How Some Evangelical Scholars and Ministers have viewed U.B.F.

The Korean Church has recognized U.B.F. as one of the most sacrificial, prayerful and Bible-believing churches in the world, and UBF' s spirit of revival has inspired Christians everywhere. In the last few years, U.B.F. has set the pace for world mission outreach.

J. Christy Wilson, in his book, "Today' s Tentmakers" (Tyndal House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, 1979), wrote about mission work in many counties. When he wrote about Korea, he wrote about U.B.F.:

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.