but it get’s results. Our society values the “sexy life,” but not the consistent “raise the children/trade in the sports car for the mini van” life.

Media and Society

Now, I feel there is a need for me to preface my view point. There are always brimstone and fire preachers who warn us of the impending doom coming to our depraved Sodom and Gomorrah-esque society. I’m talking about the ones who say, “In my day we never did what the young kids nowadays are doing…” I never understand people who talk like that. I guess that people remember only what they want to remember. (As if there was a time period in human history where there was no sin).

Anyway, my point is not that our society is messed up beyond repair. My opinion is quite the opposite. We do have a society that values sensation over sense. Yes, our society is largely reactionary. And yes, our emotions are constantly hijacked, especially with the onslaught of the internet and ridiculous stories. Admittedly, media portrays what society values. (Presidential Candidates show what Americans want i.e. money). Media is a mirror of our Society, but Society also controls Media.

I don’t think consumers, the lay man sitting on his couch watching tv after work, realizes his power. Media runs on public ratings, and if people value things worth valuing like: acts of kindness and peace making policies (and politicians who are actually contributing positively) media would change.I’m not naive about what’s going on in the world (believe me I’ve seen a lot of ugly in my life) and I’m not a proponent of hiding your head in the sand or sweeping dirt under the carpet.

But what I do suggest is shedding light on Presidential Candidates who are doing something. Or focusing on Christian leaders who are building up the Church. Don’t let your time, energy and life be sucked into the black hole of sensational stories i.e. fb, youtube clips, pinterest, theological debates that never end, etc. (Ok, that’s enough preaching).

The Thermometer versus the Thermos

The sensible life is possible, but it takes intention and discipline. My mother once told me about the difference between being a cultural thermometer or a thermos. A thermometer reads the temperature. A thermos determines the temperature. Thermometers are passive. Thermoses are active. It’s your choice.

You decide: sensation or sense.

Do you notice a lot of sensation in the media? Do you think there are stories that need to be told, but are not told? Who are the unsung heroes in your immediate circle? What does it mean to be a cultural thermometer to you? Are there any Presidential candidates you think positively of?

1. They both want to build an Empire called America

Trump’s hat says “Make America Great Again”. His platform seems to be just that–make American great! Build a wall and make Mexicans pay for it! His speeches I’ve heard are rather inspiring. It is easy to get swept up in his in-your-face boldness.

In fact, Trump gives voice to things most won’t say. While I appreciate this trait of Trump’s character, I can’t support his manic, over-the-top rhetoric. I can however see how many in the religious right love him. They want to build an empire called America too. And if they can piggy-back on a man like Trump, they will. The religious right has turned the church into a machine powered by a kind of empire-building gospel meant to counteract the evil society around them. And both of them seem to be at war.

2. They both read the Bible Pathologically

Recently Trump said how much he loves the Bible and how good the Bible is. He says the Bible just keeps getting better the more you read it. Then he said he loves that great Bible passage about “never bending to envy”. I don’t know what Bible Trump is reading. Perhaps he is alluding to Proverbs 23:17? Maybe he is referring to the TBT (Trump Bible Translation)? Or is he recalling Dante’s Divine Comedy…

“Whereby, so sweetly Love burns in us, poured By live Justice, that we could never bend To any envy, or malice untoward.”

The problem is that Trump is not someone who thinks about what the Bible is saying. Nor is he someone you would look to in order to process the Bible. He just says the Bible is sooo good.

This sounds to me like the religious right. I have had too many encounters online in social media with Evangelical conservatives who do the same thing as Trump. They idolize the Bible but do not process what the texts say. The common mantra is “The Bible says it, end of story.” I’ve had several online conversations where I respond by quoting the Bible, without the verses. I am then told how unbiblical my words are… Pathological thinking cannot see itself. Pathological thought does not see itself, cannot see itself, and cannot see other types of thought. Trump and the religious right have this in common.

3. They both depend on Money

Trump’s empire is all about making money. He is successful. His platform seems to me to be entirely based on his business success. The religious right also depends on money–offering money. The churches they have built would collapse if there were no offerings. One prime example is the Billy Graham Association. Franklin Graham (Billy’s son) has made millions.

Thoughts? Questions? Criticisms?

Do you belong to a proud or a humble church?

Fill in the blanks. I think most of them are rather self-evident. The answers are likely a lot easier than putting them into practice. (Sorry, I don’t know how to make a table, but the table and the answer key can be seen here.)

The Proud Person / Church Vs.The Humble Person / Church

Seeing ourselves as better and others as worse. Perhaps dichotomy is sometimes not often very helpful or practical. We also incline to seeing ourselves (and our churches) in a better or more positive light, and conversely incline to seeing others (and other churches) in a worse or more negative light. (I know that I did this for decades!) Nonetheless, I think this table of contrast is helpful.

What do you think? Are UBF people and UBF churches humble?

Brian keeps UBF honest. Forests reviewed Brian’s first book and says, “I encourage everyone to buy and read Brian’s book. It contains much more than I have mentioned. I recently spoke to a UBF missionary from Chicago who said that Brian is good for UBF because he ‘keeps us honest.’” (Book Review: Rest Unleashed.)

Be loving: It is godly and loving to read and hear Brian’s story. Brian’s story is really a part of UBF’s big story. Brian devoted 24 years of the prime of his life to UBF until he decided to leave in 2011. He was fully committed and fully invested in UBF from 1987 to 2011. Literally, he “gave his life for UBF” without hesitation or reservation from his teenage years, perhaps even more than some missionaries did. Without question, he is a man of heart, a man of loyalty, a man of commitment, a man of integrity, and a man of passion and energy, which likely all UBF leaders encourage UBFers to be. In my opinion, to stop listening to Brian just because he left UBF reflects rather poorly and badly on UBF. It suggests and implies that UBF only loves those in UBF but not those who left UBF. Clearly, God does not love only those in UBF. Surely, God also loves those who have left UBF. So, should we not be loving by listening to people like Brian? You cannot love someone if you refuse to listen to what they have to say and share. Brian has a lot to share and say in his life story, and like it or not UBF will always be a significant part of his life story.

Be humble: It is a sign of godly humility to listen to detractors and painful critique. It is likely also the best way to change and improve. If we only listen to those who flatter us and tell us how wonderful and good we are, we will not likely improve or make much progress as a human being, nor as a church. Countless books and lectures and sermons on leadership have been written about how bad organizations or churches only surround themselves with like-minded people or so-called “Yes men,” because they do not challenge them to change or to get out of the proverbial box. Thus, genuinely listening to those who tell us how terrible or just how suboptimal or cult-like we are is very good for the soul…and for the church. It is a sign of humility, perhaps the most valued and desired attribute mentioned repeatedly throughout the Bible (Num 12:3; Zeph 2:3; 3:12; Mt 5:3; 1 Pet 5:6). Humility (by listening to honest critiques) helps us to truly change from the inside out to be more and more like humble Jesus.

Be inclusive and broad-minded like God who accepts all kinds of people. Every church tends to accept a particular type of person. After over three decades in UBF since 1980, my observation and opinion is that UBF has mainly attracted those who would listen to leaders without disagreeing, questioning or challenging them. Brian was once a person who would never question anything coming from a UBF leader (including breaking and entering the home of James and Rebekah Kim in 1990). That was likely why he was fully embraced and accepted in UBF and even “allowed” to be a UBF chapter director in Detroit. But the moment he began to question certain unhealthy UBF practices, he has been labeled as being Satan and the devil and someone to be avoided and not listened to. This is truly very sad and unfortunate and narrow-minded. If UBF learns to embrace anyone who dares to openly and publicly critique us for wrongdoing, we will become more of an inclusive and broad-minded church. In other words, by listening and accepting people like Brian, we will become more and more like Jesus and less and less like exclusive elitist Christians.

Be biblical by not shutting others out. I’ve likely heard all the reasons to not listen to Brian’s story or to not read Brian’s books. But all the reasons are primarily to justify shutting Brian out of our UBF consciousness and conversation, which is not possible, if not foolish and unbiblical. I welcome people like Brian, because he is my friend and my brother in Christ. We also share a common history in UBF for several decades. Just because he left UBF or critiques UBF (and disagrees with me regarding certain things) makes no difference.

In my opinion, it is loving, humble, inclusive, broad-minded, godly and biblical to listen to Brian’s story.

Is there any reason to not listen to Brian? Should UBF read Brian’s books and listen to Brian’s 24 year story and journey in UBF?

Highly autonomous

If you say NO, it’s DONE. To put it bluntly I might even declare–at least to myself, but not to others (I don’t want to come across as being disrespectful or uncaring or rude!)–that I could care less whether or not others like, dislike, approve or disapprove of me. In fact, I am highly motivated and encouraged to do the very opposite of what others desire or expect of me. Thus, I often tell others with a big warm cheeky smile, “If you tell me NO, it’s DONE! If you say Stop, I Go.” So, my wife has learned to use reverse psychology on me. What a wise woman she is!

A glaring blind spot? Maybe by writing this post, I might be completely refuting what I am claiming above: That I am actually quite bothered by the opinion of others, yet insisting that I am not! Perhaps so, since we all likely have glaring blind spots and glowingly positive yet rather inaccurate assessment of our true selves.

Yes and No. So am I bothered or not by the opinion of others? The honest answer is Yes and No. Yes, in the sense that all people, young and old, want to be loved and accepted and appreciated by others. At the same time, No, because I’m still going to do what I believe is right, regardless of others. The strongest single major practical restraint upon my life is whether or not it negatively affects my wife to an inordinate degree. I believe that a happy wife is a happy life. (I’m proud that I figured this out.) As a Christian, I also want to weigh my conscience based on Scripture, in particular whether or not it expresses love for God and others or not.

Spoken to others but not to me. Over the last few years, several older UBF leaders have said to others but not to me personally, “I don’t trust Dr. Ben.” Since they are older senior leaders, their opinion obviously carries weight and therefore it influences the opinion of others in UBF toward me, especially those who do not know me. For years, I simply ignored these comments, since it was not spoken to me in person, but only to others. Furthermore, my value, validation and vindication comes from God, not people. Most importantly, my life will go on in the goodness, grace and generosity of God’s overflowing abundance, regardless of their opinion of me. So why am I blogging about this?

Matthew 5:23-24 says, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

Reconciliation. It might surprise some UBFers that the gist and thrust of the entire Bible is reconciliation. Our mission should primarily be for reconciliation, not church growth. Our discipleship should be for reconciliation, not making them Bible teachers. In my opinion, if any church fails in reconciliation, it has failed as a church, regardless of how many disciples they may raise or claim to raise.

Uncomfortable and messy. So, yes, I wish to seek reconciliation with anyone and everyone who does not trust me. I have made some private attempts at actively seeking reconciliation. God willing, I will continue to seek reconciliation, as uncomfortable and messy as this might entail.

Why don’t people trust me? These again are things I heard others say in my absence, which then are relayed to me through the grapevine. I am: bashing UBF, slamming my shepherd (Samuel Lee), tearing down UBF, ungrateful, unsupportive and jealous of UBF leaders, causing Bible students to leave UBF, not training anyone, controlling everyone at West Loop, not studying the Bible but only reading books, teaching grace but not truth, proud, rebellious, childish, immature and untrained, because Samuel Lee only loved me but never trained me!

No wonder, people don’t trust me. I might have some difficulty trusting such a person as well! Nonetheless, I wish to actively seek reconciliation, believing that it pleases and glorifies God.

Sorry for another rambling blog, which is actually all of my blogs! Sorry if this is excessively introspective. As always, I’d love to hear your take and angle on my rambling.

From 1980 (when I became a Christian and joined Chicago UBF) to 2002 (when Lee died), I witnessed firsthand what Lee said and taught. For the last 22 years of his life I listened to Lee’s preaching in Chicago UBF, and heard his prayer topics and announcements every week. He would be the final word at the Mon fellowship leader’s meeting, the Tue elder’s meeting, the Fri student leader’s meeting, on Sat when we met for prayer for the Sunday worship service, and also on Sun after the sermon.

There have been many negative accounts about Lee (which are credible accounts from credible people). But there are also Lee’s positive teachings, which I regard as the gist of his primary teachings and main emphasis for 22 years under his leadership. Many might insist that he did not practice what he preached. Nonetheless, this is what he said and emphasized repeatedly for the last 22 years of his life.

Humility. Lee said emphatically that humility is the first attribute of leadership. He would be even far more dramatic by saying, “The first attribute of leadership is humility. The second attribute of leadership is humility. The third attribute of leadership is humility.” He said this and similar statements regarding humility countless times on countless occasions over the years. For certain, UBF might be a different church if we sincerely took to heart the utmost importance of humility.

Influence. Lee said, “The water upstream flows downstream.” He meant that what happens in UBF at the ground level happens primarily because of the leader’s influence. He said very often that we should not blame our sheep, but take personal responsibility. He clearly articulated a culture of influence and responsibility that comes from the integrity of the leader. People have shared how their leader told them, “Our UBF chapter is not growing because of you.” Lee would not have been happy with that leader.

Jesus only. Lee said that whatever we write and share in both sermons and testimonies, 90% should be about Jesus and 10% about ourselves. He never deviated from consistently saying this for as long as I’ve known him for 22 years. If we practiced sharing primarily about Jesus (and not ourselves or UBF), issues with elitism and nationalism would dissipate.

Compassion. With an almost consistent and predictable regularity, Lee would emphasize in countless creative ways the compassion of God and Jesus for sinners. He encouraged UBFers to have a “shepherd’s heart” for others. He stressed that we should love our sheep like our children; that we should love and care for lost sheep with the heart of Christ and with the heart of a father and a mother. This is virtually an unchanging constant in his sermons and announcements throughout the 22 years that I‘ve known him.

Many people have shared with me their observation that they are treated differently from the children of missionaries and older leaders. They say that they often do not force their own children to feed sheep, attend meetings, write testimonies, or marry by faith. Perhaps, if we love others the same way we love our children such complaints would disappear.

Brokenness. Lee expressed it best when he said, “If one’s leg is broken we can fix their broken leg. But when one’s heart is broken, what can we do?” Many are emphatic about Lee’s motivation of primarily desiring to establish leaders for UBF. Yes, he was driven to make disciples the way he believed he should, which I do not always agree with. But I remember him expressing his compassion for broken students from dysfunctional families with genuine and heartfelt compassion countless times. I never doubted that he loved and cared for certain broken people, who will likely be ignored and discarded by a pragmatic leader.

Love one person. Related to compassion and brokenness, Lee emphasized ad nauseam about genuinely loving one person. In an attempt to help a college student, he said in the midst of a very hectic international summer Bible conference (ISBC) preparation, “Helping one person is more important than the entire UBF ISBC.”

Many people have complained about how UBF is far more concerned about the viability, success and reputation of UBF than about the welfare and well being of individual people, who have felt used, trampled upon, disregarded, unappreciated and disrespected. People felt conditional love: They are accepted and loved only if they are fully committed to serve UBF. But should they decide to leave UBF, they felt that they never had a true friend in UBF who loved them for who they were, but only for what they could contribute to UBF. If we took to heart Lee’s teaching about genuinely loving one person, then even if that person left UBF, the love would remain.

There are other repeated emphasis in Lee’s teaching. But I’ll stop here with humility, influence, Jesus only, compassion, brokenness, and loving one person. Could these six attributes be suitable replacements for some of the current 8 to 12 legacies attributed to him over the past dozen years?

An Interview

Fix 3 Things

After watching many of these shows, it is clear that fixing a restaurant comes down to three practical matters: food, service and cleanliness. The owners are almost always in denial about these things. They think their food is the best. But Irvine, a professional cook, tells them almost every time “Your food sucks”. This may sound harsh, but only the direct approach seems to wake people up and lead them out of denial. If you have great food, people will come to your restaurant.

But great food is not enough. You need to have good service. Robert pays attention to online reviews of restaurants and tries to figure out a marketing plan for them. The owners tend to be in denial about this too. Their servers think they are doing a good job. Almost always Robert finds that 1 or 2 people are doing 90% of the work. Most people are just lazy and are focused on their own problems. They take a paycheck but they don’t clean and they don’t serve guests with respect and cheerful disposition.

In short, the food, the service and the cleanliness are evidences that people have checked out. They don’t care anymore and just want their money so they can go home and get away from the restaurant. Robert bluntly shows them the bad food, the bad service and the dirty areas of the restaurant. Until those are addressed, the owners will keep failing.

The One Thing that Counts Most

The theme that is unmistakable is that one thing overshadows all other problems. Relationships. The owners and staff are almost always broken in some major way. And every time, Robert zeroes in on those relationships. One phrase that he repeats often is this: “I can fix your food, I can clean your restaurant, I can train your staff to clean, but I cannot fix this, your relationship. That is up to you.” Robert shows the owners what’s wrong and what’s right, and does so with bold courage and gentle kindness. He exposes their painpoints. But he leaves the decisions up to the owners. It is their restaurant. He can set them on a course for success, but ongoing success depends on how well the owners work together and with their staff.

These relationships are so important that Robert keeps in contact with them even after leaving them. He even stays in contact if the restaurant fails. In just two days, he cannot fix all the problems, but he can set them on a course for success. And most importantly, in two days, he can build a relationship with them. Usually the owners hate him at first, and end up either loving him or at least highly respecting him in the end.

The show is highly emotional, so if you watch it, have a box of tissue nearby!

Success Rate

This all sounds good, but how successful has Irvine been? He mentions a 65% success rate in the interview above, over the course of helping 100 restaurants. You might initially think this is not so great. But compare 65% to .3%. Back in 2010, we discussed Joe’s article about success rate at ubf being .3 percent. Such a small success rate tells me the ubf system has failed and is failing. Joe’s words are still relevant in 2014: “Instead of assuming that it’s okay to sift through massive numbers of students to find the 0.3 percent that can remain among us, perhaps it’s time to stop, reflect upon ourselves, and consider how to reach at least some portion of the other 99.7 percent.”

Can you see any correlation to the church? What might a pastor learn from Irvine? Have you watched this show? What are your thoughts about Robert’s approach?

The big news in Christendom today. Acts 29, a national church planting group with 500 churches cofounded by Mark Driscoll, has removed Driscoll, the senior pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle and the church from membership, with seven board members urging in a letter that Driscoll “step down” from ministry and “seek help.” The letter is here.

5,000 church members in 8 years. In the mid-1990s, at age 25 Driscoll started a church in his house in Seattle with a dozen people. In 8 years, his church grew to 5,000 members when he was only 33 years old. Today, his network of five local churches boasts 18,000 members. He founded Acts 29, a church planting network that grew to 500 churches, and a Bible seminary. He is said to read one book a day. His sermons are downloaded millions of times by Christians throughout the English speaking world. He has authored many Christian books, including the popular and controversial Real Marriage. He is famous throughout the world with invitations to preach and teach in churches from many countries.

How did Driscoll influence me? Once at a Gospel Coalition conference, I heard Driscoll preach a 40 point sermon. I didn’t like the sermon (it had too many points and I don’t remember what he said!), but I was impressed. Since then, I decided to preach extemporaneously, rather than preach from reading off a typed prepared manuscript, which I did for decades. It was not easy for me to learn new tricks in my 50s. But through Driscoll, Tim Keller and others who preach without notes, I was inspired to give extemporaneous preaching a shot. I guess I can be proud of myself in that I could be regarded as having a “humble learning mind.”

Would Driscoll be a good sheep in UBF? I also thought that if Driscoll, as brilliant, gifted and energetic as he was, was fished by UBF, he likely would have left, since he would not allow himself to be subject to the “discipleship training” of UBF. He is far too creative and fired up to follow some kind of scripted Christian program of being taught the Bible one on one week after week, or going fishing, or early morning daily bread, or weekly prayer meetings and testimony writing, or receive “message training” and the like. So, Driscoll would likely be regarded by UBF as a “very proud and rebellious no-good” sheep because he refuses to receive humbleness training and “just obey.” I don’t think he would “marry by faith” either.

No accountability. What happened to Driscoll? Lord Acton’s famous quote comes to mind: Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Countless reports online over the years have accused Driscoll of authoritarian abuse, of centering virtually all power to himself, and surrounding himself with elders who will unconditionally support him and not question his authority, disagree with him, or challenge him. He also removed and dismissed several elders who would not agree with him. As his church and influence grew, so did his refusal to be truly accountable to others, even when he said that he would. My contention has been that every Christian, including every Christian leader regardless of their tenure, status and fruitfulness, absolutely needs to be accountable to others. Driscoll’s removal from Acts 29 reveals that he has refused to be accountable to others. Basically, he has called the shots throughout his ministry, as this short video/audio clip suggests.

The internet is not going away. Even just a few decades ago, Driscoll might have gotten away with his authoritarianism and abuse of his power. But today, with the advent and explosion of cyberspace, almost any news can become a major news story almost instantaneously. Yes, some Christian leaders simply loathe the fact that anyone’s dirty laundry can be aired publicly for all to see and read. Nonetheless, this is the reality that is not going to change until Jesus comes again. I often think that the internet is fulfilling Jesus’ promise that “what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!” (Lk 12:3, NLT)

Regardless of his many inappropriate off-handed comments and authoritarian abuse, I generally like Mark Driscoll’s fire, energy, spirit and passion for Christ and the proclamation of the gospel. Yet, it seems that he allowed his fame, popularity, gifting from God, influence and power to get to his head in some way. Satan is crafty. May God grant him this time to come to Jesus newly and find new life in him.

Thoughts and reflections? Can we apply any of this to UBF?

The Golden Circle

What do Apple, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Wright brothers have in common? Simon Sinek claims that he has discovered their common pattern. According to him, it is the secret to every great and inspiring leader and organization in the world. He calls it the “golden circle.” It is quite simple. There are 3 circles on top of each other. The center circle is why, the middle circle is how and the outer circle is what. Usually we work from the outside in. But the most successful leaders and companies work from the inside out. They start with the question: why.

Every single person knows what they do and most likely how they do it, but the central question is: why. And the answer to that question is not simply “to be rich.” That is a result. The why must answer, what is your purpose, what is your cause, what is you belief? Why do you get up in the morning? Why does your organization exist? Why do you exist? Many companies have superb products and technology, but they don’t sell well. Why? Because people don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.

Usually we go from the most concrete questions to the abstract ones, from what, to how and lastly (if ever) to why. For example, normal computer companies sell computers. Their marketing plan is: we make great computers, we use the best technology and we do this so you will be happy. But Apple sells an idea, an identity, first and foremost. Their belief is, “We challenge the status quo. We are unique and so are our clients. We use the highest technology and best design. We also happen to make great computers.” Apple does things normal computer companies don’t. Who buys an MP3 player from a computer company? Who would buy a TV from Dell? But people buy these products every day from Apple. We don’t buy what you do; we buy why you do it.

A Failure

In his talk Sinek, compared the Wright brothers to Samuel Pierpont Langley. When people are asked for the reason of their business failures, they usually answer 3 things: they were under-capitalized, they had the wrong people and bad market conditions. It’s always the same three things. But in Langley’s case he was supported in all three of these areas. He lacked nothing. He was funded with $500,000 by the war department to figure out how to create the flying machine. He was well-connected and working with the top scientists of the day. The New York Times followed him everywhere. Everybody was rooting for him.

The Wright brothers, on the other hand, were uneducated; no one on their team even had a university education. They were funded only by the proceeds of their bicycle shop. There was no media following them. But they had something Langley lacked: a purpose. They believed that if they figured out this flying thing, it would change the course of the world. Langley, however, was in pursuit of the result; he was in it for the riches. Proof of this is that he quit once the Wright brothers made their first successful flight. Langley could have improved their technology, but he gave up because he was not the first one to discover it. The Wright brothers had a team that supported their cause. As Sinek often says, “if you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money, but if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.”

A Success

In the summer of 1963, a quarter of a million people showed up in Washington D.C. to hear Dr. King speak. There was no facebook or email back then, so how did he manage to muster all those people? Dr. King was not the only great speaker back then. But what was different about him was that he went around saying, “I believe, I believe, I believe.” He had a cause and people bought into his cause, his dream.  Those people didn’t come for him; they came for themselves.

Dr. King believed in two types of law: God-made and man-made. He believed that until those two laws were in sync this world would never be just. The Civil Rights movement was the way for him to make his cause a reality. People followed him, not for him, but for themselves.  Furthermore, his most famous speech was, “I have a dream,” not, “I have a plan.”

Today politicians make many 12-point plans, but they are not inspiring anyone. Everyone is selling a product, but few are selling an idea. While I was taking a class on curriculum leadership, we discussed the needs of teachers to explain the reason/theory behind their curriculum. Ideally, we would like teachers to post videos explaining the reasons behind their educational methods/philosophy. But it would be difficult to implement.

How about you? Are you pushing an agenda a program or plan instead of a cause/purpose? Are you a leader who inspires others? How many times do schools and churches copy movements and go through the motions without knowing why? What about in your church or community? Are people inspired?

1. Easily bored. I’ve said often that a great sin of Christians or the church is being boring (and predictable), because Jesus was never boring! When told that they are committing the sin of killing people with boredom, they say that the complainers are unspiritual and sinful. But in the gospels, it is the unspiritual and sinful that are attracted to Jesus! The ones who disliked Jesus were the boring people among the religious leaders.

2. Risk takers. The church is often accused of keeping the status quo and being stuck in the past. She tends not to be creative and innovative, but boring and predictable (sorry for the repetition!). The church is risk averse. But Jesus was the greatest risk taker who risked everything for a venture that would cost him his life…and he asks his disciples to do the same.

3. Color outside the lines. If you created the lines, you’d really be very upset by such people. Didn’t the religious leaders nail Jesus for breaking the law of Moses? Does the church hierarchy not try to impose their outdated and tired religious tradition on the younger generation?

4. Think with their heart. Jesus loves God with all his heart and he asks his disciples to do likewise (Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30). If we think with our head our heart shrinks and we become fearful and overly cautious (often in the name of being prayerful!). If we think with our heart, our life blossoms and we live in the freedom of the Spirit (2 Cor 3:17).

5. Make lots of mistakes. I love this trait. But perfectionists, legalists, traditionalists and rule keepers fear making mistakes and looking bad. Incidentally, Jesus seemed to have made such a big mistake that he lost his life for it.

6. Hate the rules. This is my favorite. Jesus was killed because he was accused of breaking the rules (the BIBLE no less!). The most Bible-centered Jews accused Paul of breaking the law (of antinomianism) whenever he preached the gospel (Rom 6:1, 15), which is the gospel of God’s grace (Ac 20:24). The Dalai Lama says, “Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. Rules are meant to be broken.” Will the church ever learn this?

7. Work independently. Jesus’ most important daily work was done alone when he prayed all night (Lk 6:12) and when he got up early in the morning to pray (Mk 1:35).

8. Change their mind a lot. Creative people change their mind often because they are not rigid and stubborn. They always weigh all options and thus are open, accommodating and flexible. The God of the OT is often recorded as the God who seems to be changing his mind (“repenting” in some older translations) depending on the circumstances and situation.

9. Have a reputation for eccentricity. Creative people see what common ordinary people do not. So they seem odd, weird, absent minded, eccentric or even egocentric.

10. Dream big. In the trailer of the movie The Son of God Jesus called Peter to be his disciple. When Peter asked Jesus what they were going to do, Jesus spontaneously said with a smile, “Change the world.” Don’t we just love Jesus? (Of course, this is creative liberty, but cute.)

Which of these traits resonate with you?

A monster?

A machtmensh? Whenever I state anything complimentary about Lee, it is questioned and interpreted in the worst possible light. He is manipulative. He is a power monger (a “machtmensch”). His motive and intent was to enslave you to him and to UBF. Etc. There are elements of truth to this.

Loving Lee. I am not disputing some questionable decisions Lee made, the indefensible things he said in his announcements or wrote in his manuscripts, or his unchallenged and unhealthy authoritarian leadership. Many in UBF know this to be true, even if they will NEVER EVER publicly say so. They still love him like their father, and as the co-founder of UBF, and as their leader, pastor and Bible teacher, through whose lips they heard the gospel of their salvation and became genuine Christians. Can anyone blame them for fondly loving Lee, even while knowing some of his inexcusable flaws and sins?

These are some reasons why many, myself included, have loving sentiments toward Lee.

He is funny. He had a sense of humor. He could make you laugh and cry, not with crass jokes, but with an understanding of the complexity and contradiction of humanity (perhaps like a Christian version of Chris Rock). Lee was often entertaining, just as George Whitfield and Billy Sunday were. As someone said, which I agree, Lee made serving God fun.

He is creative and inspiring. He was not boring or predictable. He often shocked and surprised you in ways that compelled you to think deeply.

Homo unius libri. He was always spirited and excited about Jesus and the Bible. In his own imperfect way, he was truly a homo unius libri.

Intuition. He had an intuitive sense about people. Of course he was sometimes wrong. But more often than not, he saw the very best in people. I always felt that he saw me with eyes of hope, love and potential. I know many others who feel the same way.

Embracing. He was generous and gracious toward those who are broken, wounded and weak. He helped me to be forbearing, gentle and kind toward those whom I often felt very impatient with. Yes, he was quite harsh with some, usually with the UBF staff and leaders under him. But he was unbelievably kind, warm, patient and embracing toward so many. I can never forget him saying, “If a man’s leg is broken, you can mend his leg. But if his heart is broken, who can mend it?” For over two decades I heard him express such similar sentiments with genuine heartfelt love, compassion and understanding. Through his good influence, I came to gradually understand the God of endless love and compassion, the God who is endlessly long suffering, patient, kind and tolerant.

Legacy. Yes, Lee embellished stories that were exaggerations or lies. But sometimes even these were funny (as long as it was not about you!). Yes, he was authoritarian; he had no accountability structures in place, and he expected unquestioning obedience to him. Yes, all UBFers were “scared to death” of him, and would never question him or disagree with him. Yes, he surrounded himself with “Yes men.” Yes, he trained people until many in UBF are homogenous clones. Yes, he was harsh and cruel to those who disagreed with him, or challenged his authority, or who who did not meet his expectations. Yes, he publicly and privately humiliated and caricatured people. Yes, he made fellow UBFers compete rather than collaborate. Because of these, UBF is NOT a healthy church today. Not a few leaders are untouchable. Our friendships, interpersonal relationships and trust are suboptimal.

The truth? I believe Lee had inner wounds that were not fully healed by Christ (perhaps like us). Yes, many of the negative things said about him were true. But it is also true that he was filled with the Holy Spirit and led many to Christ. Also, his leadership inspired many to love Jesus, the Bible, evangelism and mission, even to this day.

I am still excited about Jesus today because of the work of the Holy Spirit in me. I am sorry if some find it offensive and hurtful that I attribute this to Lee.

Below are some positive quotes. I think it is wise to also realize that Mandela had a “dark side” as we all do. To be human is to embrace the good and the bad, which I see Mandela did. He did not build his own fantasy, but lived in the real world.

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”

“I am not the only one who did not want revenge. Almost all my colleagues in prison did not want revenge, because there is no time to do anything else except to try and save your people.” —Larry King Live, May 16, 2000

“I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including my enemies, and that is what I normally tell other people who say those who are struggling for liberation in their country are terrorists. I tell them that I was also a terrorist yesterday, but, today, I am admired by the very people who said I was one.” —Larry King Live, May 16, 2000

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” —Rivonia trial, 1964

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

“Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.” —From a letter to Winnie Mandela, 1975

“Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished”

(source)

Samuel Lee was Meek (and Authoritarian

Not Overbearing, but Meek. Jesus, Paul, and Peter all spoke on this important attribute of an exemplary Christian leader. Jesus said we should not lord it over others like the rulers of the Gentiles by emphatically saying, “Not so with you” (Mt 20:25-26; Mk 10:42-43). Paul said that Christian leaders “must be blameless—not overbearing” (Tit 1:7). Peter said that leaders in the church must be “eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you” (1 Pet 5:2-3). Clearly a Christian leader should be one who is meek, for they (not the overbearing) will inherit the earth (Mt 5:5).

A “not discussed” Weakness of Christian Leadership: Being Overbearing. Perhaps, the most common form of pastoral failure historically is sexual sin. Perhaps, the least addressed form of pastoral inadequacy historically is spiritual abuse and spiritual bullying, which damages and wounds the people of God in the church. Some Christian leaders do not like to hear this because in their heart and mind they truly meant well, which I do not deny. Nonetheless, they need to listen to “their sheep” and be accountable to them, as much as they expect accountability and submission from them.

Even Anointed Christian Leaders are Sinners. The list is endless. John Calvin approved the execution of Michael Sevetus for denying the trinitarian nature of God. Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield kept slaves. John Wesley, George Mueller, David Livingston, and AW Tozer were not loving husbands, though they were passionate for Christ. Many notable Christian leaders have a bad temper. Tong, though clearly anointed, offended my wife and son who were with me, by his negative caricature of Catholics and Charismatics. Lee and many UBF leaders after him are authoritarian, which is not unusual in churches throughout Asia. John Stott writes in his book Calling Christian Leaders that the lead pastor is functionally the king of his church, for his word is law and his directives cannot be questioned without consequence.

Is my account of Lee’s meekness and anointing too generous? Is my assessment of UBF authoritarianism too harsh a caricature and generalization?

Linsanity happened because a most unlikely person literally came out of nowhere to become the “savior” for a Knicks team that was rapidly going down the gutter. Linsanity gave such an uplifting hope to Knick’s fans and to countless Asian and non-Asian sports fans through out the world (except Floyd Mayweather).

Is this not what the gospel is and does?

The gospel gave us an unlikely Savior who looked weak and pathetic and who had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him (Isa 53:2). We have no hope because of our sins that never entirely goes away even after we become Christians. Yet we have a bright and glorious hope when we see Jesus bleeding on that Cross for me.

Sorry for my forced analogies between Lin and Christ. I hope no one mistakes this for blasphemy.

Sports Illustrated’s cover has the same person in 2 successive weeks for just the 3rd time in NBA history. UBFriends can surely do the same and match them by having 2 successive Linteresting articles! (For the record, I will always root for Jeremy except when he plays against the Bulls on March 12. Rose is still my boy!)

This is what Yao Ming says of Jeremy Lin: “What I see from Jeremy and what I hear in his interviews is he appreciates everything. He pursues his dream. His attitude is so peaceful, but there is strength to him. It is not a violent strength like fire or something aggressive. It is like the ocean, very peaceful, very quiet when you look at it. But you can never underestimate the power that is in there.” I never realized Yao Ming is so poetic. I am beginning to love my fellow countrymen more!

I’m really not lovable

Ghost. The various accounts of what happened to her was all over the news and on Night Line. It caught my attention, because my wife and I loved the romantic movie “Ghost” (1990) that she starred in, and which made her famous. When she confessed her love to Patrick Swayze, he responded by saying, “Ditto.” Ever since then, it became one of our favorite lines that we say to each other. (Of course, our 4 kids think that it is totally weird when their aging parents say such awkward things to each other!)

Can’t buy me love. What is sad about Moore’s story is that her life has mirrored a similar destructive pattern of many sad celebrities (Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, etc.). Their sad lives, despite the adoration of millions, reveals the truth that fame, popularity, clout, money, and unlimited access to life’s luxuries and pleasures cannot buy any man happiness, not to mention love.

Addicted to being loved. It is true that all humans want and need to be loved, since God made us to love God (Dt 6:5), to love others (Lev 19:18), and to be loved by God (Jer 31:3; 1 Jn 4:19). But when you become a celebrity, love is constantly being heaped on you that it becomes a “drug” you cannot live without. Being adored (worshipped) by the multitudes is like a drug high, according to the confession of rock stars. The reason many literally take drugs is that after the concert, they cannot maintain the high of a concert with thousands of screaming fans. To a similar or lesser degree, this perhaps applies to all celebrities, even to all human beings.

Only God’s love satisfies our soul. Demi Moore’s life apparently unraveled because her cute and younger husband stopped loving her. Now she wonders if she is even lovable. Only God’s love satisfies our soul. Augustine wrote in his Confessions, “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.” The Psalmist said, “My soul finds rest in God alone” (Ps 62:1).

May God give us love and rest through his Son, and minister to others to find the same.

Greatness and Shame. Joe Paterno (1926-2012) died yesterday. No one can take away his greatness as a head football coach of Penn State for 46 years. No one is likely to ever surpass what he achieved at one university. Yet, 2 months before he died, he was “dishonorably” fired, because of an ongoing sex scandal involving one of his assistant coaches who is presently being investigated for sexually abusing at least 8 boys over 15 years. As a result, Paterno’s name will be forever associated not just with “great coach,” but also with “being fired” and “sex scandal.” As a result, though Paterno died of lung cancer, some say that he died of a broken heart. In Paterno’s own words, he acknowledged that with hindsight he did not do enough.

God’s Heart and Adultery. This reminds me of King David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). But who ever recounts the story of David without associating him with the steamy adultery after watching a naked Bathsheba bathing? Then he covered up his sin by having her husband Uriah killed “in the line of duty.” Don’t we good Christians all cover up our sins?

Be Like David. Really? I’ve found that we Christians might study the Bible regarding David by saying, “Be like David, a man after God’s own heart,” and then justify it by saying that David humbly repented of his sin, which of course he did. Or we might teach, “Be like David (in 2 Samuel), but not like Saul (in 1 Samuel).” Others might look at David with skepticism and cynicism and say, “How can David be regarded as a man after God’s own heart, when he committed both adultery and murder? Even I don’t do that!”

Should One Mistake Define One’s Life and Legacy? Yes. God is truth, and God created us to live in the truth. Peterno’s name will always be associated with greatness and with shame. So, will David. For that matter, so will every memorable character in the Bible: Abraham (liar), Isaac (favoritism), Jacob (deceiver), Joseph (arrogant dreamer), Moses (murderer), Peter (coward), James and John (political hegemony), Paul (murderer). Historically, John Calvin will always be associated with being one of the greatest theologians and Bible teachers in history. But his detractors will always point out that he approved of the execution/beheading of Michael Sevetus for denying the Trinity. Jonathan Edwards is America’s greatest Christian. But he kept slaves. The list of the sins of Christians, even great ones, is endless.

Sin is Serious. Paterno’s legacy teaches us that sin is serious. He did not sin like his assistant coach who sexually abused many young boys. But he sinned by not doing more. He sinned by not really thinking of the boys who were being sexually abused and scarred for life irreparably. Because of Paterno’s sin, the alleged sexual abuses by his assistant coach continued for many more years unreported. It is inexcusable. To many, his firing was justified. Sin, no matter how “minor” or “venial” is always serious.

God is Gracious. We ALL sin (Rom 3:10-12,23). We might minimize our sin, even subconsciously, since we all sin. If I get upset with someone in my heart, while controlling myself outwardly, I may not think that it is that big of a deal. But Jesus regards that as being equivalent to murder (Matt 5:21-22). What hope do we have? Only by the grace of Jesus alone, God does not count our sins against us (Ps 32:2; Rom 4:8). God sent his Son who had no sin to die as a Substitute in our place, for our sins (2 Cor 5:21). This is man’s only hope.

No One Really Forgets Your Sin Except… No one ever truly or completely forgets someone else’s sins against them. No one will forget Paterno as one who did not do enough. No one will forget that David enjoyed Bathsheba sexually. No one forgets what President Clinton did in the White House. If you had sinned against someone, that person is not likely to ever forget it. If someone had sinned against you, you are not likely to forget it. Only God, because of Christ, remembers our sins no more (Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12; 10:17)! Thank God for His grace.

What could Joe Peterno have done differently? How do we deal with our own sins? The sins of others?

To those who have not heard of him, Tebow is the quaterback of the Denver Broncos, and he is perhaps the most well known Christian in the U.S. today because he always professes his faith publicly whenever he scores a touchdown and whenever he speaks. (At the time of this writing he has over 800,000 followers on Twitter and over 1.3 million subscribers on Facebook.) After a score, he would bow on one knee in prayer, which has been nick-named “Tebowing.” After every game, whenever he is interviewed he always says, “First I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” and then he goes on to profusely thank his team mates and his coaches by giving them all the credit for what they do. He is humble, self-effacing, spirited, joyful, likable and obviously happy whenever he speaks. He is 24 years old, single and still a virgin, which is unusual for those who are in professional sports. His parents were American missionaries to the Philippines, and Tebow is presently using his own money to build a hospital in the Philippines.

So much has already been written and said about Tebow by the Christian media, the secular media and on countless sport’s talk shows. But after giving my sermon yesterday on Sanctification, I want to make a connection between Tim Tebow and the Apostle Paul’s frequent use of athletic imagery.

A point I made in my sermon is that the Christian who is being truly sanctified by God is one who does not think of Christian life as a relaxed easy stroll in the park, but as an intense race to the finish in order to win the coveted prize at any cost. Paul frequently used sport’s imagery in his epistles (Php 2:16b; 3:14; 2 Tim 4:8; 1 Cor 9:24-27; Acts 20:24) to capture the spirit, passion, zeal, enthusiasm and victorious joy of the Christian life.

Tim Tebow has captured the imagination of many, both Christian and non-Christian, because he is a winner, and the world loves winners. Even Lady Gaga was impressed and tweeted about what a champion Tebow is! Also, whenever Tebow speaks and plays football, he is intense, real, tough, fearless and confident, yet always humble, unassuming and always deferring credit to God and others. As Paul wrote, we Christians should “shine like stars in the universe” or “shine as lights in the world” (Php 2:15; NIV, ESV). By God’s grace, Tebow seems to be brightly testifying to Christ in our unbelieving world. I pray that God may protect him from Satan’s certain temptation toward anyone whom God is using to reveal the name of Jesus.

Finally, if you are a movies and sports fan as I am, here is a cautionary warning from John Piper if you love movies and sports more than Jesus.

Does sport’s capture your interest? Is your Christian life like a joyful race to the finish line? Surely not like a celebrity, but is God enabling you to shine like a bright light in a dark place because of Jesus?

Interestingly — and perhaps not surprisingly — Lee was virtually deified by those who loved him and demonized by those who did not. In this short essay, I will try to explain why Lee was so loved and hated by sharing the story of how he personally influenced my life.

I met Lee in 1980 when I attended my first Sunday worship service at Chicago UBF. My first impression of him was that I didn’t understand a word he said. He spoke with a thick Korean accent, and I remarked that it would have been better for the American presider to give the sermon. For many years after that, Lee would jab at me and joke with me because I made that unflattering comment.

In 1981 he introduced me to my lovely wife, Christy, to whom I have been married for the 29 happiest years of my life, and through whom God granted me four children (and, recently, one fiesty grandson), who are my pride and joy.

For the last 22 years of Lee’s life, he loved and served me and my family and my fellowship members. As a result of his consistent, tender loving care, God’s blessing upon my life and upon the lives of members of my fellowship have been immense and ongoing to this very day.

When I think of him, the one word that comes to my heart and mind is forbearance. I was, by his prayer and estimation, not living up to the grace of Jesus upon my life. I have to agree with his evaluation of me. Yet, despite my uncountable shortcomings, Lee was always gracious toward me. He never treated me as my sins deserved. His exasperation or frustration or disappointment toward me was always tempered by more-than-sufficient grace. When a group of us visited him a few weeks before he died in 2002, his last words to me were something like this: “I believe that God has worked in you, and that God will continue to use your life for his glory.” He did not use those exact words, but it was the essence of what he was communicating. Little did I know that this would be the last time I saw him alive, and that those would be his last spoken words to me.

Lee’s personal touch and interpersonal connection were always tempered abundantly by the grace of Jesus, and so were his sermons and Bible studies. I vividly remember him giving a sermon on Mark chapter 1. The key verse was Mark 1:15: “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” I had often heard this verse applied as a severe warning to “repent and believe,” with an emphasis on repent. I used it in my own forceful way to squeeze repentance out of my Bible students and fellowship members. But Lee emphasized the coming of the kingdom of God and the marvellous grace of Jesus. When our hearts are touched by that grace of the coming of the kingdom, and only then, are we able to “repent and believe.” When I heard his message, I felt severely rebuked, even though he was not rebuking me. (Or maybe he was!) I did not immediately stop pressing others to repent. But I never forget that sermon, and it has weighed upon my soul ever since.

Lee’s Bible study, interpersonal relationships and sermons were seasoned with the grace of Jesus, and I believe that this was the very power source behind his personal influence upon others who knew him, and upon UBF at large. The future of UBF is not dependent upon our keeping Lee’s legacy or methodology alive, but upon magnifying the marvellous grace of Jesus through all our decisions and doings.

It was because of the marvellous grace of Jesus expressed through Lee’s life that Lee was greatly admired by those who personally tasted his love.

But Lee was also criticized and demonized. As a human being, he had blind spots and feet of clay. Many of his shortcomings, I believe, can be accounted for by his nationality and his culture.

I want to apologize in advance if some older members of UBF take offense at me saying this. But I think it needs to be said. The gospel compels us to see everyone, including Lee, as a sinner saved by grace. I do not believe that pointing out his shortcomings will tarnish his legacy or dishonors him in any way. And that is not at all what I am trying to do. Rather, I believe that acknowledging his shortcomings demonstrates how great indeed is our Lord Jesus Christ that he would use a man like Lee to glorify Himself.

At one time or another, Lee was, I believe, all of the following: authoritarian, totalitarian, and draconian. In my estimation, he was a benevolent dictator. Those who deified Lee extolled his benevolence; those who demonized him emphasized his authoritarianism.

Lee was a a great Christian and a genuine lover of souls. No one could credibly assert that what Lee did was motivated by selfishness. He was indeed benevolent, more so than any man I have ever known. As someone aptly put it, everything Lee did was “to please God, and to benefit you.”

But as benevolent as Lee was, he was our top leader, and very few in UBF ever dared to disagree with him. He is the only human being of whom I have ever been “terrified.” Being afraid of him was good for me, as it helped me to live in the fear of God. But under his forceful leadership, disagreeing with a UBF leader came to be viewed as a mark of insolence and disrespect.

Lee gave “training” to everyone in UBF, regardless of his position. It didn’t matter if you were a chapter director, an elder, or just a young Christian; if you encountered him, he trained you. Many who received his training were grateful for it. It humbled them. Many saw it as I did: as Lee’s personal love for them. But some who were trained by him became bitter, resentful and angry, and they were among those who subsequently demonized him.

Lee sometimes discouraged us from reading Bible commentaries. He emphasized that we should only read the Bible and study his manuscripts. He also discouraged some from going to seminary. I understand why he did this. He did not want UBF leaders to become puffed up with seminary degrees and expert knowledge, while lacking in mission and practical Christian living. But the downside is that this became an anti-intellectualism. Our theology became unduly influenced by this one man’s personal understanding, interpretation and application of the Bible. His unique observations and sermons have shaped UBF’s Bible study and Christian expression through out the world. This is very understandable. But it does limit the way we understand the Bible. It has given us a tendency to disregard the insights and contributions of great Christians and theologians, past and present, and isolated us from the larger Church.

Until now, I don’t think that anyone has ever written in the same article about why Lee was both deified and demonized. On official UBF websites, and in UBF newsletters and testimonies about Lee, he was essentially flawless. On anti-UBF websites, Lee is brutally — and, I think, quite unfairly — slandered and portrayed as the devil himself. Neither of these views is realistic or accurate.

Lee was a great Christian man. He had weaknesses and flaws. Yet he was still very much loved by God and used by God. He is still highly honored by many of us who knew him personally.

I will conclude by saying this. My strongest recollection of Lee was his infectious smile. I still see it in my mind’s eye to this very day, every time I remember him, with utmost gratitude and tears. I miss that smile and I long to see it again when we meet in the kingdom of God.