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Words of God in 2015

2015 has indeed been a very blessed year for Edmonton UBF.  God started the year by leading us to study the book of Acts.  It is a very powerful book full of hope, encouragement and passion for the gospel of Jesus.  Peter, John and Apostle Paul demonstrate the transforming power of the risen Jesus and actively preached the gospel of Jesus all over the place.  They planted the churches and raised spiritual leaders wherever they were.  Their dynamic and energetic way to serve God’s mission really empowered each of our Edmonton UBF members and inspired us to focus on preaching the gospel and raising disciples/spiritual leaders.  Especially in Acts 6, we could see how much the early leaders tried to focus on prayer and preaching the gospel and raising spiritual leaders.  

God worked mightily in the early church through the Holy Spirit, and the church was growing and the number of the believers increased very fast.  As the ministry was growing, practical problems arose.  They had a problem with food distribution for the widows.  All the apostles and leaders tried to solve the problem by actively being involved in food distribution and helping out as much as they could.  They became super busy serving food and waiting on table, while their focus should be teaching the Bible and praying.  They had enough of it and finally figured something out.  In Acts 6:3-4 they say, “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”  They decided to choose seven men among junior disciples who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to take responsibility over the food distribution matter.  That way, those junior disciples could grow as leaders instead of remaining as junior followers.  This example in Acts 6 opened our eyes to see the need to raise leaders in our Edmonton UBF ministry.  God sent several students to us that have been faithfully studying the Bible and growing in faith.  Major concern had been how to help them grow further in faith and be raised up as committed responsible leaders in our ministry.  Through Acts 6, we learned that our students need to be put in charge of practical tasks within our ministry in order to learn spiritual leadership and grow in sense of responsibility.  God has been raising up student leaders.  Petra, Miso and Meris have been growing in leadership, serving as a presider for Worship service, booking the Worship space, preparing powerpoints, choosing the hymns and playing the piano every week.  We thank and praise the risen Jesus for working in the hearts of our students and growing each of them as leaders.  We pray that Jesus may continue to touch the hearts of the students to grow in deeper faith through Bible study and be raised up as spiritual leaders and powerful gospel workers like Apostle Paul. Amen.     

More than half of Acts Bible study was about how the risen Jesus led Paul to preach the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection and plant churches everywhere.  As a result of that, Paul had to go through tremendous difficulty and persecution.  But Paul kept his faith in Jesus and fought a good fight to the end.  In Acts 23:1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”  This statement Paul made shocked me initially.  How can he say that he was in all good conscience?  Was he being proud? He used to be notorious persecutor of Christians.  How can he be in all good conscience before Jesus without any guilt?  Paul declared that he had fulfilled his duty to God in all good conscience because Jesus’ grace of forgiveness and salvation was in his heart.  Because of Jesus who died on the cross and resurrected and conquered the death and sin and granted me forgiving mercy and grace, I can live as a shameless Christian and a disciple and a leader in God’s ministry with good conscience without guilt.  Paul was not proud.  He was confident because he had strong assurance in Jesus’ grace and Jesus’ calling.  He was not ashamed, he was courageous because he depended on the risen Jesus in everything he did.  Pray that the same grace of Jesus that empowered Apostle Paul may empower us and plant faith and courage in us, as we teach the Bible and preach the Gospel on University of Alberta campus. Amen!    

During the Fall semester of 2015, God led us to go over Psalm 119.  In this book, we could learn about the Psalmist’s struggle to turn his heart toward God’s word in the midst of tremendous difficulty and fear.  Instead of being swayed by the dark and painful situation he was in, he actively sought God and meditated on God’s word (God’s statutes and decrees).  In Psalm 119:36-37, Psalmist prays, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” Psalmist prays to turn his heart and eyes toward God’s word and not toward selfish gain and worthless things.  He continually struggles to fill his heart and mind with God’s word and His promise.  Our hearts and minds are easily distracted and occupied by selfish and sinful desire and worthless things of the world.  When God’s word is not the focus, our hearts wander around and other worthless things quickly take over the space in our hearts.  I’m very thankful that God keeps feeding His word through Daily Bread, weekly leaders Bible study and 1:1 Bible studies, group Bible studies with Bible students throughout the week and through Sunday Worship Service.  There is nothing greater and more meaningful in life than knowing Jesus.  Pray that God’s word may continually be our focus regardless of the situation in the new year too. Amen    

Works of God in 2015  

Throughout 2015, God has been very gracious to us and worked mightily in our ministry.  In January, God granted Pastor Noah and M. Grace Canadian Citizenship after living as missionaries in Canada for 10 years.  Through this, God blessed them and confirmed His calling for them to be continually used as missionaries in Canada.   Thank and praise God for His grace and apostleship upon them!  

In February, M. Enoch from Heidelberg UBF in Germany visited us.  He came to Canada to attend the academic conference and visited us in Edmonton.  We had a great time of fellowship in Christ.  We shared about each other’s struggles and prayed for God’s evangelization work in Canada and Germany.  We thank God for granting us such beautiful and strong spiritual bond among His people all over the world.  

In April, M. Deborah Chang had a recital.  She glorified God through her performance.  It was a great opportunity for all Edmonton UBF students to gather and learn how they each could glorify God through their own talent, study and work.  It was also a great time of fellowship as well.  

In April, God also blessed our Easter Worship service together with Calgary UBF.  Meris shared her testimony and Thea made a special presentation on Romans 3.  We learned the victory through Jesus' Cross and resurrection!

God blessed everyone’s winter semester and the summer began.  July 9-12, there was Canadian UBF Summer Bible Conference in Ontario.  The theme of the conference was ‘Faith that pleases God.’  Each message was based on different aspects of faith in God.  We say the word ‘faith’ a lot but sometimes take it for granted without really thinking about what it really means to have faith in God.  In that regard, this conference helped us to think about faith and strengthen our faith in God.  Total 10 people from Edmonton attended: Meris, Petra, Miso, Monica, Kingsley, Yinzhou, John, Sarah, David and Esther.  It was a bit challenging for everyone due to the distance from western Canada to Ontario, but God moved everyone’s heart to attend this conference.  M. David delivered the message on John 1.  Initially, he was very burdened and nervous about this responsibility as the messenger, but God helped him really struggle with the passage and blessed His message.  Praise God!  God really blessed the conference and all our Edmonton UBF students had a great spiritually-elevating experience through deep Bible studies, messages and spiritual fellowship with other Bible students from all over Canada.  We were also very moved by Eastern Canadian coworkers’ devotion and serving for us.  After the conference, on our way to the airport, Kingsley one of our students who attended the conference found out that his sister passed away by an accident in the lake.  It was very devastating and difficult moment right after attending such a spirit-filled conference.  We all prayed very hard together for Kingsley and his family that they may not fall into the power of death, but instead hold onto God who is the God of the living and Jesus who is the resurrection!  After coming back to Edmonton, we attended the funeral service and prayed for the family.  God comforted Kingsley and his family.  

On July 18th, there was a wedding in Korea.  God established a beautiful mission-centered house church between M. Deborah Chang and S. Gunsu Son (M. Matthew Son) with John 13:34; ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” as the key verse.  We were very thankful and joyful for this new house church for Edmonton campus mission.  Shortly after the wedding, M. Matthew Son came to Canada as a new missionary and started his study at University of Alberta.  We thank God for this new house church and choosing and sending M. Matthew as the missionary for campus mission for University of Alberta.  M. Matthew started serving 2 students Russell and Tian with 1:1 Bible study right away.  Praise God.

In August, M. David and Esther found out that God is granting them a second child.  The baby is due at the end of March 2016.  We pray for M. Esther’s healthy and safe pregnancy.  We thank and praise God for this great gift of life from God.

Upon the beginning of the Fall semester, there was a Clubs Fair at U of A.  We set up a table for Edmonton UBF and invited students to the Bible study.  Monica, Petra, Kingsley and Yinzhou participated in the Clubs fair and were actively involved.  M. Matthew and Deborah stayed at the table pretty much the whole time.  God really blessed it and brought several students who showed sincere interest in Bible study and came to Worship service. 

In November, Dr. Mark & M. Anna Yang from Chicago visited us.  Despite the busy schedule and physical exhaustion, Dr. Mark Yang served us with the book of Titus Bible study and the house church Bible study all day long.  We had a great time of Bible studies, spiritual discussion and the joyful fellowship together with them at M. Matthew and Deborah’s apartment.  

Throughout the year, M. David had 1:1 Bible studies with Kit, Kingsley, Angus, Yixuan and Yinzhou.  M. Esther served Meris, Petra, Monica, Esther through 1:1 Bible studies.  Deborah served Miso, Rebecca, Sophia, Ife. They all faithfully studied the Bible and grew in faith in God.  We thank God and continue to pray for them to be raised up as spiritual leaders/shepherds.

In December, everyone was busy with final exams, but God blessed our humble Christmas Worship Service based on Matthew 2:2.  It was a great time of worshipping baby Jesus together with Calgary UBF coworkers.  

All in all, 2015 was full of God’s wonderful words and amazing works.  Now we are looking forward to God’s words and works in 2016.  We want to hold onto Matthew 28:19a “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” This is Jesus’ Great commission.  Pray that we may devote ourselves all the more for discipleship ministry in 2016.  There will be another Clubs Fair in January at the beginning of the Winter semester 2016.  It’s the first time that Clubs Fair is happening in Winter semester.  We consider this as the opportunity given from God.  May God lead us to many disciple candidates on U of A campus in 2016.  

Also there might be Western Canadian United summer Bible conference this summer.  We pray for the spiritual revival in Western Canada.  

May God’s word continually be the guiding light in the new year 2016, and we may witness God’s great works as we faithfully devote ourselves to Jesus’ discipleship ministry.  Amen!

David Chang