News > North America

Owens UBF
March 11, 2014

I. 2013 Annual Review

In 2013, Owens chapter served God’s work through Mark’s gospel. Chris Jewell and I alternately delivered Mark’s gospel messages on Sundays. Brother Chris Ellis and my daughter Grace Choi alternately took on the role of Mark’s gospel Bible teachers as they led campus group Bible study. A few students regularly attended the campus group Bible study. Additionally, Chris Jewell and I studied Mark’s gospel with students on and off campus.

Chris Jewell’s parents, who started coming to our worship service in 2012, deepened their faith in God and faithfulness to worship service through listening to Mark’s gospel messages each week. His father served each worship service singing beautiful gospel songs accompanied by his exceptional guitar skills.

One of the highlights of God’s work in Owens ministry in 2013 was that 12 people attended the International Summer Bible Conference. Three of those people responded to the altar call and made a pledge to serve as short-term/long-term missionaries. This summer, my son James Choi is scheduled to go to Cambodia as a short-term missionary.

Although the number of 2013 Christmas worship service attendants was similar to the previous year, the amount of offering was higher than the previous year. Owens chapter was able to contribute to Christmas offerings worldwide for natural disaster relief work.

One family who used to attend a local church started a house church after attending Owens house church worship service a few times. The family has been maintaining their house church and began reaching out to people in their community.

I thank God for my daughter Grace whose first priority has been serving God with her family in a small house church setting. I also thank God for Chris Jewell who overcame the temptation of becoming famous in the sports world. He identified himself as a disciple of Jesus and is preparing his heart to form a house church with a woman of faith.

II. 2014 Vision and Strategy

Owens chapter’s 2013 key verse was Isaiah 54:2, “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” Last year, I met with different people and talked with them extensively in order to get information for building an extra room for Owens house church and for marriages of Owens chapter members and in hopes of adding more members to Owens ministry. Owens chapter’s New Year key verse is Psalm 1:2, “Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.” This year Owens chapter members and I want to meditate on God’s word diligently in order for us to rely on God rather than people in regard to adding an additional room, members’ marriages, and newcomers.

This year, Owens chapter would like to have a joint Bible conference with a chapter that holds a conference on its own if there is one. We want to encourage lonely chapter members and also want to be encouraged by them. Otherwise, Owens chapter will join the Great Lakes Region Bible Conference.

Chris Jewell is not recognized as an Owens chapter director by UBF U.S.A. headquarters yet. While I am waiting for God’s time, I will continue to co-work with him and assist him to transition into that role.

May the delight of Owens chapter members and me be meditating on God’s word day and night. May this delight bring contentment in our souls and surpass all our anxieties.

Paul Choi