Asia Directors’ Conference 2015
"For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ." (2Cor 4:6)
The 2015 Asia Directors' Conference was held with 57 members (42 from throughout Asia, 7 from USA, 8 from Korea) on Jan 8 to 10 in Singapore.
On the first day M. Daniel Jung gave the opening message entitled, “Being Faithful with a Few Things" based on Mt 25:14-30. Through the parable of the talents we learned that God is pleased to see our faithful attitude toward him more than making more benefits or our merits. Eating Daily Bread, early morning prayer and serving one sheep seem to be small things but when we are faithful with these things, God will surely be pleased and richly bless each of us and our ministry.
After the message we had a national mission work report from 14 nations. They are as follows:
Cambodia: M. Doyul Lee has been concentrating on Cambodian campus ministry overcoming the poor environment and his language barrier. God heard his earnest prayer enabling him to raise one disciple, Rotana, who also is feeding a freshman now. He prays that he may continue to learn about the God of Cambodia through studying Cambodian language and serving SWS in Cambodian language.
Malaysia: Malaysia pioneering work was begun by M. IH and VL who were sent to the country in 2011. They came for the first time to join the director’s conference and shared an active pioneering work report. God richly blessed their Easter conference with baptizing sister, Lee Hung, and their last CWS had 20 students.
Sri-lanka: M. Barnabas Beak’s family served the lonesome pioneering work for a long time alone. By God' grace recently another M. Family joined their ministry now and they are full of the grace of salvation. God abundantly blessed them to have 31 attendees in their Fall Bible conference and 80 people in their CWS in 2014.
Especially from June 27 to 29 Sri-lanka UBF served ME conference with 40 attendees. Those who attended the ME conference willingly gave offerings for Sri-lanka UBF because they were moved by their serving and hospitality. In this way they could purchase a minivan in order to actively serve God. M. Barnabas Baek devoted himself to God and his word. Before delivering Sunday message each week he read the Bible passage 50 times and led faithfully Bible reading competition, Bible question contest, blessing team testimony sharing and early Morning Prayer. In the blessing team there are growing members: Kitica, Upecsha, Intica and Andrew. There are also new comers who are attending SWS: Bawany, Amali,Angelica, Irashza. May God help them to grow faithfully in Christ.
Indonesia: Depok UBF SWS attendees had been at a standstill for years but recently it has been growing and increased in number up to 15 more than before, and their joint worship in Indonesia attendees were 260 people. They also have sent M. William Kim’s family out to pioneer Cikarang UBF.
Salemba UBF in Indonesia established the first house church between Sh. Ruli and Retri in their ministry.
Zakarta UBF in Indonesia has raised 3 shepherds and 2 shepherd candidates and all of them have pledged to be shepherds of God's flock before God, and Sh. Juny established a house church with Sh. Suri and they were sent out to pioneer Univ. of Asa-ungle.
Sh. Hanky is the ancestor of faith in their ministry but recently he was diagnosed as having stomach cancer in its final stage; the doctor said that he had just six months left to live. But God was with him listening to his prayer. When he made a clear decision to devote himself to God and His pioneering work, committing his life into the hand of God, God led him to a herbal doctor and cured his disease miraculously and also provided a Korean company job to his wife for self-support of the family. Through this he experienced God's marvelous providence and sovereignty.
Japan: M. Joseph Choi who had served Tokyo ministry began to pioneer Fukuoka UBF since he was appointed as a professor to Univ. of Kyushu. His wife M. Naomi remained in Tokyo UBF to take care of the remaining sheep in the ministry for about two years. Among the sheep, Sister Akiko was raised as a faithful leader and succeeded them over the ministry.
Though Fukuoka UBF pioneering work just began from last March 2014, it is growing. Brother Takeshima faithfully comes to SWS and 4-5 one to one sheep are also growing.
India, Hongkong, Mongol, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, and, Brunei and other nations in Asia also have growing discipleship ministries and the kingdom of God is advancing through the gospel message.
On the second day we had lecture 1 GBS, and P. Abraham Kim gave a powerful and graceful message from 2Cor4. Through the message we learned about God's glory displayed in the face of Christ and were greatly encouraged. We also renewed our faith and vision for the 21st Century Asian mission because the light of God's glory is shining in dark Asian nations.
In the evening Sh. Kisung Um gave a special message gracefully based on Colossians and distributed to us a book of Bible study materials he prepared with all his heart even in his busy schedule.
On the third day lecture 2 entitled, "The Way of the Cross" was given by Sh. John Angam right after GBS. He boldly testified that the cross of Jesus is the power of God that brings salvation to all mankind who are under the power of sin and death. Recently, Christians in India have been undergoing severe persecution because of their faith since the new prime minister who came from a radical party came into power. Many churches were burned and churches are threatened to convert to Hindu. It seems darkness overpowered Christianity and the gospel of Jesus by Hinduism. But through preparing the message he got a clear confidence that the cross of Jesus is the power of God that can transform all kinds of sinners into a new creation in Christ and in the course of time God will surely make India a Christian nation and a priestly nation for all the world. May God richly bless his faith and vision for India.
The closing message entitled, "The Law of the Lord is Perfect" from Psalm19:7-9 was given by M. Joshua Hong (Singapore). When he looked back over his missionary life for the last 12 years he always found himself to be weak and lacking faith and discouraged. But when he concentrated on studying and meditating on the word of God, he could experience the power of God and it revived his spiritual desire to actively serve God. By this he could prepare Genesis Bible study materials and Sunday message independently. Through the message we were all moved having clear new direction to meditate on the word of God and serving the Lord.
At the end P. Abraham Kim led the inauguration ceremony of the new Asian coordinator M. Peter Lee and the resignation of M. Daniel Jung.
I deeply thank God who made his glorious light shine in our hearts richly and blessed the 2015 Asian directors’ conference.
Though I have been serving as Asian coordinator for the last four years and I was weak and lacking in faith, only by God' mercy and grace I could bear it. Especially, I thank God for helping me through M. Jimmy Lee (India), M. Jacob Lee (Washington), Sh. Kisung Um (Sinchon Korea), and Dr. John Jun, P. Abraham Kim and Sh. David Kim.
I also thank God for each national director and coworker in Asia and their warm hearts for me and humble serving and co working with me though I didn't deserve it.
Asia is like a spiritual wasteland and is full of idol worshipers according to their custom in spiritual darkness. But God is working mightily through the Holy Spirit using our missionaries, shining the light of God's glory all over Asia.
We pray that the light of God's glory may fill the hearts of young campus souls from 47 nations in Asia and let them shine in the whole world with the gospel by 2041.
One word: God's glory displayed in the face of Christ
Daniel Jung