A Blue Print for Reform -- RSQUBF Discussion Boards 2001 highlights

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Date Posted: 17:12:53 01/09/02 Wed
Author: multiple
Subject: A Blue Print for Reform
In reply to: rsqarchive 's message, "January 2001" on 10:32:30 01/09/02 Wed

Author: Reform Issue Kim
Subject: A Blue Print for Reform

Dear reform-minded friends,

Thank God who has launched current worldwide reform movement and has called us to be his partners in reform. Thank God for God's partners who have launched and maintained this website.
American reformers are working on a blue print for reform. A skelleton is being made. Please put your inputs by replying to this article. You are partners of God's reform. Please particiapte in drafting a blue print for reform. reform Issue kim with much gratitude,

Reform Issue kim

Author: Reform Issue Kim
Subject: Re: A Blue Print for Reform

Dear reform-minded friends,

Some possible items of the blue print for reform are confidentiality (not using a person's testimony for manipulation), the restoration of friendship, transparent financial
management by outside overseers like Billy Graham Foundation, Sending staff shepherds to good seminaries, etc. Your inputs will be greatly appreciated. Your voice will be heard. Reformers are listening to you. I will ask reformers to post a blue print for reform when it is completed. With much gratitude, Reform Issue kim.

Author: Chris
Subject: Re: A Blue Print for Reform

I urge everyone who is reflecting about reform issues to read the little booklet titled "To What Should We Be Loyal?" by William MacDonald. You can read it in the internet, it's relatively short. Don't be confused by the cryptic title, that's only a font problem with the web browser. MacDonald is a well-known and broadly recognized christian author. While his standpoint may be sometimes questionable and spring from his "brethren" influenced background, many of the statements are crystal clear and enlightening and should be taken into account when thinking about reform issues in UBF.

Author: servant
Subject: Prayerful Reform Topics

I have prayed much about the Reform matters for years. Here are some of the reforms that I believe are necessary and Biblically sound:

A working constitution for national, international, and local bodies. This is necessary to check the abuses and excesses that have occured in UBF and which have thrived on confusion of order and responsibility. The constitution should have prescribed ways of dealing with alleged abuses by all members, including leaders and it must have clear ways of handling discipline. Also, it should spell out the clear principles of government through the body rather than by one person, or through a feudal-patriarchical hierarchy. It should also delineate how fund are collected, handled, audited and spent. Again, it is necessary that all decisions must be made and reported in the light with complete honesty and the whole truth. It should also spell out how leaders are installed and removed with the input of the Body and not by a single person. A good constitution is the
basis of many excellent Christian organizations. Here is a sample of a good one:

http://www.gracecma.org/documents.html

Author: Reform Issue Kim
Subject: Re: Prayerful Reform Topics

Dear "servant" of God,

Thank you very much for your wonderful suggestion. Reformers have been carefully examing current UBF's bylaws which are full of loop holes. We will study your suggestion prayerfully so that God may grant us a good Constitution. Reformers are well aware that we need an independent grievance committee and anindependent Board of directors, sound ordination processes, independent finacial overseeing Board like that of Billy Graham Foundation. As the bible says, new wine should be poured into a new wine skin! Thank you again for your prayerful comments.

Author: Reform Issue Kim
Subject: Re: A Blue Print for Reform

Thank you very much for your wonderful tip and suggestions. i will get the book and recommend to reformers. Reformers are well aware of Martin Luther's and reformation leaders' principles of

SOLA 1)Fide 2)Gratia 3)Scriptura 4)Christos 5) sola Deo Gloria.

Please pray that our God alone may be glorifed through our reform. gratefully yours, Reform Issue
Kim

Author: Anon
Subject: Re: A Blue Print for Reform

I would like to keep world campus mission the focus in a reformed UBF.

I think it would be good to actively participate with other excellent Christian organizations so that we can learn from each other.

I would like to keep conferences and 1:1 Bible study along with expository Bible preaching.

Author: Mary Kim
Subject: Re: A Blue Print for Reform

Dear Reform Issue Kim,
I would like to see a reformed UBF that shows respect:
1) Respect for the individual;
2) Respect for the spiritual gifts with which God has endowed each believer;
3) Respect for the family;
4) Respect for the culture of the country in which missionaries are serving;
5) Respect for the body of Christ, the Church;
6) Respect for the Lord.
Thank you.

Author: Anon
Subject: Re: A Blue Print for Reform

Jesus must be made always first. No hero worship, no boasting about what we have done, or how glorious it all is. Only Jesus first, Jesus last, and Jesus in the middle. From first to last, faith in Jesus, love for Jesus, obedience to Jesus. Everything must revolve around Jesus and leading others to faith in him, rather than a person or organization. Only Jesus. (I know I am repeating myself, but it is OK to repeat about Jesus. :))

Author: ubf member
Subject: Re: A Blue Print for Reform

I also think chapters should be mostly independent. The national organization should be a coordinating body, but should not have much control over local chapters. The majority of authority should rest with each body of elders and the congregations.

Author: Chris
Subject: Re: independence

Dear ubf member, this is exactly one of the 9 points in the booklet already mentioned, "To What Should We Be Loyal":

"To What Should We Be Loyal":

EACH ASSEMBLY INDEPENDENTLY RESPONSIBLE TO CHRIST
There is another principle in the Word of God that should guide us in connection with the assembly, namely that each assembly is independent and responsible only to Christ. There is no such thing in the New Testament as a denomination, a federation of churches, or a circle of fellowship. There is no headquarters on earth, exercising authority of any kind over local assemblies. ...

I agree with you it should be ok to have sort of headquarters as long as their only functions are in coordination and serving in various ways. But there shouldn't be any kind of authority based hierarchy between the various
chapters.

Author: Anton Shepherd
Subject: Blue prints

Dear Reform Issue Kim,

Thank you for all of your concern and all of your efforts to make UBF God's home once again. I beleive in reform, and with God's help it will happen.

Firstly I am no expert, so my first opinion would be to contact other pastors regarding this, and read books on the subject. But here is my opinion:

1. Cooperation with other churches. This is a something that would cover almost all the bases. By cooperating with other churches in each respective country UBF missionaries could become much more affective and healthy. Other pastors will not hesitate to point out unhealthy practices, and the missionaries could learn more about other cultures at the same time. Just being regualarly involved with outside churches would be like an external checks and balances system which would prove to be very affective, as well as enriching. Also it would glorify God by showing more cross-church unity. One option to consider would be to come under the covering of an organization such as
the Willow Creek churches, which offer training and a healthy model of Christian worship.

2. An understanding of the spiritual gifts. God has made each one of us separate and distinct individuals who work together in unity to glorify him. If we do not recognize this student's spiritual growth and relationships with God will be stunted. Now UBF is a special case considering that it is a para-church with a specific mission of campus evangelism, but because students are encouraged to attend UBF church on Sunday, it must have a well balanced assembly. Romans 12:4-8 says "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is
contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." The Bible is clear in that not everyone is called to be an evangelist, they can witness in other ways such as their pure lives. Because the feeling is that everyone should become a shepherd in UBF, and not remain a lowly sheep, individual gifts are not recognized. This hurts the natural work of the Holy Spirit, and causes people to unnecessarily suffer when that cannot evangelize students. When the true spiritual gifts are put into use a church body becomes more healthy, more effective, and a joyful place to be at.

Thanks for listening,
Keep us updated as to the progress of reform!

Author: Hoot
Subject: No shame

I'd like to see the current shame-based ministry of UBF addressed by reform. The way they can address it is to get rid of it. All kinds of charts are part of this shame-based ministry. So is the numbers emphasis. I'm tired of being motivated mostly by fear and shame. Don't we get enough of that in the world, in our places of employment?
Also, I'd like to see a proper view and interpretation of the Old Testament in a reformed UBF.

Author: ChicagoX
Subject: Truth is king

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

"Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'" - John 18:37

I've read the blueprint for reform in the Leaders' Forum on www.reformubf.org. It aims to restore grace to its proper place in UBF. As it says, "grace is king," and even mission should follow from grace. But if grace is king in the theology and practices of a reformed UBF, then truth should at least be a close second.

If one word was burned into me during John's gospel study with Mother Barry, it was John 18:37. Jesus makes it clear that his purpose for coming was to testify to the truth. His life reflected that as he pulled no punches in his criticism of the religious leaders, and as he challenged the Roman
official who seemingly held his life in his hands to stand on the side of truth. As Mother Barry taught me, the truth that Jesus speaks of is not the relativistic "truth" of modern people or the politically expedient "truth" of Pontius Pilate. The truth that Jesus speaks of is the objective truth, the truth as it is, or "true Truth" as Francis Schaeffer called it. A reformed UBF should be molded in accordance with the truth, should respect the truth and should teach "sheep" and the young to seek the truth. There is to be no room for the kind of relativism that has historically been part of unreformed UBF.

The reaction to the call for reform has revealed what UBF's true attitude toward the truth is. In UBF history, the reaction to calls for substantial changes or reform has always been to call people rebellious. Not only that, but the "rebels' true motives" are analyzed, their past is dug into to find the source of their "current spiritual problems," details from their life testimonies are used
against them, etc. No serious consideration is given to the reform issues. There is no serious self-examination in light of the reform issues. There is no investigation done on the truthfulness of allegations. There is no search for the truth, period. A reformed UBF should have the kind of respect for truth that triggers truthful self-examination, not counter-accusation, when criticism is aired.

Mission has also become part of UBF's relativistic view of the truth. We hold that SLee has committed abuses and sins. Some loyal UBF members respond that he could not have done such things. But another response that I often hear is "just teach the Bible" or "just live for the glory of God." Either the UBF leader has committed grave sins or he hasn't; it's a matter of right and wrong. But the relativistic response of many in UBF is "just teach the Bible." To them I would ask, is mission the only truth? If we feed 1,000 sheep but condone a leader's sins and corruption and ignore the wounded, are we really
living in accordance with the truth revealed in God's word? What kind of people does God really want us to be? Sheep-feeding machines or people with Jesus' uncompromising respect for the truth? In a reformed UBF the truth should not be compromised in the name of mission, grace or anything else.

Finally, we have Dr. Hong's brand of relativism. On SLee, he writes, "In evaluating his life and ministry, we have to understand the contexts of the ministry and the fruits. His weaknesses or perhaps his excessive actions need to be honestly and carefully evaluated in light of the work of God." Of course, this is just a fancy way of saying, "The ends justify the means." This is also an illustration of the lack of respect for the truth in accounts of UBF history. Read Mother Barry's and Samuel Lee's and Moses Chung's accounts of the history of UBF. You would think UBF's been Camelot for 40 years with occasional rebellions and "Satan's attacks," and the leaders should be up for sainthood. The history of a
reformed UBF should always be "honestly and carefully evaluated" in light of the truth.

Author: Truth Seeker
Subject: Re: Truth is king

Amen! ChicagoX you hit the nail on the head with this one!!!

The proper balance of grace and truth is key to a successful ministry and it's key to a successful (fruitful) life! To all of the UBFers out there I say live your life for the glory of God, closely examine His truth and let the grace of God cover you like a warm winter coat. If someone asks you to do something that makes you uncomfortable, examine it in light of God's truth and respond with grace. Remember saying no is not a sin. If you are concerned about what others think, watch out, this could be a warning sign about your motives! By all means, respect your elders, honor your mother and father and humble yourselves before God. Remember God wants to have a close personal relationship with YOU! Let's start acting like it! If you devote your life to pleasing others you will be very tired and empty inside (it may take awhile, but it will happen), if you devote your life to pleasing the Lord and listening carefully to Him, you will be
truly blessed! (John 1:14-18)

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Dear Reverend Mother Barry... & Lorne Green goes hunting -- multiple, 17:16:25 01/09/02 Wed