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Kenya UBF, Africa

February 23, 2013

To Devote Ourselves to the Word of God!

"For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." (Ezra 7:10)

Part 1. God blessed Tyrannus ministry, 2012)

The spiritual direction for 2012 Kenya UBF was based on Act 19:20, "In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power." Tyrannus ministry was a disciple-centered ministry through deep Bible study. When I look back upon God's work among us, I found God was so pleased with this spiritual direction.

We prayed for our ministry to grow in the power of the word so that we may strengthen our discipleship ministry. For this, from the beginning of the year, we set apart an hour or two just after worship service for all members to write Bible testimonies and share it in each fellowship. This helped us to internalize the word of God deeply into our hearts and practice it during the course of the week. The powerful effects of this meditation of the word was revealed through our Esater Bible conference. The theme was "Return to me with all your heart!" (Joel 2:11) When the senior messengers were sincere and genuinely repented, students and new sheep were greatly encouraged to open their hearts to repent their hidden sins through the word of God. Gradually, the conference changed into the sinners' heavenly party.

In fact, almost all new attendants could sense the power of Jesus' crucifixion, and were determined to learn Jesus through deep Bible study. Then, they also denied to go home for the long break and willingly joined our Discipleship Devotion Camp (4-30th June 2012). Since we were to attend the UBF Africa regional Bible conference early August at Kampala Uganda, we focused DDC to prepare the regional conference together. For three weeks, we prayed for new student members to lay the foundation of faith studying Abraham's life of faith series based on Genesis 12-25. Student leaders studied our Shepherdology Special Series that was aimed to learn Jesus' shepherd's heart, and it encouraged them to write their life testimonies to review their spiritual life before God. All graduates and house church members studied several selected Bible passages to learn how to manage their house church to be God-centered and to be fruitful. They also read a book, "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." God was pleased with such devoted Bible study among us. At the end of the program, we could witness 12 new members volunteer to be designated shepherds and shepherdesses to serve young souls in the campus, and this number was highest compared to the former years.

(New Shepherds & Shepherdess 2012)

After the DDC, all members devoted their heart to prepare for the regional conference. Some volunteered for drama, some for praise and worship, others for music and even making costumes and stage settings. God blessed us to have Sarah Little from Chicago to help us spiritualize and professionalize our drama. Five students from Chongno UBF also became great prayer supporters and encouragers for our preparation. Most of all, the main challenge for all our students members was financial issue to attend the conference. All were willing but practically they could not afford the cost of U$200-U$250 that was almost equal to their full tuition fee for a semester. However, when they had power from the word of God and prayer and a desire to serve God wholeheartedly, God touched several missionaries and senior shepherds' hearts to contribute money. Most of the graduated shepherds supported 2-3 sheep for their entire fare. Some student leaders prayed to get part-time jobs to meet the cost. Eventually, all members, with no one dropped in the middle, were able to attend the conference with a self-supporting spirit. It was God's work among us to learn practically how to overcome the world (esp. financial challenges) by faith. Moreover, such sacrifices made us to fully appreciate all the contents of the conference and helped us to be witnesses of Jesus in a real sense.

During the regional conference, we were deeply touched by the messengers and testimonies of the mature African shepherds. God renewed all of us to make a decision of faith to be witnesses of Jesus in this corrupt generation. Most of all, even newly joined members decided in their hearts to feed sheep from the beginning of next semester.

Early September, we had a day workshop to prepare for inviting freshmen to our Bible studies through prayer. Compared with previous years, more members joined us this time. As the invitation began, we invited more than 100 freshmen, and eventually our mission center overflowed with 1:1 Bible studies. Every night, we saw some groups studying Bible along the corridor outside the mission center since the center was full. It was God's work among us through the word of God. Even Sunday worship service was doubled in numbers, and our senior leadership team began praying for another larger worship venue or for our own building.

The highlight of God' work in our ministry 2012 was to witness the 5th house church wedding ceremony on December. Shep. Otieno was the one who led the spiritual revolution among us during Easter Bible Conference through his sincere and tear-shedding repentance of his repeated sinful life. Since then, God strengthened him to obey the word of God faithfully, and eventually blessed him with a spiritual marriage before many witnesses of faith. Thank God for His wonderful work among us through our devotion to his words!

Part 2. To raise many Ezra's of today! (Ezra 7:10)

For this year, UBF Kenya chose Ezra 7:10 as our spiritual direction. "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." Who is the excellent Bible teacher? If we want to be the excellent Bible teacher, we must first be the excellent Bible student. We must devote ourselves to study God's word and then obey whatever we learn. Our ministry in the year 2012 witnessed the fact that God blesses those who devote himself to the word of God. Our deep concern now is that as we grow in numbers, we also need to raise powerful messengers of the word among us. Especially, for 2013, we pray for fellowship leaders to grow independently and to grow as powerful servants of the word of God. So, we want to study the entire book of Ezra at the beginning of the year, and to pray to God to help us raise many Ezra's among us!

Personally, while preparing Ezra bible study, God touched me with Ezra 10:1, "While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites -- men, women and children -- gathered around him. They too wept bitterly." During the year 2012, my key verse was Psalm 81:10 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." One of the morning devotions during Christmas break in 2011, God gave me this key verse. At that time, I was suffering deeply from spiritual defeatism. Through so many years of failure in ministry work, my heart was shut tight, and I had no dream or vision to expect anything good from God. I didn't want to suffer any more if it was not necessary. I wanted to be satisfied by just a manger ministry. But God wanted me to open my narrow eyes and mind wide for the better things from God! At that time, I took this key verse as my new year key verse, but was not serious about it. I hardly remembered this key verse during the year till I checked it to write this year's report. While writing this New Year report, I was surprised how God fulfilled his promise even though I gave no attention to it. For example, God filled our Bible house with sheep, now overflowing. Through Msn. Isaac Kim, God challenged Kenya UBF to be a spiritual and financial power station for the entire Africa UBF. I now admit that God is doing something great for his own glory. Most of all, last year, I prayed that from 2012, we may lay a foundation for the Africa Leadership Center project through deep bible study and raising disciples of Jesus! God wanted me to continue this in 2013. But during 2012, I realized that I served sheep and ministry depending more on my might and human wisdom. I talked too much about many things and hurt many co-workers and myself in the process! Now, I realize that my human wisdom and struggle reached its limits. Of course, God used them to lead the ministry this far. But God helped me to see that the huge spiritual problems among us that remain unsolved can only be solved by God and by my 'throwing down prayer' struggle like Ezra did for his people's sin. This is my prayer for God to help me learn 'throwing down prayer' during this year, so that I may see the rebuilding of the spiritual temple among missionaries and all our members together.

Prayer topics

1. For fellowship leaders to grow as Ezra's of today through devoted Bible Studies

2. To purchase the land for Africa Leadership Centre this year

4. To establish 20 house churches by 2020

One word: To raise many Ezra's of today!

By M. Mark Yoon