By Rev. Myung Hyuck Kim, Korea Evangelical Fellowship Director, Kangbyun Presbyterian Church Senior/Mission Pastor

For a long time, I had not been very fond of university student mission organizations including UBF. It was because it seemed like their doctrine of church and understanding of salvation was not universal, but subjective. That is why I wrote much criticism about university mission organizations. I am not sure if it is because of my writings, but university student mission organizations have become more universal and their relationship with the churches have become more collaborative. In particular, in working with Reverend John Jun and Hyun Jung Lee, I developed positive impressions of UBF and I came to appreciate their ministry more. I was deeply moved by UBF ministries’ workers’ genuine dedication to expand the Kingdom of God through the gospel ministries. Through overviewing the 40-Year History of UBF European Campus Mission, I came to respect and love the pioneers of UBF European mission. The three nurse missionaries who went to Germany in 1969, 40 years ago, to support their families financially, were the pioneers of UBF European mission. They fixed their eyes on the Lord and preached the gospel through one-to-one Bible study with the armors of the word of God and prayer, Enduring sufferings and pains and working as full-time nurses, Europe UBF Director Dr. Peter Chang humbly pointed out that it was God who accomplished UBF European mission. The marvelous gospel ministries we currently witness and experience are the mighty work of God; “What we offered God was as small as Andrew’s fives loaves and two fish, but God blessed our offering and accomplished European campus mission ministries in 50 UBF Churches in 23 countries of Europe during the last 40 years.”

UBF mission ministries consisted of strangers who left their homeland to preach the gospel to the natives of their mission fields through one-to-one Bible study and prayer. Then some who accepted Jesus as their Savior attended Sunday worship service at a house church. This is similar to early house churches. They were misunderstood as a cult at some point. However, they marched on with determination to give their lives as a kernel of wheat that falls and dies. Although remaining as a house church may not be the ultimate solution to all the problems that arise within the church, it can be considered as a solution to the problems in modern churches nowadays, caused by institutionalization and massification. In fact, churches in the New Testament were raised by the strangers who had been scattered, and in their homes. Institutionalized churches had not existed at that time. “Now those who had been scattered… went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus” (Acts 11:19-20) “they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them.” (Acts 16:40) Another special characteristic of UBF is the concept of the self-supporting mission. Before, I did not have positive views on the self-supporting mission, but nowadays, I view it quite positively. In the midst of the political situation these days, it is easier for professional selfsupporting missionaries to carry out a life of mission wherever they
go rather than a preacher with pastor ordination because they are able to overcome the stigmatized image of pastors. I think I have changed much.

I would like to congratulate you for the UBF European International Summer Bible Conference celebrating the 40th anniversary of UBF European mission. May God’s grace and blessings be with 230 Europe UBF professional self-supporting missionaries, native disciples who are the fruit of the mission, Korea UBF leaders, German church leaders, and the pastors of Korean-German churches and all 1200 attendees of the conference. I wish you a beautiful conference full of God’s vision. Last year, from October 9-11, I led a conference of five Korean churches in Gemünd where I experienced God’s blessings. I am just a humble servant, but God had worked in their hearts and many wept tears of repentance as they heard the sermon and received prayer. It was after Friday evening sermon that I prayed for the first and the only time, for an hour and a half nonstop. I pray that God’s special grace may be revealed in the UBF European International Conference. With all my respect and love to UBF ministry workers who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the gospel, I congratulate you once again.