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On the 14th of January, I attended a Chicago Sunday worship service (3:00 p.m.) with the Korean shepherds Bona Hong, Caleb Chung, James Lee and Matthew Byun. Shepherd Ron Ward delivered a Psalm 2 message and Dr. Lee gave an announcement. After the service, we went down to the first floor from the balcony. At that time, Dr. Lee was greeting those who were leaving the center. As soon as he saw us, he sent Missionary David Jung to us. M. David Jung said to me, "Dr. Lee doesn't want to meet the Korean shepherds. Let them go back to Korea and talk to S. John Jun."
At that time, I was very close to Dr. Lee, so I greeted him and we shook hands. Dr. Lee said to me the same thing David Jung told me.
There were still people in line to greet him, so I waited around the stairway until he finished greeting them. After about 10 minutes, I went in and talked to Dr. Lee.
I pleaded with Dr. Lee to meet the Korean shepherds, saying, "Dr. John Jun couldn't solve the problem until now and that the situations are getting worse. The solution will come if you talk with the Korean shepherds." He then said, "NOW, OUR PHILOSOPHIES AND THOUGHTS ARE TOO MUCH DIFFERENT. THE BEST THING IS TO BE SEPARATED. I WILL HELP THIS SEPARATION TO BE DONE PEACEFULLY." It was a shock for me for I had been praying and still I am praying that we may not be separated but be one and do his work in unity. We need to be reformed for we have so many problems in which we don't glorify God nor serve God's flock rightly (all of us agree on this, both reform and non reform groups). So our intention is to reform not rebel or cause a division.
The purpose of our visit was also to prevent this division. So I pleaded with Dr. Lee that
since it is the teaching of the Bible for all our efforts to be one, he might meet with the shepherds and seek a solution. I told him that the division would be too painful and too costly in God's work. I pleaded with him, "As you taught us to reconcile with anyone through Jesus' love, please show it to us." Dr. Lee said that reconciliation between him and the Korean shepherds is impossible because the reform leaders insulted him too much through a Web sites. So I pleaded with him again, saying, "I believe that true reconciliation is that we reconcile with Jesus' love when it is impossible practically."
While I was talking with Dr. Lee, about 15 missionaries were around us and listening to our conversation. Dr. Lee's response was that if the Korean shepherds want to reconcile with him, they should first shut down all Web sites (ubfnet.com; ubfhope; reformubf; rescueubf) and come to him. As I kept on pleading with him to meet the shepherds since they came all the way from Korea to meet him, his final
response was to choose one representative and come to him the following day since he was so busy on that day. He said that God will punish him if he did anything wrong.
What we need to know here is that Dr. Lee and the non-reform leaders' intention are that they really want to be separated. It is very significant that Dr. Lee himself said in public that we might be separated. Since division is his idea, non-reform leaders are driving our ministry towards its end. After meeting Dr. Lee, the Korean shepherds were somewhat disappointed with Dr. Lee's response. But they told me that they have no intention to divide nor leave UBF. Now they want to focus on the reform over some issues that we need to change. So we can clearly see who wants to divide UBF.
After visiting the Chicago center, some missionaries in Chicago called me and shared their deep concern about the possible division. I could feel their pains. It is also my pain and many co-workers' in UBF. However, Dr. Lee is making the steps toward
division. One thing he did recently was that he decided not to invite our reform chapter directors to the February staff conference. This matter has been one of the major reform issues that Dr. Lee dominantly controlled in our staff conferences. Some of the staff members are never sure if they would be invited or not. One of our coworkers had to pay almost $1,000 in buying an airplane ticket because he was informed just two days before the conference. I had been participating in the staff conference since the Toledo meeting in 1984. During the past 16 years as a USA UBF staff member, I had seen many things in our ministry. It was wonderful when we were full of vision to pioneer 561 American campuses and send pioneers every year. It was beautiful to fight with one heart when deprogrammers attacked our ministry. But it was a sad thing that we lost God's vision and stopped the pioneering work.
It was such a painful thing to see our precious co-workers leaving. Peter Chang, James Kim, Gus Park, John Shin
and Jacob Kim were former chapter directors and pioneers of USA-UBFs. I was close to them and shared many things and agreed with their reform issues. They knew that our ministry needed to be reformed so they spoke out with reform voices. The result was that they were all branded as rebels. I chose to remain in UBF because I still respected Dr. Lee as a servant of God regardless of his weaknesses. I also believed that our reforms would succeed if we remain in UBF. Although two times I had major conflicts with Dr. Lee (the marriage of Rebekah and sending Paul Laska as a missionary), I did my best to make a holy vessel with Dr. Lee over the past 10 years. I don't mean that it was all through my efforts. I really admire Dr. Lee's patience and efforts to bear with me as a servant of God. So our relationship has been remarkably restored. I wonder why Dr. Lee can't show the same patience and efforts he showed to me and make peace with the Korean shepherds. It is a sad thing to hear his decision to divide UBF. It is
very sad to see his hard heart, refusing reconciliation and not even wanting to talk to the Korean shepherds.
In Christ,
Mark Hong
Madison UBF
Author: Anon
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
I am amazed. I simply do not understand. I must be crazy. I do not understand at all how one person all alone single-handedly can decide to divide a ministry in half. IT IS NOT ONE PERSON'S MINISTRY! IT IS JESUS'S MINISTRY AND MY MINISTRY AND OUR MINISTRY! IT DOES NOT AND NEVER WILL BELONG TO ONE PERSON! It is not his personal property to cut up like he wants. Let him quit and start his own ministry again.
Author: Nightowl
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
If he would sit down and talk to the reformers and showed a real change of heart, the reform web sites would naturally go away. But RSQUBF is a different story. This site was not started by reformers and is not affiliated with UBF. This site is more like a cry for justice. "You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. 'Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime!'" - Habakkuk 2:10-12
Author: Mediator
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
I agree with you that all Christian ministry's are esentially God's, but He has appointed man as the overseers. And let's face it, Samuel Lee is the co-founder of this ministry.It is basically both his and Sarah Barry's baby. As long as he is church head, he should make the decisions. You can say that other churches are not structured like this hierarchy, and it should be organized another way. But this has always been UBF. I do believe church members have a right to request issues of reform, but if the church head doesn't want them then that is final.This is not uncommon even in our everyday culture. Since when can an athlete insist on changes and run the team the way he wants to. Doesn't the coach run the ship? Some run a tighter ship than others, and I think that is the case here. Reformers have to make the decision to stay or go. I agree divisions in the church are not good. But because of man's sin and political ambition it happens. I think both parties are guilty of this, not just Samuel Lee. Even
Martin Luther split from what many Catholics deem the true church. So, why don't reformers form there own ministry. They feel they can do a better job without Lee, then why not. As for myself, I have heard the accusations, but I have not seen the proof. Where are the ones who have been wronged. Until they produce themselves and confront Lee personally (not just a couple of Korean shepherds), it doesn't look like anything will change or current UBF members will be moved to reform. If Lee has performed ungodly practices, they certainly haven't been taught to me. I continue to grow in the word of God.My soul is happy. That is why I am still here and will remain until the wounded get the Holy Spirit to speak to us personally - not just on paper or the internet.
Author: Anon
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
Dear Mediator, what you have said is absolutely false. We have discussed this point over and over again here. The church, the word of God and the believers within the church are the highest authority. This has been true from the foundation of the church. Check out the early church fathers writings and you will see that churches were lead by pluralities and majorities of leaders not by a single human head. Also, check up on your reformation history. You will see that your argument was soundly and overwhelmingly rejected by Christians then. The body of believers has an obligation before God and the Word of God to hold leaders accountable.
You argument is simply UBF propaganda. Also, what about the foundation of UBF? It arose out of Presbyterian mission. Why didn't the founders submit to its direction and leadership absolutely instead of disobeying it? According to your thinking and reasoning, they should have obeyed Presbyterian leaders absolutely and not had a new ministry?
Your
arguments are very unsound, unscriptural and dangerous. Such arguments are favored only by cults such as those in Jonestown, and Heavensgate, fascists, stalinists, etc....
The Bible teaches clearly that every believer has a responsibility to speak the truth in love. We are a royal priesthood. As such, we all have a voice in the way humans run the church. I am sorry, but your arguments are just dangerous and egregious human rationalizations for your own unwillingness to face the darker aspects of UBF's history.
If I am wrong, please show me with support from the Bible, church history, as well as modern evangelical Christian leaders and I will be glad to change my mind.
If you require the same of me, it would be no problem to supply it. So, just let me know.
Author: Amateur historian
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
The Presbyterians, along with the Congregationalists, are probably the MOST democratic in terms of church government, especially in contrast to the Catholic church. One of the things I find most ironic about UBF is the fact that both Samuel Lee and Sarah Barry come from Presbyterian roots-- I guess they've abandoned those democratic principles.
Author: Anon
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
To say any leader has the right to do with an organization as he pleases just because he took part in founding it is bunch of rubbish and claptrap. It is like saying that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson own the United States and could have ruled as they pleased just because they wrote the Constitution. But those wise leaders knew the sinfulness of men, and on the basis of Biblical truths created a Constitution with checks and balances so that corruption would not proliferate.
No, even before the law of this land, the rulers of UBF are the directors and board members whose names are written in their articles of incorporation. Indeed, these very laws testify to the fact that their responsibility is not to uphold the authority of one person above all, rather they are responsible before God and the law to do what is best in the interests of ALL the members, not just one.
Author: ChicagoX
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
Shouldn't someone who calls themself Mediator try a little harder to actually mediate, like Missionary Mark Hong did, for instance? I can't believe some people look at the body of Christ so humanly. St. Paul could rightfully be called the founder of the Gentile church. But he never claimed ownership. He never said, "It's my way or the highway." He respected Jesus' ownership of the body of believers. Do you remember your Genesis? Do you remember the parable of the vineyard? Man should be a steward of what God has created, not an "overseer" with a confused view of ownership. Remember Nebuchadnezzar? He said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" God taught him a vivid lesson on true ownership. Even if you do want to look at the ownership of UBF from a purely human point of view, who is it that has been supporting this ministry financially for the past 40 years? Samuel Lee or the membership? As for political ambition, tell me
what leads you to believe that the reform-minded have political ambitions? Did you really buy the propaganda that Ron Ward read again last week? There was such an uneasy feeling among the congregation when Pastor Ron read about some people who seem willing to do anything to hold onto power. There seems to be only one person in this battle who is intent on holding onto power at any cost. Where you and I can agree is that the reform movement may have no choice but to consider leaving UBF because of SLee's resistance to reform. Martin Luther also left because the Church left him with no choice.
The proof you seek is in the testimonies of many real witnesses with real names. You say that they need to confront Lee personally. Many of them already tried that when they were forced to leave or when they left on their own. But Lee was unrepentant, and their former friends were too afraid to speak up for them. If you want to hear from them personally, call them up. Ask Sarah Jane Pattie for her phone number.
I'm sure she'd give it to you and probably her father's number as well. Her father's email and number are publically available on http://www.reformubf.org. Amy Young left her number on here too. Ask Joseph Park for his number. Is the burden of proof on them only? What does it say when SLee refuses to disclose how money has been spent? His refusal speaks volumes.
I'm happy that UBF works for you. Are you perhaps in a chapter other than Chicago? Some people are actually able to thrive in Chicago UBF, but sooner or later they have to come under the direct influence and control of SLee, especially if they grow to be leaders. Maybe you haven't reached that point yet.
Author: ichabod
Subject: Which testimony do you not accept?
Mediator, the testimony of wrongdoing is abundant, even of people who sought to personally confront the leadership. Let's rehearse this again.
First, there is the 1976 Reform document of close leaders who gave details of abuse of money, manipulation, and even physical abuse. Does this count for nothing? These men contacted Samuel Lee directly and they were branded as "rebels."
Second, there was the 1989 effort on the part of the three top USA directors James Kim, Peter Chang, and John Shin who outlined abuses of power, abuses of money and abuses of people. The result was they were branded as "rebels."
Third, there is the 2000 Reform of top leaders in Korea, Europe, and the United States which had questions, not accusations, but questions for the leadership which they refused even to discuss. They were branded as "rebels."
Fourth, you have the countless efforts of missionaries and shepherds who have sought to address wrongdoing by leadership throughout the past 40 years. The
result is always the same, "they are rebels."
There is not just 2 or 3 witnesses, but "a great cloud of witnesses" who testify that the leadership has a pattern of abuse of power, people, and money and still you have the nerve to say it is all nothing! The truth is that you see only what you want to see. The testimonies that there is a problem is like the stars in the sky and the sand on the sea shore, but you reject it all as if it were nothing.
You have become so insensitive to it, so accustomed to accommodating it that you have lost perspective so that wicked and perverse abuse of power seems normal to you.
Perhaps if the Lord himself came down and personally testified that what UBF leadership is doing is wrong you still would not believe it?
I don't know what more you need. Like I said before, the truth is that you just do not want to see it.
"He said, "Go and tell this people: "`Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make
the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."" (Isaiah 6).
No, the testimony and proof that UBF leadership is existing in willfull, unrepentant, high-handed and purposeful sin and rebellion against God is abundant. They have gone so far, that they themselves do not even realize it. What you see in these websites and in the testimony of these servants of God who seek reform and in Samuel Lee's decision to split UBF is nothing less than God's judgment and the fruit of this willfull sin.
Perhaps some think that if the ministry splits that it will solve the problem. No, rather the seeds of greater abuse will have been sown. They will take root and bear the fruit of even greater idolatry directed toward human leaders. You will see even greater abuse. "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." If you reject the truth of God and the warnings of God's word and close your eyes to the very obvious truth, then your own punishment will be deserved, for you will receive it in the form of the human leadership you choose to follow. May God have mercy on you.
The testimony has been abundant and clear through God's word, the testimony of God's servants, and by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Those who reject it will bear in themselves the due penalty for their sin of human idolatry.
Author: Luther
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
Mediator, with your very own words you imply that Samuel Lee is no better than a pope and the reformers no worse than Martin Luther. That leaves you being a second rate Catholic. Why don't you make yourself a first-rate Christian by standing up for Christ, the Word of God, and the Gospel? For that is what is at stake.
Author: Sarah Pattie
Subject: Yes, Sarah's willing to talk to anybody
Yes, if you want to talk to me, e-mail me at sarahpattie72@yahoo.com and I will be glad to give you my phone number. My father Jimmy Rhee would also be happy to talk to folks. His e-mail is jrhee@worldnet.att.net.
I'm also willing to meet with people who are in UBF or those who have left UBF to pray or to hear from the horse's mouth personal experiences in UBF. I'm willing to meet with even those in UBF who are condemning the reform movement, including Sarah Barry, Samuel Lee, Ron Ward, Ban Toh, Little Sarah, etc. etc. etc.
Sarah Rhee (a.k.a. Sarah Jane Pattie)
Author: Anon
Subject: Re: Meeting with SL on Jan 14
Mediator
Help MSL meet with the korean Shepherds and be there so you
could listen. How can you present the problem if the other side don't want to meet you. The more
MSL delays this meeting the more
UBF will be accused of cultic activity. Like there is something
to hide. What is MSL afraid of?
The internet site will not go away.
So help them meet for your sheeps sake.
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