Farewell address of Dr. Peter Chang

by WMD   01-07-2012   0 reads

Dearest European UBF Directors and Co-workers,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Praise be to God who loved us that he sacrificed his one and only son, Jesus Christand gave the eternal life through faith him.

I thank God for blessing UBF’s 50th Anniversary World Mission Report and for the wonderful work of God through our UBF missionaries all around the world. I thank God for using the late Dr. Samuel Lee, Mother Sarah Barry and Dr. John Jun preciously as the General Directors during a very important period in UBF Mission history and for the inauguration of Dr. Abraham Kim as the new leader.

Dr. John Jun’s love and servantship for an unworthy servant like me was just fantastic and a source of energy for me in serving the Europe mission. It was truly a great privilege for me to co-work with him. I am so grateful for the ceaseless prayer support of Msn. Grace A. Lee, Mother Sarah Barry, and Msn. Sunji Jun. I express my gratitude for the wise mentorship of Dr. Paul Hong, Dr. Paul Chung, Dr. Mark Yang and Msn. Little Sarah Kim along the way. Above all, my sincere thanks to Msn. Stephanus Park and Msn. Markus Kum who were always there to give me encouragement and strength. Also, it would not have been possible without the humble co-working and sacrifice of Sh. Peter Schweitzer, our national shepherds and new generation co-workers in Bonn, Germany, and Europe.

It was purely by God’s grace that I, together with you could challenge the European campus mission and the spiritual revival of Europe in the last five years. It has been an honor. I thank you for your wholehearted co-working in one spirit.

In the last five years, Europe UBF has built a firm vessel of co-working and of love in seven regions, which helped the mission co-workers overcome loneliness and serve the disciple-making ministry with a new vision. Through Bible studies and thousand united prayers in all regions, we were able to host the historical European International Bible Conference 2009 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of European campus mission. Through the conference and publishing the 40-year History of Europe UBF Mission, we were greatly encouraged to see God’s vision for Europe through our ministry. This motivated me and many co-workers to serve UBF’s PR and cooperation ministry. As a result, in the Mission-Net Congress 2011/12, UBF ministry was acknowledged as one of the mainstream evangelical campus ministry in Europe and a floodgate has been opened for us to have partnership with the other mission organizations and churches in Europe.

In the last two years, we have invited Mother Sarah Barry and Dr. John Jun and held the European UBF New Generation Leadership Forum (2010) and European Young Leaders’ Conference (2011). We were able to encourage our new generation to have a clear identity and pride as UBF second-generation missionaries and prayed for them to see God’s vision for European campus mission. Through studying the whole 50 chapters of Genesis during a 6-day conference, they saw the vision to be used as excellent Bible teachers and global Christian leaders who could transform Europe and the world.

Europe UBF leadership is now at the point of succession. As Dr. Abraham Kim has suggested, today evening at this European Directors’ Conference in Serbia, we are inaugurating the new Coordinator of Europe UBF.

Last November, Dr. Marc Choi resigned from the position of Europe UBF Coordinator due to his personal circumstances. May God bless Dr. Marc’s struggles of faith and use the French and Francophone campus ministry as a great influence for world mission preciously.

By God’s sovereign leading, Sh. Walter Nett of Cologne UBF has been appointed as the next Europe UBF Coordinator. Sh. Walter Nett is the fruit of faith, prayer, and sacrifice of Europe UBF missionaries. I believe that a national shepherd taking the responsibility for God’s ministry in Europe is a very meaningful and a historical event in the 40-year history of Europe UBF. It may be the first steps into globalizing UBF leadership. I humbly ask for your powerful prayer support and co-working with him.

In the last 5 years, I have learned that the work of God is done not by one person, but by co-working. I also have learned that being a leader means to deny myself at all times. I learned that it was a sacrifice to a full extent. Although I had to be away from Bonn at least twice a month and therefore could not be at the worship service with the Bonn UBF co-workers, they gladly took their crosses and prayed for me ceaselessly. In their prayers and through practical sacrifice, they participated in Europe mission and World mission ministry. I should not forget to mention all the women co-workers including missionary Sarah Chang who joyfully and patiently served countless guests over many years for the sake of Europe mission. And I cherish all the trials and difficulties I have experienced during my term.

Dearest European UBF Directors and Coworkers, whom I love!

European campus mission is possible! European spiritual revival will be achieved through us.

It is my earnest prayer that you may build a firm vessel of co-working with the new leadership. So we can continually challenge the pioneering of 1700 campuses in Europe and the spiritual revival of Europe.

It has been 32 years since I began serving the pioneering ministry in Bonn, Germany. I have lived 40 years as a UBF shepherd. Living as a UBF missionary, I have learned Jesus’ suffering, but have received much blessing from God, especially in the last ten years. National shepherds grew as influential messengers and 2nd generation missionaries grew as spiritual co-workers. My two sons overcame inner trials and graduated from medical school. Now they have become excellent Bible teachers and our spiritual co-workers. Also my four grandchildren are growing healthy. No words are enough to express my thankfulness for your prayer support and love for me.

If my life were a soccer match, the first half has just ended. As I hand over the leadership of Europe UBF Director, God gave me a vision for the next 30 years based on Mark 6:37 and Ezra 7:10. Next 30 years will be the second half of my mission life and the next 10 years will be a time of preparation for this second half.

As a 1:1 Bible teacher and as a disciple-maker with expertise in Europe mission, I plan to co-work with Dr. John Jun for the CME ministry in Europe and to commit myself to the next generation empowerment and leadership training. Next in the agenda is to prepare the UBF Ministry Seminar in order to share our ministry and the spiritual legacy with leaders of other churches and mission organizations in Germany and Europe.

This year, in Friday discipleship meetings, and through one of the presentations, I had a chance learn about Nelson Mandela’s life. I personally found it very inspiring and so as a gift for you, I have prepared a DVD of his story called “Invictus”.

Please continue to pray for my house church to rejoice in suffering for the sake of Jesus and in obedience to the world mission command. Once again, I thank you for your prayer support, co-working, love, and sacrifice. Thank You!

One word:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

A servant and debtor of your love

Dr. Peter Chang

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