2012 European Directors’ Conference Report, Serbia

by WMD   01-06-2012   0 reads

The 2012 European Directors’  Conference was held on a mountain top of Fruška Gora National Park in Serbia, December 28-31. Missionary Daniel Ko and all three house churches in Serbia had prepared a beautiful and gracious environment. About 100 missionaries, shepherds and new gens came from 22 European nations, also from the U.S. (4), Korea (6), and China (1). The conference title was “Explore the Promised Land” (Numbers 13:2).

Missionary Daniel Ko welcomed everyone wholeheartedly and gave a presentation of Serbian history and UBF ministry there. On Thursday morning, Dr. Marc Choi from France gave a meaningful and inspiring opening message on Isaiah 6:8-13. He reminded us that God’s history is a remnant history. Therefore, we can always have great hope in God.

After the message, we listened to the beautiful reports and key verse testimonies from our national directors. It was very encouraging to see that in all these nations the work of God through one-to-one Bible study and disciple-making is continuing and increasing. National leaders are taking more responsibility, esp. in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal, and U.K.. Also, house church ministries have gained strength by co-working across borders in 7 regions according to Dr. Peter Chang’s direction. Although there are multiple language barriers, sometimes even historical hindrances between the nations of a region, our missionaries have mastered this and have thus encouraged their Bible students greatly.

After group Bible study, we listened to the New Year’s message of our general director, Pastor Abraham T. Kim (http://www.ubf.org/node/909).He spoke on the conference theme according to Numbers 13 – 14. He encouraged us to have a great view of the promised land waiting to be conquered. We should see it with God’s eyes and hold on to God’s promise that he will give it to his people. He warned us not to dwell on real or imagined difficulties like ten of Israel’s twelve spies. We should rather have the spirit of Caleb who trusted in God wholeheartedly and later conquered a place formerly occupied by giants as his inheritance in the promised land.

Friday morning, we studied another lecture on 1 Corinthians 13. Shp. Joachim Dietzel from Bonn gave a joyful and meaningful message on love. He exhorted us to come to know the love of Jesus better. Then it will be a source of power for our lives and transcend to our environment.

In the afternoon, everyone took time to write a deep testimony on one of the main lectures. Sharing these in the different groups turned out to be so gracious, contrite, heart-moving that it extended long after dinner.

Later, Prof. Paul Hong from Toledo (Ohio) gave a message on John 13, “Building a Christian Community in the Love of God.” He reminded us of God’s unending love, as described in Psalm 136, then perfected in Jesus. The community of believers as such is a confirmation of God’s love, and it needs to be renewed through our repentance. Then, this community of love will change the world.

Dr. Peter Chang from Bonn gave his farewell address as European UBF director, based on John 3:16. He thanked God for sustaining him daily. He also gave deep thanks to all the people who helped him joyfully and supported him throughout the past five years and asked to co-work with his successor in the same way so that spiritual revival in Europe will become reality.

Shp. Walter Nett from Cologne then gave an inaugural address. As our ministry in Europe has meanwhile extended over 42 years, it seems to be God’s time to establish a national European leader as the new coordinator. He accepted Joshua 1:7,8 as guidance for his new responsibility, i.e. to carefully study and obey the word of God and to follow it with inner strength and courage.

P. Abraham T. Kim, Dr. John Jun, Prof. Paul Hong, P. Abraham Lee, and M. Kaleb Hong then prayed for the two, especially entrusting the new continental coordinator to the hands of God. All the attendants joyfully moved forward to shake hands with Dr. Peter Chang and Walter Nett.

On Saturday morning, Dr. Stephen Ahn from Korea gave a special lecture on homiletics, expounding the necessity of preaching a sermon that is truly heard by the audience.

He encouraged us to follow the text and understand the original context, and then to carefully apply it to the postmodern context with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The closing message, “Back to the Bible,” was delivered by shp. James Wood from London on Ezra 7:1-10. He joyfully explained Ezra’s spiritual personality. People followed this leader because it was obvious that God was with him. Like Ezra, we should be devoted in our Bible study, being true lovers of God’s word.

Ezra 7:10 is the key verse for Europe UBF for 2012. We pray to explore the Bible as a spiritual Promised Land and to explore our mission field and conquer it through one-to-one Bible study, raising faithful disciples of Jesus in each nation. We also pray to explore and reach out to all 45 European nations and experience a spiritual revival in Europe.

The conference was followed by the beautiful and meaningful wedding of shp. Georgi from Bulgaria with M. Heather from Minneapolis (http://www.ubf.org/content/beautiful-wedding-between-georgi-and-heather-bulgaria).

Joining M. John and Maria Jung, they will now serve a new ministry to the university of national and world economy in Sofia.

Thank you!

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