THIRD WORLD TENTMAKERS FROM KOREA

The University Bible Fellowship in Seoul is a mission agency which provides a model of success in the area of self-supporting witness. It was started by (Dr. Samuel Lee) as a small indigenous student movement in Korea in 1961. Since then, it has grown rapidly, both in Korea and in other nations. By 1976, they had sent 157 tentmaking missionaries abroad. Before leaving, these missionaries receive at least six months of vigorous training as preparation for their service. In other countries they take secular jobs in line with their vocations and professions for which they have received previous training. They not only support themselves, but also financially back the mission' s other spiritual ministries. Pastor Lee visits and ministers to the missionaries on their various fields. Chaeok Chun, who herself was a missionary from Korea to Pakistan, and Marlin Nelson comment on this work in their book, Asian Mission Societies: "It is one of the rare cases where self-support is working efficiently without workers losing their vision for missionary work. We do think this structure and pattern for foreign mission work is one of the best known and practiced by Asian missions." These self-supporting missionaries concentrate on one-to-one personal evangelism, Bible study in small groups, and the quality of their Christian life and work. Furthermore, they now have started giving support to other missionaries from their fellowship in Third World countries where they cannot earn their own way. This has been begun by sending to Bangladesh a couple who are involved in cross-cultural witness, (p. 136) [Dr. Wilson was himself a tentmaker missionary in Afghanistan for many years. He was also a professor of missions.]

Jesus commissioned his followers to go and make disciples of all nations. His command is not addressed to a few ordained clergymen, nor does it come as a call to some kind of professional church service; it is a summon to an obedient way of life, a lifestyle of commitment incumbent upon every member of the body of Christ. The University Bible Fellowship has developed around this missionary mandate. Using a tentmaking approach to lay ministry, with strong emphasis upon Bible study and disciplined living, the Fellowship in little more than thirty years has become one of the most dynamic student movements of our time. Without question, this history is the best account of U.B.F. available today.

Dr. Robert E. Coleman Director School of World Mission and Evangelism, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, USA.

University Bible Fellowship is an evangelical fellowship and has made great contributions to campus mission in Korea.

It has never tried to display its activity to others but already has sent 1,356 self-supporting missionaries to more than 86 countries in the world. As a silent Bible study movement, it has a sound and Biblical view on the world situation. This Fellowship and our Fellowship, that is Campus Crusade for Christ, have characteristics in common and help each other in doing campus evangelical work in Korean campuses.

Considering the great contributions of U.B.F. in the moral education of campus students, raising up spiritual leaders for the future, enhancing the national glory in sending out missionaries, and the number and quality of the leaders already raised up, I am sure that U.B.F. will continue to contribute to the campus evangelical movement in Korea as well as to the national glory.

May 5,1997 Rev. Joon-Kon Kim Founder and President Korea Campus Crusade For Christ

No one can deny the dynamic spiritual influence that U.B.F. has had on Christian university students. The uniqueness of U.B.F. lies in its indigenous origin, one-to-one Bible study method, interest in contextual issues such as a disciplined life style, the tentmaking ministry, and vision for world mission.

Dr. Bong-Rin Ro Dean Asia Graduate School of Theology. Seoul, Korea.

I have had a personal relationship with this organization for more than ten years. I gave several special lectures, and I attended its major events also. Besides, I have been good friends with Missionary Chang-Woo Lee, the founder of this organization, and many directors working for this organization.

Judging from my friendship and experiences, it is certain that the leaders are sound in the Christian faith and in their views of the country, and that both the gospel-preaching and the proper training of faith and character are prospering among young students within their ministry among the universities in Korea. In addition to Korea, U.B.F. has taken the same activities in many universities in the world, so it has been playing an important role in the exaltation of the national prestige and non-governmental diplomacy.

In fact, I agree with the activities of this organization, and I hope that U.B.F will lead to both a wholesome religious movement and the training of leaders for the future.

I'm sure that U.B.F. can contribute to the gospel preaching movement for university students and the development of society much more in the future than in the past.

January 10,1985 Rev. Pok-Yoon Shin President Hap-Dong (Union) Theological School. Korea.

I have associated with this organization for dozen of years. Also I gave some special lectures several times and took part in its major events. I have had deep fellowship with the leaders who work for it. I have taken a look at and studied this organization for a while. As a result, I write my opinion on this organization.

1. This is a student evangelical group without any denominational orientation which has been propagating Christianity based on the traditional line. (Joining denominations: the Presbyterian Church, the Baptist Church, the Holiness Church, the Methodist Church, etc.)

2. This organization has 10,000 regular members in 37 Korean local chapters and have registered as a formal circle in 80 campuses.

3. The organization has made efforts to relieve the poor in and out of the country. As a result they have given $7,560 to a relief fund 60 times.

4. They have trained many competent missionaries with training programs and have sent 289 missionaries to 40 foreign chapters.

5. As a regular member of the Korean Mission Organization Council, they have cooperated with other Korean Christian organizations.

6. They have close relations with C.C.C. and works for campus mission.

7. Koreans are familiar with one-to-one Bible preaching in church life. This is thought to be a special character of culture and custom.

November 14,1986 Rev. Myeong-Hwan Tahk President The International Religions Research Institute

As a student evangelical group without any denominations, University Bible Fellowship does not participate in any political student movements based on the principle of the separation of religion and politics. And this is a conservative mission group which studies the Bible and preaches the pure gospel.

November 2.1985. Rev. Kyu-Oh Chung President Korean Christianity Presbyterian General Assembly

I have associated with this organization for dozens of years and I gave special lectures several times and participated in some big events. Also, I have a close relationship with missionary Chang-Woo Lee, the founder of this group as well as the leaders who work for it. According to my experience, its leaders have sound Christian beliefs and cherish national value. And they have led many young students in dozens of universities to have sound beliefs and personal improvement. Therefore, they have protected many students from communist movements. Also, they have made efforts to relieve the poor; $7,780 for the southern City Woman Shelter, $560 for the house of Kyonam in 1985, $18,900 for the Ethiopia refugees through Korean Church Union Relief Committees, medical supplies equivalent to $3,300 for Malawi in Africa through the chief of Central Africa in Foreign Affairs, medical appliances equivalent to $1,340 to George Gayambo, the director of Central Hospital whom the Korean government invited from Malawi in November.

This organization has taken the same activities to many universities, not only in Korea, but also to the rest of the world. Therefore, U.B.F. has been playing an important part in the exaltation of the national prestige and non-governmental diplomacy. In fact, I agree with the activities of this organization, and I hope that U.B.F will lead to both a wholesome religious movement and the training of leaders for the future.

June 12.1985. Dr. Won-Sol Lee President Han Nam University, Korea.

The Seed Is Sown

The story of this rice roots movement is really an account of the transforming power of God's Word in the lives of Korean Christians. It began in 1961 when the paths of two Christian workers crossed. One of the two was Mr. (Samuel) Chang Woo Lee who was then pastoring a small church in the economically poor southern provincial city of Kwangju. He saw the university students in that city, spiritually lost, drifting, and unreached by the church. The other was a young Southern Presbyterian missionary from the United States, Miss Sarah Barry. Miss Barry had always been sensitive to the needs of the Koreans and had sought in every way possible to identify herself with them. At this period in her ministry, she thought that God was calling her to be a rural evangelist. When the paths of these two workers converged, neither of them realized at first that God had a new plan for their ministry. Gradually, however, it became clear that the good news of Jesus Christ must be proclaimed to Korean students at the university level. Dr. Marlin Nelson has been in Korea for more than twenty years with World Vision International. He studied at the School of World Mission and at Fuller Theological Seminary. He wrote The How and Why of Third World Missions. (William Carey Library; California, 1976) Here is one of many excerpts:

The University Bible Fellowship was organized in 1961 by Sarah Barry, a Southern Presbyterian missionary with Intervarsity experience, in cooperation with (Samuel) Chang Woo Lee, the present director. Lee was discipled by Navigator trained Doug Cozart and readily gives credit to his teacher. Lee also writes the Daily Notes for Scripture Union in Korean and is a capable Bible teacher. Before UBF missionaries are sent out, they must complete an intensive study of the Bible and learn how to share their faith with others. Though UBF seldom provides financial support they do provide spiritual support by keeping in touch with their alumni. On special occasions they have collected funds for typhoon and earthquake victims in other lands. These laymen are commissioned missionaries, sent to other countries with the primary purpose of sharing their faith. (pp. 60-61).

(Additional references to UBF can be found on pages 156, 157, 159, 171, 172)