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About Me
September 7, 2011, 12:41
I was born in 1969 in a small country town in Ohio, USA I have been happily married to a beautiful and intelligent wife since 1994 I live in Grosse…
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September 7, 2011, 12:07
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October 10, 2011, 14:03
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Blog Posts

,896,882 by: briank (15)
September 25, 2011, 11:57
,896,882. That is the current net worth of UBF. For three years in a row, that number has been over million. During that time, donations dropped by…
1 Timothy 1 by: briank
August 24, 2011, 09:44
Toledo UBF has formed a Leadership Council to address issues within the ministry, such as people leaving, etc. The attached meeting minutes were published…
2011 - Year of Repentance by: briank
December 12, 2011, 18:04
One of the primary works of the Spirit in me in 2011 is repentance. My repentance came in the form of the words "stop" and "start". Can you believe it? I…
2011 - Year of Scripture by: briank
December 12, 2011, 18:56
For me, the year 2011 will always be remembered as the "year of the living and active word of God". Never before have I experienced the Spirit speaking so…
2011 Easter Conference Report by: briank (1)
December 10, 2011, 17:56
As the year 2011 comes to an end, I begin my yearly December reflections on the year by publishing my 2011 Easter Conference Report. This was the most…
20th Anniversary by: briank (1)
September 13, 2011, 12:23
"We have failed." "Make sure you make us do our job." "Make sure you get all of your questions answered." "The status quo is never good enough." "Call…
A Failed Defense by: briank (1)
September 22, 2011, 13:18
Just capturing some evidence of my failed defense of UBF as a Christian church. I publicly repent for such a blind, un-Biblical defense. I have removed the…
A Glorious History by: briank (2)
September 8, 2011, 08:44
History is a remarkable subject. I am not a historian and love new media, the latest technology and the coolest gadgets. Yet I have always been fascinated by…
A Kingdom and Priests by: briank
July 17, 2011, 13:12
"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to him be glory and…
A Pact of Silence by: briank
August 31, 2011, 10:56
Now that I have officialy left UBF ministry, I aim to continue dialogues about many things, with those in UBF and those who have left, and with those who never…
Amen and thank you Mr. Stott by: briank
July 31, 2011, 12:15
John Stott died today at 3:15 London time (about 9:15 a.m. CST), according to John Stott Ministries President Benjamin Homan. Homan said that Stott's death…
Anti-UBF Rant by: briank
September 2, 2011, 01:16
Just so that there is no misunderstanding about my position: I am not in favor of University Bible Fellowship right now. I will not make a career out of…
Be Armed! Lesson #1 by: briank (1)
September 21, 2011, 10:52
As part of his ordination process, one of the leaders at Grace is required to understand and teach the basic doctrines of Christianity. So he is leading an…
Be Armed! Lesson #2 by: briank
September 30, 2011, 16:26
As part of his ordination process, one of the leaders at Grace is required to understand and teach the basic doctrines of Christianity. So he is leading an…
Be Armed! Lesson #3 by: briank (1)
October 5, 2011, 17:28
This week's "Be Armed!" Bible study is entitled: Christology: Regarding Jesus Christ. This study confirmed my understanding of who Jesus is and the work Jesus…
Be Armed! Lesson #4 by: briank (1)
October 13, 2011, 09:40
This week's study is entitled: Pneumatology: Regarding the Holy Spirit. Naturally, my first question was: what is pneumatology? This is a word that comes from…
Be Armed! Lesson #5 by: briank
October 24, 2011, 10:38
This week's "Be Armed!" Bible study is entitled: Regarding creation (both seen and unseen). The study is divided into two parts: God's creation of the world…
Because you matter to God by: briank (1)
September 19, 2011, 15:56
"Because you matter to God." Those were the words at the end of an email I received today, on an invitation to a church event. To most people, these…
Born Free by: briank
September 9, 2011, 07:14
Fast, on a rough road riding High, through the mountains climbing twisting, turning further from my home. Young, like a new moon rising Fierce,…
Case Studies by: briank
October 8, 2011, 18:57
Here are some external observations of UBF ministry that are helpful to gain an objective understanding. First, a small book published in 1991 called…
Coercion by: briank (2)
October 24, 2011, 12:12
Coercion. What is it? The definition of coercion from Merriam-Webster is this: 1: to restrain or dominate by force 2: to compel to an act or choice…
Confucianism by: briank
September 3, 2011, 11:56
As a Christian I have always felt that it is very important to have a good understanding of non-Christian religions and philosophies. I can still remember a…
Declaration by: briank
October 4, 2011, 09:07
In the U.S., Constitution Day (September 17) came and went this year. I've not paid much attention to it in the past, but this year the issue of freedom is of…
Diagrams by: briank (3)
October 3, 2011, 12:51
UBF published a rather odd looking diagram based on 1 Timothy recently. As I read through 1 Timothy and reviewed the diagram, I found the diagram to be an…
Does Anybody Hear Her? by: briank (1)
October 22, 2011, 11:08
Do we hear?
Drink Your Wine by: briank (8)
October 7, 2011, 11:40
I can just hear the rumors spreading as I type today's follow-up post. (I often make posts after I receive some inspiration from my email or other discussions.…
Everything is Wonderful by: briank (8)
October 4, 2011, 10:04
Here is yet another glowing report that everything is wonderful in UBF. There are however, a lot less people in the photo. But nevermind about that...just…
Example of Repentance by: briank (3)
October 10, 2011, 15:17
Keith Green. Do you know who he was? Most likely you have heard some of his songs. If you became a Christian in the 1980's like me, you definitely heard his…
Ezekiel: A prophet to the righteous by: briank (5)
October 10, 2011, 10:08
Do the righteous need prophets? Do those who claim to be God's people need to hear God's rebuke? Does God still raise up voices to watch over God's people? …
Fellowship or Foe? by: briank
November 27, 2011, 15:33
In 2007, a U.S. newspaper ran an article entitled "Fellowship or Foe?" The article was about the student ministry called University Bible Fellowship. The…
Final Post by: briank (6)
December 14, 2011, 12:32
As I continue to read Andy Stanley's book "The Grace of God", I am finding answers to some big questions: What kind of person do I want to be? What kind of…
Freedom of the Mind by: briank (3)
October 7, 2011, 10:26
One of my friends recently mentioned to me how he heard people dismissing me and my blog as "just another anti-ubf" website. Some have stopped reading because…
God's Invitation by: briank
November 1, 2011, 09:34
Stop. Come to the manger this Christmas. Is there room for King Jesus?
Good, the movie by: briank
August 6, 2011, 07:12
Anything that makes people happy can't be bad, can it? That line in the movie, "Good" stood out to me. I didn't know what to expect when I watched this…
Google Analytics Update by: briank (4)
September 23, 2011, 20:25
I started this blog back in July, but did not install the Google analytics counters right away. Today marks the first full 30 days of stats from Google, so I…
How Not To Study by: briank (4)
September 26, 2011, 22:10
So there is a leadership workshop coming up in October. Now that I have the freedom to take time and think about such things, I want to document what I…
How to leave UBF? by: briank (7)
October 11, 2011, 10:20
Google Analytics is an handy tool to have. The feedback from the statistics generated by this free tool are most helpful. The stats give a good idea of how…
I Lift My Hands by: briank
October 23, 2011, 13:47
Be still, there is a healer His love is deeper than the sea His mercy, it is unfailing His arms are a fortress for the weak Let faith arise
I Question It by: briank
September 13, 2011, 04:10
I have no words for today's post (well no polite words, that is). This song says it all. The Altar Boys: "I question it". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
I will not bind your conscience by: briank (4)
August 14, 2011, 19:45
"I have no idea what you should do and no intention of binding your conscience." These words reverberated through my soul the other day as I read them in an…
Is UBF a Cult? by: briank (4)
September 21, 2011, 19:40
A quick Google search will turn up numerous results of people questioning whether University Bible Fellowship (UBF) is a cult or not. I have asked myself that…
It is Time by: briank (5)
August 23, 2011, 06:52
It's time to say those words that I've put off saying. Words that I wanted to say 8 years ago but was not courageous enough. I was too much of a wimp. I've…
Lawyers by: briank
September 10, 2011, 09:36
A few months ago, a good friend of mine confided in me some details about one of the last meetings he had with a UBF leader before he left the ministry. He…
Lord, Consider Their Threats by: briank
November 20, 2011, 14:42
Today our church continued going through the book of Acts. The passage last week was Acts 4:1-22. Today it is Acts 4:23-31. I dedicate today's post to all…
Love Covers Over by: briank (1)
September 23, 2011, 11:45
This verse came up twice in emails I received from UBF leaders over the past six months: 1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers…
Make It Clear by: briank
August 29, 2011, 09:25
Make it clear. Those are the words that keep coming back to my mind each morning, for many weeks now. I believe they are a prompt from the Spirit of God.…
Mars, Moms and Love by: briank
September 1, 2011, 07:48
Last night we watched the movie "Mars needs Moms". The animation was astounding. The plot was simple. Yet I can't stop thinking about this movie. It has a…
More repentance: stuffed animals by: briank (2)
October 17, 2011, 19:17
The more I see my prior life from Scripture's viewpoint, the more I see my need to repent. Today I'm publicly repenting of having Bible study with a…
Moving on by: briank (3)
September 11, 2011, 13:11
Some people asked me what is going on in Toledo UBF. I told them I don't know because it is a closed group, and I am outside that group. But apparently, there…
My Reasons by: briank (10)
August 29, 2011, 10:54
In my previous post, entitled "Make It Clear", I state that my leaving UBF is for the sake of unity in the body of Christ as presented by Apostle Paul in 1…
My Secret by: briank
August 9, 2011, 07:51
Grace Community Church in Detroit is doing a study series entitled "Secrets". It is nothing short of amazing to see the power of revealing our secrets to…
No more Mr. Cruise by: briank
September 24, 2011, 11:41
Today I was reading back through the Voy forum, looking for a specific post. I found it: The Tom Cruise of UBF. I just want to state publicly that I am no…
Our house church plan by: briank (1)
July 22, 2011, 14:02
Our current plan for our house church. Our house church began in 2003 when we went to Detroit in August. We tried to maintain our house church in a UBF…
Overcoming Fear by: briank (4)
October 3, 2011, 11:29
I've noticed there is an undue amount of fear among people in UBF and sometimes among people outside of UBF. I think we all need to remember that perfect love…
Paying respect or Religious power? by: briank (19)
December 2, 2011, 08:57
Things like this have disturbed me for many years. I never said anything, but today I share my thoughts. Paying respect to the dead is one thing. Taking…
Praise God, Ignore Division by: briank (3)
November 30, 2011, 14:07
Things that disturb me about UBF: a tendency to rewrite history to be only positive; a tendency to focus on individual and communal praise of God while…
Preaching Through Dialogue by: briank (2)
October 9, 2011, 17:59
What do you think of when you hear the word "preaching"? For me, I always thought of preaching as something one person, called a pastor, does on Sunday. It is…
Prooftexting by: briank (2)
September 6, 2011, 09:36
What is prooftexting? First of all, it is probably something that would drive my wife crazy, being an English PhD candidate and college-level composition…
Removing Anti-UBF Articles by: briank (4)
September 23, 2011, 20:41
Earlier this month, a senior Korean missionary forwarded me a copy of an email sent from the director of the UBF Internet Committee. This person had found a…
Room for Jesus? by: briank (1)
December 6, 2011, 11:39
As Christmas approaches, I've had one thought that keeps coming to mind: Would I have room for Jesus if he had visited in 2011 instead of about 2,000 years…
September 17 by: briank
August 22, 2011, 07:53
Are you excited? September 17th is approaching fast! Sometimes, September 17th is a day of repenting quickly because I forgot my wife's birthday, which is…
Set Me Free by: briank
October 22, 2011, 11:01
This video tells the story of how Jesus set me free... ...from the bonds UBF placed on my soul:
Should I live by principles? by: briank (1)
July 20, 2011, 08:21
Recently a good friend of mine mentioned acting a certain way based on a Christian principle. Immediately, a question came to my mind: Should I live by…
Something Different by: briank
August 18, 2011, 09:19
"I don't care what I do at church the rest of my life, as long as it is something different!" These are genuine words a good friend of mine spoke the other…
Springboarding from Acts 19 by: briank
September 7, 2011, 20:30
Last Sunday we heard an inspiring, insightful and sobering teaching based on Acts 19. 1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the…
Stuff that would be punished by: briank
November 20, 2011, 11:03
Yesterday I read a report by a visiting missionary to UBF. Aside from the typical "praise and glory" reporting, this report contained some very unusual…
Surely you do not mean us too? by: briank (1)
October 12, 2011, 13:22
John Michael Talbot was one of the early musicians I listened to back in the 1980's. I was fascinated to see his Facebook page! One of the quotes on John…
Take My Yoke by: briank (1)
October 17, 2011, 20:26
In 2006, a former member of UBF critiqued the message I delivered as Sunday messenger in Toledo UBF. At first I was defiantly proud, thinking, "How dare…
The Blue Book by: briank (3)
October 20, 2011, 21:44
This week I received a package in the mail from Korea. Apparently, they didn't get the message that I resigned from UBF. The package contained a CD of the UBF…
The Blue Book - Part 2 by: briank (10)
October 21, 2011, 09:03
As I read through the "2011 UBF Shepherd Missionary Seminar: spirit, ministry, vision", I am more and more disheartened. Almost all of the concerns my friends…
The Fourth Amendment by: briank
September 3, 2011, 09:20
A couple months ago (in July 2011), I had an email exchange with a UBF elder, along with several other UBF people. I had sent some emails raising some…
The Independence Movement by: briank
October 4, 2011, 12:53
Up to now, there have been three reform movements in UBF history. The documents describing the three reform movements are posted in an earlier entry. UBF…
The obvious is not always so obvious by: briank
July 21, 2011, 07:38
Today the BBC reported a story that intrigued me greatly. The newsline reads "Top Nazi Rudolf Hess exhumed from 'pilgrimage' grave". What? People are…
The Purpose of Questions by: briank
October 5, 2011, 09:18
A question came up in Bible study today. I wondered, why would that question be asked? I realized something profound (at least to me). The question the…
The R-Group by: briank (2)
September 10, 2011, 15:01
If you've been in UBF for a few years, you likely have heard someone talk about the dreaded "r-group" people. This is the term for people who left the ministry…
The Sisyphus Syndrom by: briank
September 29, 2011, 13:15
Even when I was defending UBF as a Christian church, I admitted that there is always an "oddity" in UBF. This oddity is ever-present, but almost always…
The Spirit of Christ by: briank
November 1, 2011, 12:52
Just as Jesus has many names, so does the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 names the third Person of God as "the Spirit of Christ". To be indwelled with the Spirit of…
The Stand by: briank
October 31, 2011, 12:53
"I'll Stand with Arms High."
The Unknown by: briank
September 26, 2011, 10:49
"What would that look like?" This is one phrase I have heard pastors speak a lot recently. It is almost always followed up with something like: "I don't know,…
The Word of God is Living by: briank (1)
October 8, 2011, 10:25
For me, the year 2011 will always be remembered as the "year of the living and active word of God". Never before have I experienced the Spirit speaking so…
Toledo UBF Message Fail by: briank
August 25, 2011, 05:37
Several people have told me the quality of Sunday messages in Toledo UBF has gone down in the past couple years. As I look back, it started much earlier than…
UBF Doctrine - Undocumented by: briank (2)
September 23, 2011, 13:24
Why does UBF continue to be controversial and show up on cult-watching lists? The primary reason (in my opinion) for controversial and often bi-polar…
UBF Exodus in Hong Kong by: briank (10)
November 19, 2011, 11:44
The problems facing University Bible Fellowship (UBF) are not isolated to America, Germany and Russia. The problems are being raised around the world,…
UBF Mission Statement for the Next 50 Years by: briank (1)
September 8, 2011, 17:18
This is the 12 point statement and 3 point pledge that came out of the recent 50th anniversary celebrations in Korea. This was published publicly on UBF's main…
Unanswered Questions by: briank
November 29, 2011, 18:39
On 8/8/2011, I sent the following questions to the Leadership Council in Toledo UBF. Below is the letter I sent (with names removed) first to a select…
Unity or uniformity? by: briank (2)
July 20, 2011, 09:25
Unity is defined by Merriam Webster as "the quality or state of not being multiple: oneness; a condition of harmony: accord." Unity is "a totality of related…
Validity and Accountability by: briank (1)
September 27, 2011, 13:24
My blog has created quit a stir recently. So today I want to post a reminder of why I'm blogging. My purpose is not to stir up controversy or generate…
We Will Glorify by: briank (2)
October 21, 2011, 11:16
"Acapella" - We Will Glorify - a much needed song from many years ago...
Words from a Friend by: briank
October 10, 2011, 09:23
A friend of mine left UBF a few years ago. He was a faithful and devout Christian, widely acknowledged as one who loved God and loved his neighbor. To this…
Workshop Change by: briank (1)
September 26, 2011, 17:50
The UBF Leadership Workshop location was changed from the Salvation Army Camp to the Chicago Center. The reason per the email below is "Due to the large number…
Моим друзьям в России by: briank
September 10, 2011, 13:42
Для моих друзей в России, которые не оставили служение: Во-первых, пожалуйста, простит�…