So today I am making my final post to this priestly nation blog. As my new tagline says, this blog is a collection of stories about my old, graceless life spent trying to be a priest. It is true that Christians are a “royal priesthood” and a “holy nation”. Yet I see no evidence to support building such a “nation” by human effort or ambition. Although I often did not believe in such nationalistic and elitist ideals, I have discovered this year that I helped facilitate and support such things.

While I do not reject the idea that I am a priest (in the sense that all believers are priests), I do reject the idea that I should help build a new, supremely pious, religious community around the world. I do not think that is what God (or Peter) had in mind when they wrote 1 Peter chapter 2.

One of the reasons I started this blog this year was to capture the topics I blog about. As you can see in the Tag Cloud of categories, I’ve written most about Bible study, news, truth, freedom and Jesus. It is rather shocking to me now that I see the word “grace” did not even become a category in my writing! A quick review of any respected Christian author or preacher will reveal that the grace of God is central to Christian faith. Yet it is missing entirely from my thoughts.

So my journey of faith takes yet another turn. For those who wonder if I will continue to speak up about issues facing UBF, rest assured that I will. God help me if I remain silent about such matters! I will keep this blog open for comments and as a permanent reminder of the events that transpired in 2011. I will also reply back to those who comment here, as well as continue my ongoing dialogues via email and Facebook. And yes, I will be participating in various internal and external projects related to explaining, examining and exposing the UBF system.

Soon I will also have a new blog where I capture my thoughts and questions on my journey of life. In the past I felt it was burdensome to write a two page testimony every week. But now I write far more than this and spend way more time in dialogues, yet I’m not burdened, but filled with peace, power and joy. 2011 was something like the movie “Monsters, Inc.” for me. I found that joy is 10 times more powerful than fear.

I want to leave my readers with some excellent sermons by two good friends (so far we have only been virtual friends; I really must visit Chicago!).

God Became Weak

Christianity is the End of Religion

God’s Love Brings About Real Change

The grace of God be with you,
Brian.

I posted this already, but as I review this year, it is very much worth reading through these verses again. And I need to add one verse. The last verse in the Bible is about the grace of God. Part of my prayer for the new year will include learning about this all-important last word:

Revelation 22:21 “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”

Leviticus 5:1 “‘If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.
>>> Not speaking up when we hear a public charge is a sin before the Lord.

Numbers 15:28 “The priest is to make atonement before the LORD for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven.
>>> Unintentional sin is mentioned many times in the Law, and is just as serious as intentional sin.

Numbers 22:21-33 “21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her again. 26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” 29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said. 31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. 32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.”
>>> Even a donkey can be used by the Lord to hold God’s servant accountable when God is angry with God’s servant. If the donkey had not turned away three times, God’s angel certainly would have killed Balaam, but spared the donkey.

1 Samuel 15:34-35 “34 Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.”
>>> There are times when we should not meet with God’s appointed servant.

Proverbs 26:17-19 “18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death 19 is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’”
>>> Don’t be a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death!

Proverbs 27:4-6 “4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? 5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”
>>> Anger, jealousy, hidden love, flattering kisses: things that disrupt unity in the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 7:14-22 “14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future. 15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness. 16 Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise– why destroy yourself? 17 Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool– why die before your time? 18 It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes. 19 Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city. 20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. 21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you– 22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.”
>>> Avoid all extremes and do not pay attention to every word people say.

Isaiah 55:6-11 “6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
>>> God’s thoughts and God’s ways are higher than mine, as high as the heavens are above the earth.

Matthew 5:13-16 “13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
>>> Be salt and light. Walk and talk openly, before people and before my Father in heaven.

Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
>>> Treasure up “all these things” and ponder them in your heart, and God will show you what to do.

Luke 18:6-8 “6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”"
>>> Even an unjust judge grants justice.

Acts 7:51-55 “51 “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him– 53 you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.” 54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
>>> Stephen delivered God’s message to those who resisted the Holy Spirit. Their response was anger. Yet Stephen looked to heaven, saw Jesus and forgave them.

1 Corinthians 12:3 “Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”
>>> Salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 “27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.”
>>> Not everyone is called to be a teacher.

2 Corinthians 11:19-20 “19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face.”
>>> Why do people put up with those who enslave or push or slap?

Galatians 2:11-16 “11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 15 “We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”
>>> Should Gentiles be forced to follow Jewish customs, even though Jewish customs are based on God’s law?

Ephesians 4:1-7 “1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit– just as you were called to one hope when you were called– 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”
>>> Unity, not uniformity

Ephesians 4:25-28 “25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”
>>> The devil is the real enemy. Falsehood, anger and selfishness give the devil a foothold in our lives and our ministries.

1 Timothy 4:11-16 “11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
>>> Command and teach the things Scripture tells us to. Watch my life and doctrine closely.

1 Timothy 5:17-20 “17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” 19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.”
>>> Treat elders with double honor. But when they sin, take two or three witnesses and rebuke them publicly.

Revelation 1:5-6 “…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father–to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”
>>> To Jesus, who loves us and freed us by his blood, be glory and power forever. Amen.

Can you believe it? I actually reached the point in 2010 that I thought maybe I had no need to repent. I was clearly wrong! Here is a brief summary of my stop/start repentance topics from 2011:

Stop pretending everything is wonderful in UBF.
Stop defending organizations of men as if they were God’s kingdom.
Stop dictating my ideas about truth.
Stop demanding other people adhere to my standard of piety.
Stop thinking that my piety is the highest and best in the world.
Stop inventing glorious reports about the work of God.
Stop taking direction from doubled-minded people.
Stop spinning facts into perceptions that fit my ideals.
Stop proof-texting my religious claims.
Stop sitting by idly while my friends are suffering.

Start speaking up about things that disturb me.
Start publicly and vocally discussing actions that are wrong.
Start reaching out to other Christians.
Start reading about Christian doctrines.
Start expressing myself through blogging.
Start holding accountable those who have been unaccountable.
Start listening for the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Start understanding humanity.
Start studying the Old Testament from the viewpoint of Jesus.
Start realizing, accepting and extending the grace of God.

In the months leading up to this conference and report, my spiritual life had become stagnant. I had been alone with my family in Detroit for about 7 years. We had survived financial hell, our son’s epilepsy, several job changes, distressing PhD politics, and far too many house moves. My wife and I were at a loss as to how to help our four children to learn faith in Jesus. My soul was tired and weary as I continued to “keep face” with UBF, inventing glorious words to report what “work of God” had been occurring in our UBF house church. I tried desperately to uphold the UBF ideals and secretly covered over my broken relationships with some UBF leaders.

Then came the 2011 Easter Conference with Toledo UBF. Through this conference, my spirit suddenly came alive. My love for Jesus revived and my purpose from God became clear. I was filled with a great desire to see justice done. Alarm bells rang through my mind as I recalled some horrific events in the past; events I had once called “acts of faith”. Suddenly my soul was flooded with peace, joy, power, purpose and longing for Jesus. But there was a problem–a big problem. What I experienced did not fit in with Toledo UBF.

I wrote an honest conference report, perhaps for the first time in 24 years. I knew what kind of reaction it would invoke. I knew it would spell the end of my UBF life. But strangely, I was filled with more peace and power than ever before as I wrote it and sent it on.

So here it is, the report that started it all, the report that sparked me to write My Confession, to discuss issues in over 800 email conversations, to write more than 80 articles on this blog and eventually to resign as Detroit UBF director, leave UBF entirely and seek out a new, healthy Christian church.

Below are a few observations I had from this conference and also some issues I am dealing with here in Detroit.

For the first time in the past 24 years, I didn’t find a word of God to take with me from the messages at the conference. My daughters said they enjoyed the car ride to the conference more than the conference. I was in fact disturbed by part of [the main] message, where [the messenger] asked everyone to replace Jesus with their own name, to ask God to glorify us. The Lord’s Prayer is indeed a model, but I think Jesus’ high priestly prayer has much more to teach us than a framework. I also did not prepare the question sheets for the Bible study this time. I found the questions confusing and limited to the answers I’ve already learned over the years.

Over the past 7 years since coming to Detroit, I’ve noticed that it is increasingly difficult to adopt the Toledo UBF messages. In the recent months, the schedule of passages has been confusing and difficult to discern the reasons for studying the passages in the order they are presented. For our spiritual good, I am not able to follow the Toledo UBF messages closely, as I have done in prior years. So in Detroit we began studying Genesis. We are praying for a new direction in what book to study.

During my visits to Toledo UBF the past 7 years at various times, I’ve sensed a growing deadness in the ministry. I cannot explain this nor do I know why I’ve sensed this. Visiting Toledo UBF has begun to remind me of my days in the Catholic church, where there was a lot of religious practice, but little or no life or spirit of God.

From this conference, however, I did find John 16:7 from [a PowerPoint] presentation: “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” Working with [fellow coworkers] and listening to this presentation was inspiring to me and expanded my thinking and view of God. It was the freshest presentation I’ve heard since coming to Detroit. I learned that to know God I must get to know all three Persons of God. Otherwise, my view is largely incomplete. I was renewed and refreshed to understand that the Holy Spirit is a Person of God; someone I can go to for guidance and counsel. Scripture clearly does not present the Spirit as merely energy or power. Jesus in fact promised to send the Spirit intentionally to believers who ask. It is especially enlightening to know that as a believer I can seek out the Holy Spirit as a Person who is a counselor, advocate, intercessor, transformer and teacher.

So here is a “top 10 list” that came to mind the past couple days. These are my top 10 reasons why Jesus might not be accepted in America in 2011:

10. Jesus might be from Detroit.

9. Jesus might accept a dinner party invitation from a Congress leader.

8. Jesus might have a group of single moms and illegal aliens following him to tend to his needs.

7. Jesus might be in repeated conflict with relgious leaders, causing Evangelicals and Catholics to begin working together.

6. Jesus might call a global warming zealot to be a disciple.

5. Jesus might call an IRS employee to be a disciple.

4. Jesus might spend a lot of time at LGBT events.

3. Jesus might touch a person with AIDS and heal the person.

2. Jesus might rip out the technology at a church and throw the big screen tv’s out the windows.

1. Jesus might consider his top disciple to be a redneck from Louisiana.

Paying respect to the dead is one thing. Taking group photos and creating a special service in a cemetery… that’s disturbing to me. It always has been, and probably always will be. As an American from the midwest, I just have not seen such behavior except for my prior religious organization.

The photos and reports are here:

http://www.ubf.org/content/memorial-service-late-dr-samuel-lee

http://www.ubf.org/content/9th-annual-founders-day-program-chicago

What is so disturbing?

1. I’m disturbed by the yearly glorification of a man who died in 2002. If there was a public, realistic mention of that man’s life, I might not be so disturbed. As it is, every year in October, the man is glorified as if he had no shortcomings. Not only is there a memorial service, there is a religious holiday being developed around the event called “Founders Day”.

2. I’m disturbed by the “spiritual Godfather” power struggle. If you know the people in the photos at the gravesite and notice how they are sitting/standing, you will clearly see that there are quite a few top leaders in UBF who love power and authority. The photos are not random; each leader specifically is sitting or standing in the spot that portrays their own power and authority (except for the few Americans there who are probably unaware of such a power struggle)

I see these yearly events as not merely paying respect to a dead person. I see them as a display of religious power.

A recent report on the history of Asia pioneering is a clear example of what I’m talking about. Here is an excerpt for the positive-only UBF report:

“She offered her five loaves and two fish for HK pioneering mission. As a result, HK UBF has grown rapidly by raising 6 native Sunday messengers and more than 115 Sunday worshipers. Now 5 chapters are having worship service independently and 6 Korean missionaries are co-working together. We thank and praise God for using M. Angela so preciously as a mother of prayer for HK campus souls.” (source)

However, in spite of the rosy picture painted by the UBF report, the reality is very different from their perception. Clearly there has been an ongoing exodus of leaders in Hong Kong UBF. The report also includes glorious-sounding words about India UBF, completely glossing over the exodus of leaders that happened there recently.

The UBF reporter and those who posted the report and those who approved the report all know about the painful reality going on for more than a decade in Hong Kong. Yet the UBF report focuses on the sacrificial life of one missionary and ignores the division completely, just as the majority of UBF leaders continue to ignore any differing opinions regarding their ministry methods and beliefs. I pray that UBF leaders will face the facts and begin to report honestly and factually.

Praise God and ignore division? Serve God and forget about your neighbor? Sacrifice your life and mitigate the mercy of God? I don’t think so. Abraham repented of doing such things, and was blessed for it. We dare not talk about faith and serving God and obeying Christ if we cannot face the facts of our reality. How can I claim to know God if I do not attempt reconciliation, love my neighbor and fall at the mercy of God? We are in danger of becoming mystical fools if we do not face the facts of our situation.

“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead–since he was about a hundred years old–and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.” Romans 4:19 (NIV84)

Below is the letter I sent (with names removed) first to a select few leaders, to the entire Council, and to numerous UBF people. As of today, more than three months later, I have received no answers to these questions. I did receive two invitations to a closed-door meeting with a few people to talk about my “top 3 questions” for “repentance” and “reconciliation”, which I declined. I was also told that it would take an effort equivalent to thesis writing to answer my questions. And one person told me I could just answer them myself.

I now share this letter publicly in order to bring these issues further into the light. I hope to spark open, honest discussion, which to this day has not happened, with senior UBF leaders. Some active discussion has taken place with a few UBF people however. It is true that I am not interested in reform. I am interested in rebuilding and finding a new identity. I am interested in “moving on” (but not in silence). Much of the content on this blog was a result of the response (and lack thereof) to this letter.

Leadership Council:

After I receive a written response to my questions below from the new leadership council in Toledo UBF, I will consider an in-person meeting in Toledo UBF. My reasoning for this request is that I have observed the same pattern of people leaving UBF the past 21 years. Although we are beginning to experience something new, the words and actions of Toledo leaders the past 8 years do not reconcile. The words are good and genuine, but the actions tell a different story.

Event 1: The 1990 moving of James and Rebekah Kim in Toledo.
Were our actions illegal according to Ohio Law?
Did these actions violate the US Constitution, the 4th amendment?
Did these actions violate God’s commands to love our neighbor?

Event 2: The Detroit chapter pioneering.
Why was I not allowed to form a pioneering committee to assist the process when I requested such help?
Why were we demanded to travel to Toledo every Sunday for 6 months as a requirement to be officially sent out to Detroit?
Why did we not seriously discuss being missionaries to Russia or to England?
Why were we just left in Detroit alone for 7 years? (the first year a Korean missionary was in Detroit, but after he left UBF, Toledo UBF stopped nearly all communication).

Event 3: Succession of leadership in Toledo UBF.
Why were five fully-qualified leadership candidates not groomed to become pastor over the past 21 years?
Why is there confusion about being a director vs. being a pastor?
Is there any plan for someone else to be pastor/director?
How does this situation compare to what happened in Bowling Green?

Event 4: Dead dog training.
What is dead dog training?
Does this training still exist or anything like it?
Why is obedience to authority so highly valued above other Christian values?

Event 5: The gospel.
What is the gospel?
What might UBF learn from other churches?
How can UBF be connected to 2,000+ years of Christian history?

Event 6: Christian ministry.
What is the role of a pastor?
How does a pastor work with other elders?
How does a pastor help church members fine their role and gifts from the Holy Spirit?
What doctrines and teachings should a pastor be reading and knowing?

Event 7: Systematic problems with UBF.
Other former members have already expounded on this. I agree with all of what they said regarding ministry problems and ways to change. Why is it so difficult to listen to honest, truthful Christians who have ideas for improving the ministry?
Why are those who speak honestly and truthfully driven away from the ministry?

The article was about the student ministry called University Bible Fellowship. The newspaper was the “Diamond Back Online”, the newspaper of the University of Maryland.

The reporter made the following statement about University Bible Fellowship. At the time, it puzzled me. Today, it makes a lot of sense:

“Although many student members have sung the praises of UBF, others have expressed concerns about the methods by which the church recruits its members and exerts control over their lives.” (source)

UBF puts a lot of effort into a Christian-sounding, public face. Each time an exodus of leaders occurs, the remaining leaders focus on praising God and gain a few more Christian buzz-words, usually by inviting someone to speak about such words.

UBF spends much time and effort and money to be attractive for students (much good food, much high praise, etc). But people like myself who have experienced things like messenger training, see the other side of UBF. It is the side that causes some to have grave concerns. It is this dark side, the side that has bordered on the illegal at times, that sparks the anger of former UBF members. After the initial “love”, a Bible student in UBF will be challenged to commit their entire life and all life choices to UBF, one by one. This twist is one issue that prompted me to leave this year and continue to blog about it, even though such blogging comes with risk of retaliation.

A while back, UBF showed signs of retaliating against the “anti-UBF” material. They succeeded in removing a small, negative article about them. But apparently they missed a lot of other articles. Below is a brief listing of material by former UBF members and some outside agencies. I hesitate to post such a list because it gives UBF lawyers an easy target. However, the stories of hundreds of former UBF members cry out to be heard. Since UBF leaders remain silent, refusing to even admit such stories exist, I will list them here. The stories are from around the world, including Russia, Germany, Mexico, India and America. I list them here because some people have asked me from time to time where this information is on the internet.

One interesting note is that Canada UBF seems to be moving in the right direction (God’s direction) and listening to the Holy Spirit. Canada UBF began with some of the most horrific stories of abuse, yet somehow, some Canadian UBF chapters have found their way back to God and the Bible.

Fellowship or foe? You can decide for yourself.

http://exubfjc.wordpress.com/
http://rsqubf.info/
http://exubf.blogspot.com/
http://hkubf.blogspot.com/
http://rsqubf.livejournal.com/
http://ubfhistoryx.livejournal.com/
http://www.voy.com/60734/
http://exubf-ru.blogspot.com/
http://www.ubfriends.org/2011/03/to-stay-or-not-to-stay/
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/u08.html
http://www.refocus.org/former-member-contacts.html
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=70492020564
http://www.ccel.us/churches.ch5.html
http://www.petitiononline.com/petitions/ubfnae03/signatures?page=2

How did Peter and John react to being put in jail for talking about Jesus and obeying the direction of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:1-22)? What did they do when the religious leaders threatened them and commanded them to stop talking about Jesus? Peter and John’s reaction is described in Acts 4:23-31. They were commanded to stop talking about Jesus and threatened to stop obeying the Holy Spirit. They said no.

Acts 4:23-31 (NIV)

“23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’

27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

And today’s sermon will be soon posted here:

http://www.gracewired.com/Grow/All-Sermons.aspx

“29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”