God blessed David and his mighty men
 

2 Samuel 23:1

“These are the last words of David: ‚The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs’“

Thank God, that he had blessed the Conference of the directors coworkers of Germany UBF  in Altglashütten in the beautiful Black Forest from September 4-6, 2009 abundantly. 86 directors attended this conference, including M. Johannes Kim from Bern, Prof. Paul Hong, M. Sarah Hong, Sh. Jim Paul and Sh. Susan Paul from Toledo and Dr. Josseph Ahn from Chicago.
 
1. Preparation
 
Freiburg UBF hosted this conference. M. Noah You, M. Deborah You, Sh. Sara Helene Poliatskin and H. Rebekka Yaroslava Song had prepared and served the conference and the attendants whole-heartedly and devoted themselves in the background to prepare a good environment with much prayer. As we could learn at our visit of the university on Friday afternoon, the University of  Freiburg is one of the oldest in Germany (founding year 1457). The key verse of the university is also the key verse of Freiburg UBF, with which they pray for 40,000 students at all universities in Freiburg: “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) The coworkers themselves have been encouraged that the manger ministry in Freiburg is growing through the word of God and through co-working. They pray for the Exodus Bible Study of M. Noah, for 60 times of one-to-one Bible Study and 30 Sunday worship service attendants. At the end of September M. General David Song will come as a missionary to Freiburg and participate in their struggle of one-to-one Bible study.
God has given his servant M. Dr. Peter Chang clear spiritual prayer topics for this conference: To challenge the doubling of the work of God in Germany, and to build the vessel of prayer as preparation for the European Summer Bible Conference 2009 in Eringerfeld. God’s servants already started the preparation and also brought the prayer topics to God during the Purdue International Conference. M. Peter invited the messengers and the group Bible Study leaders to prepare their particular message and the Group Bible Study together. Sh. Walter Nett, M. Sarah Lee, Sh. Eberhard Groß, Sh. Reiner und Sh. Brigitte Schauwienold and other leaders came to Bonn extra, by giving their time and their heart and in this way they built the vessel for the preparation of the conference. So, at the conference all messages, lectures and the Group Bible Study have been well prepared with the clear topic and the clear point and all attendants could be encouraged accordingly.
We were especially thankful for the love and devotion of the servants of God, Prof. Paul Hong and M. Dr. Joseph Ahn, who, despite the precedent Purdue Conference and their many tasks, devoted themselves over their limit to prepare  adequate report and lecture for the Germany and Europe mission with much prayer. M. Joseph Ahn had written his lecture about one–to-one Bible study several times newly with the prayer that the  directors in Germany may renew their decision for the one–to-one Bible study. Prof. Paul Hong gave a lecture on 2 Samuel 23 not only at the conference, but also at the Sunday worship service in Bonn and in Cologne at Sunday evening, re-writing the lecture every time with the shepherd heart of Jesus. Through the whole-hearted preparation, God could bless this director’s conference abundantly, although it took place so shortly after the Purdue Conference.

2. Messages and Lectures

The conference began with the opening message of M. Noah You on Mark 6:37a „You give them something to eat!“ M. Noah spoke about Jesus’compassionate heart for the people who are like sheep without a shepherd. In the past, he sometimes had been disappointed because there were no students or only some students who came to the center in Freiburg. But he learned that the problem were not the sheep, but it is because of our lacking shepherd heart, and he decided to learn Jesus’ shepherd heart for the spiritual hungry young people.

Then Shepherd Stefan Elsholz gave a short lecture about God’s work at the International Summer Bible Conference at Purdue. When our coworkers in the whole world prayed more than 3,000 times together, God led 3,459 attendants to this conference. At the conference we learned about God’s unchanging love to us sinners. More than 500 attendants made a clear decision for world mission. God also blessed the devoting hard work of our coworkers from Europe, so that God’s mighty work in Europe could be revealed through the messages, dance, video presentation, life testimony and the mission booth, and gave glory to God.

After studying the main passage from 1 Samuel 22:1-5 and 2 Samuel 23:1-39 in groups, we began to write testimonies in the afternoon. In the evening, we heard the message by Professor Paul Hong about this text with the titel „God blessed David and his mighty men“. Through his deep message about the last words of King David we could learn many things about his spiritual life, who at the end of his life testified God’s grace and had the firm confidence that his house was right with God. The secret of his blessed and glorious life was that he walked with God throughout his whole life faithfully. We were also very encouraged that he even accomodated 400 men who were in distress or in debt or discontented, when he himself was in distress, and humbly served them, until they were changed into mighty men of faith. We accepted the prayer topic, to walk with God faithfully and to be humble leaders for many spiritual mighty men in our time.
 
After we wrote our personal testimonies, 8 coworkers among us shared them on second day representatively. M. Johannes Kim from Bern was thankful that he was able to attend the conference. He confessed that he struggled alone before, but was now encouraged to struggle together and to raise many heroes of faith among students in Switzerland.

Also Sh. Heidi Grigoriadis, M. Peter Oh, Sh. Martina Krahwinkel, M. Wynelle
Nett, M. Samuel Peter Ryu, and M. Deborah You made decision to walk with God to the end and to be a Bible teacher for young students in each of their mission field. The testimonies from Sh. Jim Paul und Sh. Sue Paul from Toledo, USA were really heart-moving. They came to UBF through their children. Even though their children go to another church now, they remained faithfully, because they have experienced saving grace of God for their family through UBF. They also overcame the time of crisis such as Sh. Sue’s cancer diagnosis and the sale of Sh. Jim’s company by faith and now they were thankful for being able to commit themselves to the work of God more. Sh. Jim prays and wants to do his best in spite of his late start at the age of 44 to serve God for several decades and to raise 12 house churches. Sh. Sue was strengthened to carry out one-to-one Bible study and raise disciples of Jesus. We thank God for fellowship and prayer support of this house church for European mission.

On Friday we also heard the message from Sh. Rainer Schauwienold from 1 Corinthians Chapter 4. We learned that a servant of Christ and those entrusted with the secret things of God have to learn especially one thing: to be faithful. Sh. Rainer learned to be faithful and he also learned to love his sheep as he loves his children.

In the evening M. Dr. Joseph Ahn from Chicago served this conference with an encouraging and challenging lecture about one-to-one Bible study. This lecture covered the following questions: “Why one-to-one Bible study ? With whom? How long? With what? What happens through one-to-one Bible study?" We learned that one-to-one Bible study is God’s strategy to save the whole world. Many churches make their members to become like passengers in an airplane by letting the pilot just bring them to their destination. But UBF serves one-to-one Bible study ministry. one-to-one Bible study demands from us sacrifice and many tears. But in fact one-to-one Bible study bears much fruit and helps one person to grow himself to a one-to-one Bible study  teacher. Psalm 126:5 says: "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." M. Dr. Joseph Ahn gave one example of himself: During his three years in Mexico he could only study the Bible with few students, but 20 years later at the conference 400 pairs of twinkling eyes watched at him like the stars in the sky. Through this lecture we gained confidence: Doubling God’s ministry is possible. Campus mission in Europe is possible! – through one-to-one Bible study. The leaders made a new decision to go to sow with tears and to bear much fruit in God’s time.
After that we had three study seminars: M. Stephanus Park from Bonn shared his studies about the development of post-war Germany’s leadership and he emphasized the contribution of Adenauer, Erhardt, and Brandt. These leaders and the German intellectuals after WW2 admitted  Germany’s guilt and fostered the unity of Germany and Europe through a reconciliation policy (France, Poland). We learned the importance of having a clear purpose and making friends to prepare the environment for God’s work. M. Dr. Jeremia Kim from Berlin talked about the development of Nelson Mandela’s leadership. Even though he was in prison he had his people in his heart and raised able leaders among the young generation. Then M. James Kim from Karlsruhe and M. David Cho from Frankfurt presented case-studies about the topic “Doubling God’s work” M. James pointed out the importance of being thankful in the given situation no matter what the situation may look like. He himself experienced that God’s work is the work of God’s word and that his co-workers and Bible students were motivated and grew when he loved and preached God’s word. Msn. David Cho talked about specific activities which God used to let the ministry in Frankfurt grow: active fishing, common life, cultural activities, film project, and victories of faith in practical life. He said that there is no secret weapon for doubling the ministry but that the basis is exercised love in Jesus.
 We thank God for these lectures, for the sacrificial preparation of all speakers. Through these lectures the conference became very meaningful and we were encouraged that doubling God’s work in Germany until 2010 is possible, especially when we devote ourselves for one-to-one Bible study.
At the closing service Sh. Walter Nett gave a message about Elisha, who wanted to inherit a double portion of  Elijah’s spirit. (2 King 2:9) Elisha’s greatest quality was his learning mind. He had a burning desire to receive the spiritual power. By asking for a double portion, Elisha showed his readiness to take over the Elijah’s position as a prophet and take responsibility. We were encouraged that the doubling ministry of the work of God in Germany is possible, when we are willing to take responsibility like as Elisha did.
At the closing address Sh. Peter reminded us of the most important task of the end of time, that is to preach the gospel to all nations (Mark 13:10) Although especially coworkers in the smaller pioneer ministries feel lonely and insignificant, they are in the main stream of God’s history and through their one-to-one Bible studies they can preach the gospel to all nations and write new history of faith in God’s work.

God also blessed the conference through raising up M. David and M. Maria Hong as a pioneering house church for Stuttgart UBF. They have been sacrificially serving the work of God in Cologne I for 20 years and co-worked for world mission. When M. David’s company wanted to shut down their branch in Cologne, they fought for their place in Cologne. But God closed all doors, until only Stuttgart remained. Through this they accepted God’s leading and decided at their advanced age to go out as pioneers. After M. Peter and M. Dr. Maria Kwak had moved to Munich, there hadn’t been any UBF missionaries in Stuttgart. Now God begins his new ministry there. With the key verse of Acts 1:8 they pray for deep Bible study, doubling their ministry until 2010, and for co-working for Germany, Europe and world mission. With their children, David, Maria and Jonathan, they will move to Stuttgart on September 27th.

Finally we prayed for M. Samuel Kim, who has been pioneering Dresden since 2007. Because of his job he will stay in Richmond, Virginia, USA for about 3 years, and prays to live a fruitful mission life in the new environment for the glory of God. He prays to move to USA in the end of September and that his family may also join him soon afterwards.

We thank God for blessing this conference to encourage the leaders in Germany UBF for the work of God in fall and winter semester and for doubling the work of God until 2010. We thank God for helping us to build a firm vessel in the love of Jesus for preparing the European Summer Bible Conference.

Concluding the conference, M. Dr. Peter Chang summarized clear direction, which we have received through the word of God: to carry out the work of the 1:1 Bible study ministry in fall and winter semester until we double our ministry. God will surely gracefully accept our 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and bless us, as He has blessed David and his mighty men.

3. Prayer Topic for Germany UBF

1. Preparation of the 2009 European Summer Bible Conference in Eringerfeld through more than 1000 times of united prayer; for 1000 attendants; for M. Dr. Peter Chang and the leader coworkers.
2. For doubling the work of God through the 1:1 Bible study until 2010; for pioneering all 360 universities in Germany; for raising up 1 Abraham, 1 Sarah, and 12 disciples of Jesus in every universities.
3. For Europe: to send out one house church to every 1,700 colleges in Europe until 2020.
4. For 100.000 Missionaries to be sent out until 2041 especially to China, North Korea, and to the Muslim countries.
5. For PR-Work and internet mission.

One Word: Doubling the work of God until 2010 through the 1:1 Bible study

In Christ,

Sh. Peter Schweitzer, Sh. Stefan Elsholz