Announcement

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” (Php 3:8)

Thank God for blessing 2015 North America staff conference. I believe the Lord received glory through our confessions of faith and fellowship. I’d like thank all who prepared for this conference.

I humbly submit myself to God’s call to serve as General Director for another term. Please pray for me so that I may serve God’s will and hope for our church with all my heart, soul and strength. During my first term, I have worked with senior leaders and HQ staff for establishing staff education, Chapter Guidelines, online Bible Resources Library and promoting communications and reconciliation. During my second term, I will continue to work for the ongoing development. In addition, I will work with senior leaders and HQ staff to lay the framework for training ministerial key workers and raising new generation leaders.  

Online staff education

Online staff education is planned to open coming fall. The opening will be announced on ubf.org website and via an email. I’d like to encourage all of the staff and leaders to take the online education, as your time allows. It’s free.

Christmas offering

I’d like to thank all chapters for your participation in the UBF world-wide relief efforts from Christmas offerings. Christmas offerings are dedicated to international relief and UBF internal relief in alternate years. 2013 Christmas offerings ($140,373) were sent to the World Visions for people who suffered from the typhoon disaster in Philippines, North Korea for public health project of PUST, South Sudan for relief of poverty, the Voice of the Martyrs for Muslim missions, and A Cup of Water International for provision of clean drinking water in Africa and Latin America. 2014 Christmas offering ($148,736) are dedicated to the construction of Bible Houses in  South Sudan and Philippines. 2015 Christmas offering will be dedicated to international relief for people afflicted by natural disasters or poverty, such as the earthquake victims’ families in Nepal. Let’s continue this beautiful practice of giving and partnership in the gospel for the needy among us and the peoples of the world.

Donation

UBF donation site is open in ubf.org. Currently four UBF missionary families in Africa and Latin America are in need of financial help.

Chapter Guidelines

I’d like to thank all senior staff who worked together to draft this document over a year. Please familiarize with the Guidelines and let leaders in your chapter read the document. Please run your chapter up to the biblical and civil standards summarized in the Guidelines. The chapters that have 20 or more members should elect overseers (elders) and chapter directors should work with them for serving members, administering finance and property, and communicating with chapter members in transparency.   

Spiritual direction

Through the study of Philippians, we learned many beautiful lessons. I especially learned that this book is about our identity. Let’s remember that we are

• Christ’s soldiers who advances the gospel of His Kingdom in all circumstances. Our Father and the Lord Jesus are always working (Jn 5:17). Challenges and even chains are opportunities, not hindrances;
• Acquirers of Christ through participation in His sufferings and resurrection. Let’s not lose our master desire of gaining Christ; and
• Holy pilgrims who press on to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward, rejoicing always.

Let’s pray that our chapters and UBF as a whole may be a community that keep

• Love and humility by which all members are dearly valued and cared for;
• Friendship and coworking by which seniors like Paul honor and work with juniors like Timothy and Epaphroditus; and
• Partnership in the gospel through prayers, giving, and caring for one another around the world.

Prayer topics

1. North America: (1) Student ministry and discipleship, (2) Send out missionaries, (3) Summer Bible conferences in Canada, Midwest/Missouri Valley, Mid-Atlantic, New York regions, (4) Colorado chapters in Denver and Colorado Springs and pioneering of Colorado State University;
2. 2016 World Mission Report in Korea
3. P. Paul Kim (Chunchon) and Isaac Choi (Gangreung) from Korea
4. Dr. William & Sarah Altobar and 6 pioneering chapters in Philippines for student ministry and discipleship
5. Northern Latin America Regional conference “Believe”on August 20—23: (1) 250 participants (Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Panama), (2) Messengers—Andrew, Jaime, Hugo, Josue, Abraham Kim
6. M. Timothy & Hannah Rhee in Mexico
7. Dr. John & Sarah Jun and CME ministry
8. Sick coworkers: Timothy Park (Humber, Canada), David Kim (Tempe, AZ), Dr. Abraham Nahm (Eau Claire, WI), David Choo (Louisville, KY), Danny Kim (Campinas, Brazil)