By Prof. Seung Hoon Yang, President of Vancouver Institute for Evangelical Worldview(VIEW), Vice President of Korea Association for Creation Research

Congratulations on the publication of the 40-year history of UBF European Mission. UBF started as a campus ministry in Korea, but I think world mission takes priority over their campus ministry. Because UBF does not belong to the major denomination of Korea, it is not widely known in Korea, but UBF’s role and contribution to Korea’s world mission history is very significant. It is not only due to the number of missionaries sent out through UBF. The European UBF especially contributed in several ways to the Korean church’s world mission history, and even to world-wide Christian world mission history.

First, UBF missionaries in Europe did not limit their ministry simply to the unsaved people. They reached out sacrificially to the Europeans, Americans and Latin Americans, the “new unsaved people” and accomplished amazing results. In fact, not to mention Europe, even in United States where I minister, the number of Christians is going down and the number of seminary students is decreasing. I worry that without preaching the gospel by missionaries from the outside, after one generation, the churches in the United States tragically may become tourist sites just like those
of Europe. In this situation, UBF is engaging in preaching the gospel aggressively to “the new unsaved people” and its history has reached its 40th year anniversary. It is God’s amazing grace.

Second, European UBF missionaries have established the modern day model for self-supporting mission. As we know, the first selfsupporting missionary was Apostle Paul. But there is a great difference between the ministry of Apostle Paul in the 1st century and of our current age. In the church history there were many individuals and organizations that practiced self-supporting mission, but in the modern day, it’s hard to find aggressive and innovative self-supporting missionaries like those of Europe UBF. In addition, the fact that European UBF missionaries are working in a continent that is known for high living costs and closed-minded people show us that self-supporting mission is possible. In fact, it shows that selfsupporting mission is necessary and effective.

Third, European UBF missionaries did amazing work internationalizing the Korean tradition and spirit to a level that people of the world can accept. Human weakness causes even people of faith to fall into pride towards those people who are poorer than in their own country; on the other hand, they also have a danger of falling into worshiping those who are of wealthier countries. But UBF missionaries overcome both temptations with their passion for the gospel. Especially, the tightly closed hearts of Europeans are opening through the unique characteristics of devotion, passion and perseverance of UBF missionaries.

Lastly, I pray that UBF European mission may continue to open new chapters of mission as it has until now. I believe that God is using UBF mission to reveal the gospel to both the rich and the poor, which shows the urgent need for the gospel in all countries. Through Europe UBF, may the ministry of “spiritual revival” among the Europeans continue through UBF’s broken heart for the country’s spiritual poverty in the midst of rich and powerful worldly conditions. Also, may the Europe UBF do the great work of God, by correcting the wrong idea about world mission of the
Korean church, which is that world mission is possible only with the support of money and a denomination. I pray that UBF may not carry on the Korean church’s tradition, but the new tradition of the kingdom of God. On the last day, standing before God, may European UBF missionaries hear our Lord’s praise, “Well done, my good and faithful servants”.