The “Kurhaus”. Here we’ll have our meetings.

A river (“Urft”) nearby.

And the swimming pool!!!

See you next week!

Thank God for abundantly blessing the 4th European CBF conference in Czech Republic and for the work of the Holy Spirit among our UBF second generations. I especially want to give special thanks to M. Hanna S. and congratulate her for her hard work in successfully preparing and directing this program in detail for the last 6 months. I also thank her for influentially serving the European ministry with many other missionaries of Central Europe and being a good example to many leaders in Europe.

At the 4th European CBF conference, I had the following strong impressions:
Firstly, there was growth. Compared to the Europe CBF Conference from last year, there was a great growth in both spiritual and human aspects. I saw the work of the Holy Spirit with many CBF children receiving the love of God and confessing Jesus as Savior. And I was surprised to see that they even made much progress in learning Korean. When I saw the lovely children professing their faith seriously, I could have a vision for second generation missionaries to be the actual heroes in the future of the European ministry. I earnestly pray that each second generation child may grow as a spiritual general who can nurture 10,000 disciples of Jesus.

Secondly, it was the work of mother missionaries who served the conference with full devotion and perfect co-working. I thank and praise God for mother missionaries who took care of the CBF kids with love and prayers, especially with Bible studies from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day, keeping an eye on them at all times. Seeing our missionaries’ co-working and devotion, I found that M. Hanna’s personal prayer and faith was more precious than diamonds. By her good example, I pray that all European co-workers may pray for a spiritual awakening locally and for all of Europe and pioneer 1,700 campuses and form a spiritual vessel together. May God bless the European UBF ministry to serve the work of sending out 100,000 missionaries and use Europe as a missionary sending continent again!

Thirdly, it was the work of the house church ministry in Europe UBF. As I saw growing CBF second generations, I could see the panorama of our house church ministry arising in Europe. It has already been 42 years since we came to Europe to preach the gospel to college students by God’s calling. Korea was one of the two poorest countries in the world, but God fulfilled his great work in Europe through the professional lay missionaries sent from Korea. Beginning with a small house church for campus ministry established in Germany in 1969, it has expanded to 45 European countries, like France, England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Romania, Macedonia, Croatia, and so on. Now it seems that we have two wings in the European campus ministry due to growing second generation missionaries who began to gain spiritual influence at the campuses. I pray that we may not only spiritually educate our second generations, but also actively serve European campus ministry through faithfully practicing group Bible study, 1:1 Bible studies, and writing and sharing testimonies in each mission field.

From now on we are going to have a European CBF conference in Central Europe every two years. I pray for Central Europe UBF to support the entire European house church ministry and continue to influentially serve European campus pioneering ministry. I also ask for God’s blessing on the next Central European UBF Bible conference to be held in Czech Republic in 2012. I pray that God may give M. Paul and Esther C. such great faith, spirit, and devotion as M. Hanna S. has showed so that they may form a more influential Christian community that is full of the words of God, prayer, mission, and love. Through this, I pray and am looking forward to the amazing work of the Holy Spirit which will lead many Germans to be raised as leaders in each country of Central Europe.

Lastly, I would like to ask for your prayer support for the upcoming YLC (Young Leaders’ Conference) to be held in Germany in Europe from July 29-August 3. God has answered Dr. John Jun’s and many other mission co-workers’ prayers and blessed our preparation for the European YLC thus far. In particular, I thank God for Dr. John Jun’s participation in the YLC. Furthermore, I thank God for our mission co-workers, Dr. Paul (Toledo UBF), L. Sarah (Chicago UBF), David (DuPage UBF), and Dr. Samuel G. (Ottawa UBF) who are going to attend this YLC and actively devote themselves to the work of empowering the next generation. And I also thank those who are coming from other continents, Dr. Luke from Africa, M. Joseph’s family from the Middle East, Dr. Elias and M. Paulo from Central America, and some more mission co-workers from the CIS, Asia, and Korea. On the first day of the conference, we are going to have a time of reviewing and appreciating the 50 years of UBF ministry and the spiritual heritage well presented during the missionary seminar from May 30-June 2 in Korea. I pray that God may raise young UBF leaders through the European YLC who can change this world.

In Christ,
Dr. Peter Chang

Agenda 2011

By the grace of God, I could be hired at the University hospital in Bergen from February. It took 3 years for me to finish the language course and 2 more years to complete the various medical tests and courses. Finally, after 5 years, I could begin to work as fresh medical doctor in Norway.

It was not easy to begin as a fresh doctor. I was very stressed and had anxiety and fear, so I had stomach problems in the beginning. Among the 16 new doctors, I was the only Asian foreign doctor. I had problems with hospital routines, new medical software programs, and communicating with patients. Especially, night duty in the emergency room was the worst for me. I didn’t want to go to the hospital due to tension and stress. I said to M. Maria, “Please pray for me that there will be no patients on my duty tonight.” But she never prayed for that. Instead, she prayed that I could take care of whomever and whatever. I also asked for God’s grace whenever I was at the hospital, in the hospital church, or even in the hospital bathroom. Now, by God’s grace, I can learn every single day, work without much trouble, and help other college and medical students.

We joined the Easter Bible conference in Sweden. We actually had the conference in a boat which sailed to Finland. We praised God in the boat, and in Helsinki, Finland, we prayed that God would send missionaries to Finland.

M. Maria worked hard for the last 6 years to serve the pioneering and self-supporting ministry. She was tired and needed rest. So we decided that she could do ministry as a full-time staff once I began working. She thanked God and said, “I never thought that I could be free from working so early.” And she began to study the Norwegian language again at Bergen University.

The Northern European Summer Bible Conference in Sweden was full of God’s grace. We didn’t have any direct support from big chapters. Musical students from Sweden served in the orchestra and second generations and Bible students served the praise and worship and dancing. Even Joshua and Ester were dancing on the stage during praise and worship. After the conference, we had a gracious time with 3 house churches from Northern Europe. We had good conversations and were encouraged. I felt like they were my spiritual family.

Last year, M. Isaac from LA, Kevin from Seattle, and Yu-young Lee from Kwanak UBF visited us. We had just a few days to be together, but we had a meaningful time full of grace with each of them. We met them for the first time, but they all felt like family because we are all in the same church community. Especially, I climbed a mountain with M. Isaac and we could talk about God, the Bible, and missionary life. He reminded me that the kingdom of God is built only by the Holy Spirit, not by our strength and ability.

Also, last year, M. Maria served Kyungmi and Soyoung with God’s word and prayer. They began attending the Korean worship service and we are continually praying for them. I also got the chance to preach God’s word in the hospital to college and medical students. Many of them thought I was weird that I believed God and even came to Norway as a missionary. But I could recognize spiritual desire in their souls. So I received hope and faith for the Norwegian ministry.

I thank God for taking take care of our children over the past years. Joshua had emotional anxiety and problems with the language. But he became stable and is now a very happy boy after M. Maria began to stay with him at home. And his relationship with me has also improved. Ester, even though she’s just 3 years old, began to correct our pronunciation. She is very talented with languages and has a serving mind. She has already been a good co-worker in Norway.

2010 was a year of thanksgiving for our house church. I did not believe that I could work again as a doctor in Norway. It was God’s great mercy that we could lay the foundation to be a self-supporting ministry. I chose Psalm 119:105 as my key verse in 2010. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” I had spiritual desire to become a great messenger of God’s word. But I was always tired after work and felt burdened by the Sunday worship service.

I must be a spiritual leader in my house. When I lost spiritual power, we lived a very tired life just trying to support ourselves and care for our children. But God loves us and restores faith and spirit when we are useless. He enabled us to have fellowship with a lot of faithful friends and gave us his word through the Bible, books, and several trainings.

Our key verse for 2011 is Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” We pray that we can seek first God’s will and his kingdom as a house church in Norway.

Prayer Topics:

1. Norway may be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation
2. M. Josef may be an excellent Norwegian Bible teacher and give powerful Sunday worship messages
3. M. Josef may begin residency
4. Maria Chin may be a mother of prayer
5. Second generations to grow in wisdom and health and become good co-workers
6. Raise ancestors of faith in Norway like Abraham and Sarah and 12 disciples

“The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”(Mark 1:15)

I. Looking Back at 2010

1. I thank God who allowed us to grow to be a self-supporting ministry.

We have been in Macedonia for 5 years and trying to be self-supporting has not been easy. When I just thought about my financial problems at the beginning of last year, the future seemed completely dark. When I thought of my 4 children and of the money I had borrowed here and there, I became sad, felt I had nowhere to turn and could not have any faith. God had mercy on me and opened a way for me to borrow the needed money. I newly put my faith in God and challenged my financial problems by faith in him. In this way, I decided to expand my business. We had about 20 kinds of items but God helped us to extend to 50. And by God’s one-sided grace, 90% of the Macedonian supermarket is filled with supplies from our company. In this way, God made me matchless amongst Asian food companies in the Macedonian market. When I made the annual account, I realized that God had almost doubled our profits. God made the end of this year a starting point and helped us to reach a stable level of self-supporting. I confess that this is indeed a miracle of God and because of his one-sided grace.

When we did not have any money, God sent tourists to the Balkans and helped me to become a tourist guide. In this way, God fed and clothed my family. When I think of God’s one-sided comfort towards this lazy and terrible sinner who was not even able to raise 4 children, I cannot but thank God. I pray that God may be the Lord of this company and use it preciously for His work.

2. God sent Bible students through the company.

Our company is the first Korean company on Macedonian soil. The company’s name is ‘Bethel’. ‘Bethel’ means “God’s house” and it was my wish that God would use this company as his house. God has sent 4 students through this company. They are Brothers Toni, Alek, Lypcho and Sister Emilija. We met them through other students. While working with these brothers and sister we became like one family. Moreover, we became also close to the families of those four and received many invitations, and grew to have good relationships. I met Tony during his student days and have built a relationship with him over the past 5 years. Through attending this year’s Balkan conference he received the grace of God’s word and developed a sense of spiritual responsibility for Macedonia. When I look at them, I realize that God is using the company ‘Bethel’ preciously for his work. Outwardly, my business looks merely like a shabby corner shop, but God views it as a blessed. And it looks as if I would not have many people to help, but these four and their families together make almost 40 people. They are people who need physical and spiritual help and I realize again that I truly have many things to do. In my laziness I could not serve them with a shepherd’s heart. I earnestly pray that in the next year, I may serve them whole-heartedly and become their shepherd who feeds them spiritually and physically.

3. God helped our 4 children to grow chubby both spiritually and physically

My wife Petra worked hard to take care of children. She worked so hard she lost much hair. But thankfully, her remaining hair is dry. While taking care of the children she did not take care of herself. One grandma of the neighborhood even said to Petra: “Why does your husband look so fancy and you look so poor?” When I heard this, I felt like I was hit with a hammer. It was only then that I realized how much my wife has suffered to serve the family and I felt sorry for her. Petra has continued her master’s studies despite her busy schedule and passed her exams with now only two left. She prays to finish her master’s thesis at the beginning of this year to obtain the her master’s degree. And she prays to be used as a Korean professor at the university from next fall. When I think of Petra living bravely and diligently, my heart is overwhelmed with sorrow and deep repentance.

Now when I think about it, Petra is making an incredible effort to raise our 4 children as disciples of Jesus. God surely will richly reward her efforts. I pray that these 4 children can grow strong spiritually and physically and that God may use them as his precious servants. Especially, our first, Sarah, has already begun helping with the ministry by playing the piano well. The second, David, is strong and has a good heart and has become a reliable co-worker for his daddy. In the past, I’ve been sorrowful and doubtful that I could be capable to raise 4 children. I pray that God may have mercy on this foolish and unbelieving sinner and open my spiritual eyes and make me into a person with a spiritual way of thinking.

II. Looking forward to 2011

When I think of 2011, I confess that I worked hard to establish my family as self-supporting but I was lazy in sowing the word of God. Seeing that the world is becoming more and more sinful and darker and that there are signs of the end of this world here and there, I firstly myself have to listen to the Gospel and live a life of repentance. As I see students of Macedonia, they cannot but be swept away by the enormous wave of sin of this world, especially if I remain on the sidelines. Maybe I have gained good friends but I have been lazy in actively preaching the Gospel to them. Therefore, I want to hold onto Mark 1:15 as my key verse for this year: ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” I am a person who has received the grace of the Gospel and the blessing of experiencing the kingdom of God. But not paying back the debt of grace despite receiving the Gospel is a sin. I pray that in this year, God may help me to struggle spiritually in order to fill my spirit with the Gospel as my first priority and to testify to this Gospel of life to my students and family. It is because of the Gospel that I have come this far. I repent of my laziness and wickedness and pray to prepare Sunday messages diligently and live a life of testifying to the grace of Jesus.

Prayer topics:

1. Weekly preparation of Bible study material and messages
2. 5 one-to-one Bible studies a week
3. Brother Toni to as a leader in our ministry
3. Petra master’s degree and invitation as a Korean professor
4. Self-supporting, invitation of missionaries
5. 4 children’s spiritual and physical growth

One word: Repent and believe the good news!

Austria Prayer Topics
I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God

Key Verse:
Lk 4:43 “But he said, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’”

I thank God that he blessed the 2011 European Directors’ Conference in Vienna and gave us God´s word from 1 Samuel 7 and Philippians 2. A spiritual revival could begin through our personal repentance. May God bless our spiritual decisions.

First of all, I am thankful for our European co-workers’ support for this conference through both their prayers and practical help in building a good spiritual atmosphere. I thank God that he covered my weaknesses and sins by his grace and mercy in order to serve this conference.

After the conference, God blessed our campus ministry in Austria UBF. God allowed me to get a job at a research company (AIT, Vienna) that will start from the middle of March. God is helping me to buy a new pension. God provided me prayer supporters for this pension through this conference. May God help and guide me through this pension purchase process.

Prayer Topics:

1. Raise one ancestor of faith in Austria like Abraham and 120 disciples of Jesus by 2017
2. Sunday messages on the book of Joshua and M. James to grow to be a spiritual man
3. Hope carriers: Epaphroditus and 7 second generation missionaries
4. The Yang family to be self-supporting and get a visa and the Han family’s business to grow

In the grace and love of Jesus, Austria UBF co-workers

2011 Vienna-Austria European Directors Conference Program 16