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The new year period is usually a hopeful time. After reading the 2016 New Year key verse lecture from Toledo UBF, it is clear that they are still lost in a fog of confusion. I felt very depressed after reading their key verse lecture, sort of like the feeling of a hangover after a depressing new year bash. Here is my review.<\/p>\n
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Title of lecture: \u201cGrow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Date of lecture: January 2016<\/p>\n Chapter: Toledo UBF (given by one of the American co-chapter directors)<\/p>\n Online version: Bible Text: 2 Peter 3:17-18<\/p>\n Beginning with confusion<\/strong><\/p>\n The lecture begins with an attempt to share a clever story about a boy trying to hitting a ball. He thinks he is a batter, but after failing, concludes he really is a pitcher. The thought never occurs to him that maybe he should not be playing baseball…<\/p>\n \u201cToday is the 1st Sunday of a new year, and as we look back over the last 12 months, I\u2019m not sure whether most of us would be considered pitchers or batters. Sometimes, I felt like I was hitting, but to be honest most of the time I felt like I was striking out.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if you felt the same.\u00a0 But like the boy in the story our perspective matters.\u00a0 At the beginning of the year, it\u2019s a good time to readjust our perspective.\u00a0 Maybe what I, thought was striking out was really just God helping me to see things from a different point of view.\u00a0 As we look back, one thing is for sure, whether we were hitting home runs or striking out, the grace of God was with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Springboarding into Hagiography <\/strong><\/p>\n After the odd baseball story, the lecturer jumps into several\u00a0pages of events that happened to specific people in the ministry. The events are of course chosen very carefully, making the year 2015 sound amazingly extraordinary. Any negative events were of course overcome by “prayers”. This glorious look back is common in ubf chapters, and all insiders knew this would not be a lecture about the Bible text, but a review of personal and ministry events.<\/p>\n Confirming UBFism<\/strong><\/p>\n This lecturer is blinded by UBFism. As an American, he has created better-sounding language. Still he confirms the key point\u00a0of UBFism, which is to\u00a0obediently \u00a0soldier on and ignore your emotional and psychological burn out. He also confirms the cult control UBFism seeks to place on your life decisions:<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly the seeking and saving grace of Jesus was with us.\u00a0 At the same time, I also began to sense that some of our co-workers including myself, often felt tired or burnt out.\u00a0 There often seemed to be so many things on our plates all at the same time.\u00a0 But when we came back and remembered the grace of Jesus, we could again pick up our crosses and move ahead. It also seemed that many of us were confronted with difficult decisions, where to study, who to marry, where to work, how to raise our children and so on.\u00a0 For this we also needed Godly wisdom and knowledge. \u201c<\/p>\n Decent Exposition<\/strong><\/p>\n This lecture does have some average theological musings. Nothing here is moving or inspiring, but at least this is some decent exposition:<\/p>\n \u201c2nd Peter 3:18 is essentially Peter\u2019s swan song.\u00a0 In his final words he reminds his readers of Christ\u2019s return.\u00a0 He writes to all believers who face a world hostile to the gospel and urges them to live godly and holy lives while looking forward to the Lord\u2019s return.\u00a0 He also warns them to be on guard against false teachings and to defend the gospel.\u00a0 How do we do all this?\u00a0 He summarizes this direction for our Christian life in the final verse, \u201cBut grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n Emphasizing Obedience<\/strong><\/p>\n As with all ubf lecturers, he cannot help emphasizing obedience. His explanation of “growing” and “spiritual growth’ are highly confusing. How in the world can you grow and not change? This is what UBFism is all about. Just obey, don’t change and then call that obedience “growing”.<\/p>\n \u201cHere in the Bible, the word grow does not mean to \u201cchange\u201d but literally translated it means, \u201cadd thereto.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 But what is it we are adding two.\u00a0 In the 1st chapter of this book we see that everything we need comes from Christ and His divine power.\u00a0 Christ is the foundation in which we build upon.\u00a0\u00a0 And it is faith in Christ which is the prerequisite for growth.\u00a0 You have to have faith in Christ, then through faith and obedience we begin to grow.\u00a0 It\u2019s the will of God for us to be a growing Christians.\u201d<\/p>\n Displaying Arrogance<\/strong><\/p>\n I felt really sick when I read these parts. The arrogance is a stench that reaches the heavens:<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, I was a little surprised this year when at one of the staff meetings, only 2 out of 10 of our UBF senior missionaries could even name a single prophesy of Ezekiel.\u00a0 So maybe this year go a little deeper. Maybe study some systematic theology or some Bible prophecy or read some books on Christian history or whatever, but let\u2019s challenge ourselves to get into the word of God.\u201d<\/p>\n Double standards<\/strong><\/p>\n As the co-Chapter Director, he does not have to do all the normal ubf stuff. This paragraph is more arrogance and a slap in the face to all the “sheep” who endure the things he excuses himself from doing:<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, when I look how I spent my time last year. Mostly it was not attending meetings, or meeting with others, or studying 1:1.\u00a0 Mostly my time revolved around adding on my house, my work and my own personal Bible study.\u00a0 I listened to hundreds of hours of audio messages and Christian commentaries on my way to and from work every day.\u00a0 Beyond the ministry passages, I did my own in depth studies of Acts, Philippines and Jonah.\u00a0 This year I am planning to study, Proverbs, Eccelsiaties, Galatians and the book of Ruth.\u00a0 And my big challenge this year is to digest Systematic Theology. I\u2019m not trying to brag or something.\u00a0 I\u2019m a pastor, so I especially need to go deeper.\u00a0 I\u2019m letting you know, because I need your prayer support.\u00a0 This really is my main prayer topic.\u00a0 Go deeper into the word of God. \u201c<\/p>\n Ending with a Cheer for Glory!<\/strong><\/p>\n The conclusion is the typical ubf cheerleader rant for glory, glory and more glory… if we get any more glory we might just die…<\/p>\n \u201cTherefore, let us not look back, but press on toward the goal, setting our heart and mind toward heaven.\u00a0 Let us pray that this year may be a year of healthy growth for us personally and as a ministry.\u00a0 May His grace abound so that we do not become weary in doing good. May His knowledge fill our heart so that we may make godly choices that honor him.\u00a0 Ultimately, as Peter said, \u201cTo him be glory both now and forever! Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n This last sentence is very important. This is why we grow.\u00a0 It is not merely for our own maturity or spiritual well-being. Or even so that we might store up treasure in heaven.\u00a0 But ultimately, our spiritual growth is to bring glory to God by living God lives now and forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/utchristians.com\/index.php\/resources\/biblestudymaterials\/cat_view\/7-current-series-resources\/61-2nd-peter-2016<\/a><\/p>\n
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