Date: April 19-20, 2013
Place: Wonder Land - Salvation Army HQ, located about one and half hours of driving distance from Chicago.
Attendees: Mother Barry, Dr. Ab. T. Kim, Dr. James Kim, Pastor Mark and Anna Yang, Daniel and Deborah Yang, Dr. Henry and Pauline Park, Dr. Paul Jose Ahn, Jacob Lee, Dr. Henry Kim of Toronto, Canada, John Kwon, Isaac H. Kim, Ron and Deborah Ward, Mark and Kathy Vucekovich, Dr. Alan and Grace Wolf, Dr. Augustine Sohn, and Dr. Paul and Sarah Hong. Luke Hong arrived on April 20. Dr. Sam Zun was unable to attend due to a personal reason.
There was a flood in the Chicago area. Due to weather conditions particularly flood, Pastor Teddy Hembekides could not attend. Dr. Jim Rabchuk could not attend due to stomach flu. Dr. Mark Yoon who is a chaplain of the Boston University was unable to attend due to the bomb explosion in the Boston area. David Baik of New York Chapter did not attend due to perhaps personal reasons.
Friday Evening Opening Message by: Mother Barry on Philemon
At 7 p.m.we met at the Cherokee Hall. I was asked to offer an opening prayer. Mother Barry served a message on Philemon. The Apostle Paul worked to abolish slavery. Paul teaches us to see human beings with the eyes of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote this letter in a prison. Although he was a prisoner in Rome, he was free. At that time church leaders were mostly Jews. Jews taught that they were not supposed to associate with the Gentiles. There were walls between Jews and Gentiles. Cultural differences were insurmountable. Paul saw Jesus broke down barriers. As a ministry we also have many differences. Koreans and Americans are different in culture. We are also different in terms of music culture. Mother Barry likes traditional hymn songs. But nowadays young folks like loud music. Some like to speak in tongues, some don't. And there are many more differences. But it is our conviction that God hears and answers our prayer. So we should not lose focus that is to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations. Remember also the Lord's Prayer. There are UBF members and non-UBF members, but if all of us believe in Jesus, then UBF or Non-UBF members are all brothers in The Lord. And trust is important. It is based on the trust that we can build a relationship. Once Mother Barry was deeply hurt for one person said "I don't trust Dr. Ben." But we must trust people. Paul writes about a run away slave. Paul prayed for him. After running away to Rome he met Paul. Paul welcomed him and led him to Christ, so he was born again. He was changed. Even trouble makers can change, for God can change people. Paul trusted Philemon. He respected Onesimus. Paul saw God's good purpose (15). It was even a good thing for the slave to run away. Now Philemon can receive a former slave back as a free man. All of our sins were charged to Jesus' account. To know this is to know his grace. Jesus paid it all. Jesus so loved that he laid down his life for Mother Barry. Jesus wants us to trust his word. Some people have eyes to see all that are bad. But we need to see people through the eyes of Jesus. In Jesus all believers are brothers and sisters. God changes useless people to be useful. We learn a shepherd heart for one person. Heavenly Father, thank you for the letter. Please help us to love all in Jesus.
After a short break, we got ourselves divided into two groups - men's group and women's group.
Int'l Conference Program (August 1-4, 2-13) was distributed.
Men's group discussion:
Dr. Abraham welcomed Missionary John Kwon as the new LA UBF director. He also made a mention about Isaac Kim facilitating beautiful transition in transferring the leadership to him a new director. All senior staff members again welcomed and in honor of the work of God in LA they clapped hands.
After the welcoming of the new director of LA, Dr. Abraham turned over the meeting to Dr. Alan so Dr. Alan led the meeting as the moderator.
First discussion topic was introduction, recommendation, discussion and approval of the speakers at the International Summer Bible Conference. See program above for the list of the speakers. [Note: There are two more messengers for HBF and two more for MBF meetings (Friday and Saturday morning hours), which are not specified in the program below.] Dr. Alan asked "Why are there two messengers on the Sunday worship passage?" Pastor Mark Vucekovich said, "The flow of the Bible passage seems to work that way like Heather coming out covering the introduction and Part I on Mary Magdalene and then Abe Kim coming out and doing Part II, and close the meeting." There is a special lecture Friday afternoon. The name of the lecturer who is an Afghanistan is intentionally undisclosed for a security reason. Pastor Mark Vucekovich is to make announcement. Korean General Director Shepherd David Kim is to present a closing message on Matthew 28:18-20. Each messenger will be assigned one mentor. Then all messages will be coordinating with the messenger "team". Guidelines for messenger, mentor, and messenger team were communicated in advance. Messengers are called to address the issue of 'delivery', for they are speaking to a large congregation; no matter how good the contents are, when the delivery is poor the result is a disaster.
There are two "lunch and free time" (Friday and Saturday) 3 hours each. These segments are intended for the people to have fellowship with each other especially between students and international delegates.
Saturday Interest Group Sessions (Saturday 2 hours) - these are more times of relationship-based interactions rather than knowledge-based. Leaders ought to be inter-connected with shared visions. This is going to be in replacement of 'missionary seminar'. People (who will lead) are more important than the topics. So first identify leaders who will come up with topics. Some of the Korean staff members and some of the senior staff members will be good assets. One of the areas of strong interest is "how to deepen one's spirituality", according to the result of the research, Pastor Mark Vucekovich discloses. Other interest would be 'medical health issue'.
World Mission Night - Would 90 minutes be enough to cover two videos, two or three messages, chorus, dances, two or three testimonies etc.? [In case of LA for example, they are to cover Africa/Europe.] [Suggestion - Friday and Saturday evening program will begin not at 7:00 p.m. but 6:30 p.m.; each chapter will have to decide on how to get the program organized.]
Number of people who registered so far: foreign delegates about 500, USA 800, Canada 200. Voluntary donations to help out foreign delegates will be appreciated.
Prayers for the visas for the speakers from difficult countries such as Africa. Pray for the participants - 2,500 goal. [5 years ago, 1,000 foreign delegates, and 1200 from North America came.] ) Pray for Pastor Mark and 35 committee managers and volunteers. Pray for Dr. Paul Hong serving the interests-groups, Dr. Joseph Ahn, and chapters preparing for the World Mission NIght.
April 20 (Saturday) Morning
After breakfast at 9:00 a.m. the followng staff members gathered at the Cherokee Hall: Mark Yang, James Kim, Daniel Yang, Jacob Lee, Elijah Park,Henry Kim, Luke Hong, Mark Vucekovich, Jose Ahn, Henry Park, Paul Hong, Isaac Kim, Ron Ward, John Kwon, Alan Wolf, and Abraham T. Kim.
Jose Ahn shared a daily bread testimony on Jeremiah 7. He testified that instead of saying, "UBF, UBF, and UBF", he ought to listen to the words of The Lord and obdy Him. Then all may go well with him. He finished the testimoy with the prayer, "Lord, please help me reform my ways, particularly my habitual ways of life in UBF, and obey His word."
Dr. Alan facillitated for the meeting.
Pastor Mark shared reginal efforts to support the International Bible Conference. Dr. Abraham shared prayer topics, which Pastor Mark will communicate to each region. People from CIS, Central Africa, Latin America, and Africa are in need of help financially. Online there is a section called "scholarship fund" which is the easy way to put the money in. The money will be used as a general fund to support foreign delegates coming from dpressed areas.
Motivations for the people to come to the conference are: 1) encourage foreign delegates most of whom are wounded and exhausted; 2) plant vision in the young Americans, for many young ones in the nation are eager to listen to the word of God and see God's vision. If we prayed and shared God's vision, they will respond to the call. When N. America takes the responsibility to send missionaries, God will bless America.
Next topic was promoting/developing channels of healthy communications among the members locally and internationally.
Downey UBF suggested that in making reports on the Sunday worship attendants we better not distinguish 'missionaries' from 'shepherds'. Pastor Mark suggested we say "total no. ___ and then college students ___". Pastor Abraham T. Kim said he would change the system.
At the International conference we would not use titles like "missionaries" or "shepherds". We will simply say "Pastor so and so if anyone is pastor" or "John" or "Paul".
The end
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