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Live Holy and Godly Life

Indianapolis UBF (David Kim)

“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” (2 Peter 3:11)

• 2016 Annual Review 

At the beginning of the year 2016, God gave us a direction and prayer topics through Luke 10:37, "The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.'                         Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'” "Go and do likewise!" With these words, Jesus encouraged our Indy coworkers to practice God’s mercy as we seek to follow the Law of God. In line with spiritual direction of UBF ministry, college students are our neighbors. To us, IUPUI students are our neighbors. They need shepherds. They need bible teachers. The last year 2016, we, did our best not pass by them, but respond to their cry through our one to one bible studies and Sunday worships. 

First, Easter Bible Conference: The Cincinnati UBF coworkers invited Indianapolis coworkers and growing disciples to their Joint Easter Bible Conference at their bible house over the Easter weekend, with a title “By This Gospel You Are Saved.” It was to remember and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.  We chose 1 Corinthians 15 as the passage to study in order to renew our gospel faith and to learn the power and glory of the resurrection. We were warmly welcomed by Cincinnati coworkers such Dr. Samuel and Hannah Zun, Shepherds David and Morgan Miller and all precious coworkers from those areas. From the Indianapolis UBF, Angela, Josh, Allie, Gail, Jake, Kahla, Joshua, Sarah, Hannah, Joy,David attended.

We mainly memorized 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and enjoyed eating fellowship and picnic at the park near the center. We Indy friends including baby sheep, completely memorized and recited from verse 1 to verse 11. Through this memorization, Apostle Paul reminded us of the essence of the gospel; Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised from the dead according to the scriptures. Through Dr. Samuel Zun’s announcement and Shepherd David Morgan’s message, they emphasized that we must not forget the gospel, God’s amazing grace of salvation and that we should experience the life changing power of the gospel in our practical life. We still cannot forget that God really blessed us to sing one wonderful Hymn 224, “My Savior’s Love.” We are very thankful that God blessed our first Joint Easter Bible conference with the Cincinnati UBF coworkers abundantly.

Second, World Mission Report and Mission Conference. Thank God for helping us to participate in these two amazing events in Korea late summer with the title "A Holy Nation." We prayed for all missionaries and national native leaders to renew God’s hope for each of us. God answered our prayers and poured out his blessings from the beginning to the end. Through listening to Dr. Abraham’s message at the World Mission Report and native leaders’ life testimonies, we were deeply moved that the Almighty God rescued us from sins and wants us to make a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). Especially, through studying the book of Deuteronomy at the mission conference, we learned his great hope to use us as his holy people to bring his world salvation plan to the hearts and lives of his people and ultimately to bring us to his kingdom, the Promised Land, in spite of our remaining slave mentality. We are very thankful to God who blessed Angela, Josh, Allie, Holly, Joshua, Sarah, Hannah, Joy, and David to attend these two events. Especially, I am thankful because God blessed Angela, Josh, Allie, and Holly to get their jobs in Indianapolis after their graduation and to prepare their own travel expenses by God’s grace.

Third, Christmas Worship Service: God sent 8 IUPUI students to our 1st Christmas worship service in 2013. God blessed our 2014 Christmas worship service even more by sending 13 IUPUI students. God sent 14 IUPUI students to our 2015 Christmas worship service. Last year God sent 22 students and Alumni, and all together 28 people to our Christmas worship service accepting our coworkers’ faithful fishing and one to one bible studies. After listening to Pastor Kevin Albright’s joyful Christmas message based on Matthew 2:1-11, we presented our precious talent shows as our gifts to the Baby Jesus Christ. Especially, we are very thankful to God who blessed Angela to get a job after her graduation and to dedicate her life as a one to one bible teacher at IUPUI last year, taking care of Mackenzie, Tabby, Rachel and Ashley. She invited Mackenzie and Tabby to our Christmas Worship. Now several growing disciples want to be a one to one bible teacher this coming year, following Angela’s example. They are our Christmas gifts to the Baby Jesus last year.

Fourth, Discipleship Ministry: I am thankful to God who has sent many students to our one to one bible studies and our Sunday worship services. David (12): *Curtis, *Nick, *Kyle, *Brandon, Caleb, *Will, Andrew, Oliver, Fernandez, *Alan, *Bill, *Lacey, *Alle, *Connor, Jack, Sly, Jaimee, *Philip C, Marcel, Joshua, Joy (10): *Angela, *Gail, *Naomi, *Trevor, *Matthew,*Apphia, *Chloe, April, Kara, Jake, Joanna, *Derek, *Khala, Felicia, Kaitrin, Kevin, Joshua (5): *Josh, *Jake, *Jonathan S, *Chris, Jonathan K, Nathan, Sarah (4): *Allie, Jessie(Chen), Ashley, Nichol, Zuri, Stephanie, Angela (3):  *Mackenzie (Curry), *Tabby, *Rachel, Ashley, Florence, Nick (2): *Will                          

[The numbers in parentheses are one to one bible study goals for each and the names with * are those who attended or have attended our Sunday service.] 

The last year December 28th and 29th God blessed 6 growing disciples attended the Manhood and Womanhood conferences in Chicago, hosted by M. Little Sarah and UIC young leaders. Angela, Curtis, Brandon, Nick, Will, Fernando, and David attended and received much grace. Angela who studied Proverbs 31:10-31, “The Wife of Noble Character,” decided to give her heart to Jesus and prayed to grow to be a truly beautiful woman of God, and all brothers pledged to strive to be a real man before God who rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, lead courageously, and expects the grater reward, God’s reward. We all decided to attend next conference.

Fourth, Prayer Support: We are thankful to God’s people who visited and prayed for us. Sam and Grace Lee, Paul Choi, Joshua Hong, Augustine and Hannah Park, Philip and Esther Chang, Ezra Lee’s family, Monica Barry, Kevin Albright’s family, Steve Stasinos’ family, Khadijah and YunLong, Wesley Jun, Mary Cowen, Grace Park, and my young brother’s couple from Nicaragua. etc… We thank God for Abraham Kim, John Jun, Mother Barry, Grace Lee, Ron Ward, Mark Vucekovich, and Chicago Elders and their prayer support. I am thankful to God who blessed me to serve KIMNET as a coordinator and a speaker and used me as a lecturer for CME ministry in Stockholm, Kiev, and Prague.  I am also thankful that I received much prayer support from my lovely wife Joy, my children’s couples, my faithful friends, Sly and Jaimee, Joshua and Sarah Lee, the coworkers from DuPage, SNU III and Chicago. 

• 2017 Vision for Indianapolis UBF

As we began the year 2017 God gave us a direction and prayer topics through 2 Peter 3:11, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” I received much grace when I read Dr. Abraham Kim’s UBF new year’s message based on 2 Peter 3:1-18. A holy and godly life is God’s purpose of calling for each of us. Apostle Peter encourages us to escape all impurities and be united with Christ by living holy and godly lives while waiting for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is a very high goal for us. But this is God’s command for us to strive for participating in his divine nature. As I look forward to the day of God, I should remember that I will stand before Christ’s judgment seat. A holy and godly life is not possible with Bible knowledge only. It comes from the life of following Christ who went the way of suffering, death, and resurrection. As I look forward to the new heaven and new earth and began this New Year, I made a decision of faith faithfully participate in Christ’s remaining suffering through fishing and one to one bible studies that leads to a holy and godly life! This new year, 2017, I must not pass by many suffering IUPUI students, but respond to their cry through fishing and one to one bible studies. I earnestly pray that all of our Indianapolis UBF co-workers may have compassion of Jesus and preach the word diligently to IUPUI students this year so that we all may live holy and godly lives while waiting for the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We want to start this year with the following strategies and prayer topics.

First, strategy for our co-workers

(1) Bible Study: Before preaching the word of God, we want to remember the compassion of God and the grace of Jesus upon each of our lives and to prepare our own bible study notes and have sincere intercessory prayers so that we may always be ready to give proper words of God to our bible students.

(2) Campus Visiting: We want to visit campus often at least four times a week to meet and invite students to our one to one bible study, Wednesday Leaders’ meeting and Sunday worship service. We pray that we may have 30 faithful one to one bible studies each week and invite more than 15 students to our worship service and 7 students to our Wednesday meeting and raise 7 bible teachers this year.

(3) Encourage Each Other: Even though we are weak and coworkers have busy work schedules, we want to love and encourage each other with the words of faith and deep personal reflection of God’s Word by the help of the Holy Spirit.

Second, strategy for our bible students

We want to raise 7 disciples of Jesus (bible teachers) who can devote themselves for the gospel. Especially we want to raise key disciples from among those attend our Sunday worship service and Wednesday Leadership meeting. For this we are planning to have four major events this year as below. 

(1) Easter Bible School: We want to plant the gospel faith and raise several testimony speakers among our one to one bible students. If possible, we want to raise two group bible leaders among IUPUI students. Now we are praying to join the Chicago area join Easter Bible Conference in Michigan. 

(2) Africa International Conference: We want to attend this even with our growing disciples and give them an opportunity to have God’s big vision for God’s World Mission and to make friends in Christ in Africa and from the entire world. 

(3) Fall Bible Academy: We want to help our growing disciples to receive testimony and message writing and delivery training, and raise one speaker and several testimony speakers through having our first independent bible academy.

(4) Christmas Worship Service: We want to help our young disciples to know the spiritual meaning of Jesus Christ’ incarnation personally, especially to know the true meaning of worship and devotion and offering before God. 

(5) Club Registration: We want to pray for our Indianapolis UBF to lay a firm foundation of faith based on "Sincere Prayer," "God's Word," and "Agape Love." Especially we pray for registration as a club at IUPUI through having one sponsor professor and planting one campus church till 2024.

(6) Discipleship Ministry: We want to go out fishing with our growing young disciples. In this way, they may have their own bible students and opportunity to teach the bible by themselves. Especially we want to attend the upcoming Manhood and Womanhood conference with several key disciples. 

(7) Pioneering Spirit: we want to study Matthew’s Gospel continually this year and help our students to begin their one to ones with their friends with pioneering spirit and engage in 30 one to one bible studies each week.

Prayer Topics:

1. Matthew’s Gospel Study.
2. Beautiful co-working. 
3. Faithful fishing and 30 one to one bible studies each week. 
4. 15 Sunday Worshippers.
5. Raising 7 one to one bible teachers.  
6. Establishing one House church.