University Bible Fellowship (UBF) is an international, non-denominational evangelical campus ministry founded in 1961 in South Korea. UBF is dedicated to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples through Bible study, primarily among university students. Today UBF operates in 96 countries through a global network of lay missionaries and house churches.
UBF was founded in September 1961 in South Korea by Pastor Samuel Lee, a Korean Presbyterian pastor, and Missionary Sarah Barry, a missionary sent by the Board of World Missions of the Southern Presbyterian Church, USA. They shared a vision to plant faith in Christ in the hearts of Korean university students following the devastation of the Korean civil war.
UBF International is headquartered at 2424 W. Albion Ave, Chicago, IL 60645, USA.
UBF has chapters in 96 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, CIS, and Oceania.
UBF is both. It began as a campus ministry and has grown into an international network of house churches and local congregations, while maintaining a strong focus on university campuses and student discipleship.
No. UBF is non-denominational. It describes itself as "an international evangelical church and network of house churches dedicated to Christ and his kingdom." While its founders came from a Presbyterian background, UBF operates independently and is not affiliated with any denominational body.
UBF holds core evangelical Christian beliefs: the authority of the Bible, salvation through Jesus Christ, and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) to make disciples of all nations. The ministry is Christ-centered and Bible-based, with an emphasis on personal Bible study, prayer, and discipleship.
UBF uses multiple Bible translations in its global ministry. The Daily Bread devotional and study materials are available in Korean, English, German, Spanish, Japanese, and other languages.
No. While UBF's primary focus is university students, all are welcome. Many UBF members continue in the ministry long after graduation, often as lay missionaries, Bible teachers, or house church leaders.
UBF Bible studies are usually one-to-one or small group sessions centered on a prepared set of questions about a Bible passage. Participants study the passage, discuss questions together, and write personal reflections called "testimonies" — short writings connecting the Bible text to their own life.
Yes. UBF is an international ministry with members and missionaries from dozens of nationalities. The organization actively works to reach students of all backgrounds on university campuses worldwide.
Visit the Location page on ubf.org to find chapters near you.
UBF trains and sends lay missionaries — members who work in regular professions while doing ministry, following the Apostle Paul's "tent-maker" model. This approach allows UBF to operate in countries where full-time religious workers face restrictions.
The Daily Bread is UBF's quarterly Bible study devotional booklet, published since 1968. It provides daily readings and reflection questions for personal and group Bible study. It is available in multiple languages.
UBF directs Christmas offerings to international relief efforts and has supported disaster relief for events including the 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami. UBF also helped establish the Bethesda Medical Center in Uganda, a healing and discipleship ministry.
Yes. UBF has received endorsements from evangelical leaders and scholars including Dr. John H. Armstrong, Dr. Robert Coleman, Dr. Ruth A. Tucker, Prof. Scott Moreau, Rev. William R. Glass, Rev. Joon-Gon Kim, Rev. Sung-Kyu Choi, and Rev. Chun-Yill Park, who affirm UBF's conservative evangelical doctrine, financial and moral integrity, and commitment to the Great Commission. Full endorsements are available on the Endorsements page.
Yes. UBF holds to a 12-point statement of faith affirming the Trinity, the inspiration and final authority of the Bible, human sinfulness since the fall, salvation through Jesus Christ's atoning death and resurrection alone, justification by grace through faith, the work of the Holy Spirit, the church as the body of Christ, and Christ's return to judge the living and the dead. The full statement is available on the Statement of Faith page.