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The Education Department included the following persons:

Education Administration--Kevin Albright

Conference/Workshop Program Committee-- Mark Vucekovich, Mark Yang, Teddy Hembekides, Jose Ahn, Augustine Suh

Bible Study Material Committee--Mark Yang, Teddy Hembekides, Augustine Suh, Ron Ward, Kevin Albright

Education Programs Development Committee--Kevin Albright, Augustine Suh, Mark Yang, Paul Hong, Mark Vucekovich, Teddy Hembekides    

Assignments in the Education Programs Development Committee:

New Staff: Mark Vucekovich, Ron Ward, Teddy Hembekides

New & Continuing Missionary Training: Mark Yang, Kevin Albright

Leaders from Overseas to HQ: Ron Ward, Mark Yang

Thematic Bible Study: Paul Hong, Mark Yang, Ron Ward, Teddy Hembekides

Theological Articles:  Augustine Suh, Ben Westerhoff

Chapter Director/Leader Development: Paul Hong, Mark Vucekovich, Ron Ward

Intern Training: Ron Ward, Little Sarah Kim, Sam Toh

Mother Barry's Bible Study Class: Sarah Barry, Mark and Anna Yang

    The Education Department (E.D.) was active in 2016 to further and enhance the education of UBF leaders and members in the following ways:

1.  STAFF CONFERENCE. The annual UBF North America Staff Conference was held from August 11-13, at the Gault Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, site of the 2018 International Summer Bible Conference. The conference title was “Jesus Is Our Peace” (Eph 2:14). About 140 leaders (staff members and their spouses) attended and studied the first half of Ephesians in four lessons. The program included an introduction to Ephesians by Dr. Mark Yang, a keynote message by Ron Ward on Ephesians 1:18, a main message by Dr. Henry Park primarily on Ephesians 2:1-14, and a closing message by P. Abraham Kim on Exodus 19:4-6. Reports were shared by Jacob Patriyuk (Ukraine), Kristin Weed (UIC), Abraham McIlhenny (West L.A.), and John Kevin Lee (Springfield). An ISBC presentation was made by Edward Papabathini. World mission prayer was offered for the CIS, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Canada, the USA and Korea UBF. On the last morning of the conference, members shared their testimonies based on the word they received from Ephesians. Regional meetings were held. Finally, Pastor Mark Vucekovich shared prayer topics for North American student ministry and sending out missionaries, as well as for world mission.

    Regional staff conferences were held at the end of 2015 or beginning of 2016 according to the needs and capability of each region.     

2.  FULL-TIME STAFF TRAINING. Full-time staff shepherd training continued in 2016 in the Midwest Region. Staff members met every other Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Bible study, as well as the study of Christian Counseling, and How to Study the Bible. Each chapter leader shared their prayer topics and prayer was offered for each campus ministry. The main books covered in Bible study were 1,2 Thessalonians, led by Teddy Hembekides, Mark Vucekovich and Ron Ward. Dr. Grace Sun Lee gave lectures on Christian counseling. Dr. Mark Yang, Dr. Augustine Suh, Kevin Albright and Ron Ward prepared the seven-lesson series on “How to Study the Bible” which focused on Inductive Bible study, and the principles of observation, interpretation and application.

    The study materials used for full-time staff training have been developed for the use of all UBF leaders worldwide. At present the Christian History courses are available online. Ten UBF leaders participated in an online study of Christian History in 2016. More courses will be made available in 2017.

3. BIBLE STUDY TEAMS. The HQ Bible study team, consisting of Mark Yang, Teddy Hembekides, Ron Ward, Kevin Albright and Augustine Suh met regularly and prepared materials for the study of Ephesians at the annual staff conference, as well as introductions and study questions on 1,2 Thessalonians. The Bible study team also prepared material for the Leadership Development Workshop on discipleship that was held in 2016. The Bible study team plans to make an introduction and study questions on Romans in 2017.

4.  LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP.  At the direction of P. Abraham Kim, a Leadership Development Workshop, began in 2014 finished in 2016. This program was formulated around the topic of “Discipleship.” This topics covered year by year are as follows:

YEAR ONE: 2014

I.   Follow Me (I): Calling and Commitment

    1.  Who is a disciple?

    2.  Calling—Finding a New Life Direction

    3.  The Purpose of Being with Jesus

    4.  How to be with Jesus in his Word

    5.  How to be with Jesus through Prayer and Worship

    6.  The Cost and Blessings of Following Jesus

YEAR TWO: 2015

II.  Follow Me (II): Growing in a Christ-centered life

    1.  Followership

    2.  Character Formation

    3.  Servant Leadership

    4.  Lordship

    5.  Participating in Jesus’ Suffering and Glory

    6.  Discipleship and the Holy Spirit

YEAR THREE: 2016

III. Make Disciples of All Nations: Send them Out to Preach, Drive out Demons, Baptize, Teach

    1.  Identity as Sent Ones: Personally, and in Community

    2.  Mindset in Ministry: Humility, Faith, Compassion, Hope

    3.  Preaching and Baptizing

    4.  Teaching to Obey: Personally, and in Community

    5.  Incarnational Ministry across Cultures and Generations

    6.  Spiritual Warfare: Authority to Drive out Demons

    The third workshop was held November 3-5, 2016 at the Chicago chapter in the Leningrad house. The participants included: P. Abraham Kim, Paul Choi, David Kim, Teddy Hembekides, Abraham McIlhenny, Andrew Christopher, Mark Yang, Steve Stasinos, Moses Noh, Ron Ward, Philip Lee, Juan Seo, Kevin Albright, David Won, David K. Lee, Stephen Yang, Augustine Suh, Andy Stumpf and Joshua Hong.  Elders Augustine Sohn and David Choi attended the joint sessions. Prior to meeting together, participants divided into groups of about three each. Each group worked to develop materials on their assigned topic. At the workshop each group presented their material and received the feedback of all participants. After revision, we plan to publish the materials in a discipleship manual for UBF ministry. We hope to have a Discipleship Manual available to give to those who participate in the ISBC 2018.

5.  EMERGING LEADERS COHORT (by Kevin Albright and Augustine Suh).

UBF prays to raise disciples of Jesus Christ among college students. Young leaders need to be raised to effectively continue this college work. The UBF Education Committee has developed a program, initiated by the General Director Abraham Kim, called the Emerging Leaders Cohort to identify and equip young emerging leaders in our ministry for more effective and grounded disciple-making. For this, we chose 18 topics to develop in these young leaders. It seemed best to divide these into 3 groups or courses of 6 sessions each. These sessions are 6 weeks apart following the school year or a summer 2-week intensive. Each session has a required Bible study to prepare and a 1-book reading assignment on the topic of about 200 pages. Each session takes place on an all-day Saturday. Bible study questions and reading assignments are submitted at the coursesites website every week prior to the Saturday sessions. Participants are encouraged to attend at Chicago UBF in person, but can be allowed to attend online if they are not from Chicago. Instructors/facilitators are seasoned leaders in UBF who have prepared the topics.

The 18 topics are as follows: Course 1 (Essentials A): 1. God and His Reign; 2. Grace, Sonship and Faith; 3. Worship; 4. Walking by the Spirit; 5. Word of God; 6. Prayer. Course 2 (Essentials B): 1. Calling; 2. Community of Christ; 3. Lordship of Christ; 4. Character Formation; 5. 1:1 Bible Study & Mentoring; 6. Outreach. Course 3 (Advanced): 1. Worldviews & Apologetics; 2. Disciple-Making; 3. UBF Mission, Vision & Strategy; 4. Independent Bible Study; 5. Marriage & Family; 6. Leadership.

The first course began in September 2016 with six committed participants: Spencer Luebben (Minneapolis), Greg Lewis (Toledo), Michael Mark (IIT), Matt Groters (Chicago), Timothy Lopez and Nonso Ukeka (Triton). The instructors/facilitators thus far have been Augustine Suh, Kevin Albright, Mark Vuckeovich and Teddy Hembekides. Instruction help will also come from other mature UBF Leaders such as Ron Ward, Mark Yang, and leaders from other UBF chapters. An occasional guest from outside UBF might be invited to help lead/facilitate a session.

6.  VISITING FOR BIBLE STUDY. Mark Yang and Ron Ward visited Moscow and Ukraine and served messenger retreats in March. Augustine Suh visited Los Angeles and shared special lectures on Calvinism.

by Ron Ward, Department Chairman