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Joshua Lee (Toronto UBF, Ontario, Canada)

“You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God” (2 Peter 3:11b-12a)

• 2017 CIS New Year Directors’ Conference:

This conference took place in Moscow, on January 2 – 4, 2017. Due to the “Yarovaya Law” which is a Russian legislation of anti-terrorism and religion, many hotels did not allow UBF church to have the conference. But God answered our coworkers’ prayers to find one small and humble hotel where CIS New Year Conference could be held. Over 90 coworkers attended the conference. CIS leaders prayerfully prepared to study the Book of Habakkuk on top of 2 Peter 3, and also to have separate special lectures between native leaders and missionaries according to their special needs. S. Alexey Belykh and coworkers of Moscow UBF served this conference wholeheartedly.

The first lecture was given by S. Alexey Belykh on Habakkuk 1:17-2:20, “The righteous will live by faith.” The message taught us that God would judge the wicked when the world is full of ungodliness and violence, and so we were to live by faith. S. Alexey confessed that it was by God’s grace and by his faith that he could serve God’s work in Moscow for the last 4 years as a director, despite his weaknesses and shortcomings. On the 2nd day Pastor Abraham Kim delivered the main message on 2 Peter 3:1-21, “Look forward to the day of God.” His message encouraged us to look forward to the day of God at Jesus’ second coming. That day will be the day of judgment of fire and total destruction for the ungodly. We are to be awakened and put our hope in a new heaven and a new earth, living godly and holy lives—our lives of mission with a holy and eager desire to save one more soul. After the message all the CIS coworkers wrote sincere testimonies which were heart-moving. And the last message was given by S. Abraham Stas in Almaty in Kazakhstan on Habakkuk 3:1-19, “I will be joyful in God my Saviour.” His message well expressed the overflowing joy of Habakkuk coming from his unwavering faith that our Savior God will surely save his own people.

At the evening of the second day, native shepherds and missionaries divided into two groups for special lectures. S. Changwon Kim (Kwan-ak I) gave a special lecture on “the Holy Spirit” for the missionaries and P. Ron Ward gave a special lecture on “Discipleship” for the native leaders. Both groups expressed that two separate special lectures were very effective and educational to meet their specific needs. Missionaries could learn more about the work of the Holy Spirit in depth and native leaders had a great opportunity to learn about discipleship through the lecture and discussion with P. Ron.

At this conference around 10 2nd gens attended. They joyfully heard the word of God and actively participated in all the programs. M. Caleb Han served this conference with all his heart and zeal as the first New Year conference, since he was raised as the next coordinator for CIS ministry for a 4 year term.  

• Notable work of God

1. We thank God that he resolved Moscow centre legal matter. All their appeals for the arbitration court had been rejected and they were to pay about $48,000 (3000,000 rubles) as two and half years of back taxes. In their helpless situation Moscow coworkers decided to depend on God alone, praying earnestly together and studying the word of God deeply. Then God worked miraculously. For the last 10 years they could not use the land for a religious purpose. But in December, 2017, it was legalized by the city to use that land for a religious purpose. So they might receive $48,000 back, depending on the final decision of the supreme court. Now their rent fee went down to just $350 a year from $20,000. Through this all the native Moscow leaders learned faith in God and were encouraged to have more stewardship for God’s ministry.  

Alexey was appointed as a director of Moscow UBF for his 2nd term for the next 4 years. He was grateful that God wanted to use him continually despite his shortcomings. He lost his job last October, but he accepted it as God’s training and as a sign of God’s further blessing. He prays for a new job.

In Moscow UBF God spared the life of Sergei Nikitin from serious illness, brain tumor and a stroke. Doctors told him to prepare for the worst. However, God miraculously restored him, hearing the prayer of many servants that even doctors were amazed. All coworkers in Moscow UBF praised God.

2. In May, God established a beautiful house church between shepherdess Paula from MGIMO, Moscow and missionary Mark from JNU, India. S. Paula is a beautiful and intelligent woman, who graduated from MSU, majoring in Russian literature. She met Jesus at the first year of her university and devoted herself to Christ and his gospel ministry. But there was no suitable marriage partner until she became 30. She had received several marriage offers from promising young men in the world. Yet she refused all only to marry by faith for a house church and, like Ruth, served the Lord with a single heart. Coworkers in MGIMO prayed for her marriage for 5 years. Then beyond their expectations, God sent M. Mark from India, who lived as a missionary in Uzbekistan for 1 year and then in Iraq for 1 year as a Hyundai engineer, and who fed 5 sheep in spite of his difficult situations. He has been a man of obedience who could go any place God wanted him to go. When S. Paula heard of M. Mark, she was so moved and without hesitance said, “Yes.” The wedding took place in Moscow centre officiated by M. Jimmy Lee in the blessing of many CIS coworkers and Korean delegates. Now there are two precious shepherd families in MGIMO; Daniel and Anna Zhivaev, and Mark and Paula, along with M. Peter and Rebekah Kim’s family.   

God also established a house church of S. Jung-hwan Kum and Mi-hee Kim in St. Petersburg Art UBF, which M. Nehemiah Lee serves. Their wedding was held in Hanyang centre in Korea last November. S. Jung-hwan Kum has been working as an excellent St. Petersburg tour guide. S. Mi-hee Kim will come to St. Petersburg and join her husband and the ministry in March, 2018.

3. God restored M. Caleb Han’s health from stomach cancer. His daughters, Sarah, Paula, and Petra said that their dad was working harder than before. He also served 2018 CIS New Year conference energetically. However, he still needs prayer support for complete healing.

4. According to M. Peter Kim’s Kiev UBF report, it has been 3 years since four native shepherds (Abraham, Jacob, Noah, and Jonathan) had taken leadership to serve Kiev ministry. By 2018 ISBC one responsible servant among the four shepherds will be officially raised as Kiev coordinator. M. Peter Kim requested for prayer support for this complete leadership succession.

5. In Odessa UBF, 7 new shepherds were raised: Deborah, Ching, Hua, Sbeta, Rari, Abraham, and Heeyen.

6. In MSTU (Bauman) UBF, George was raised as a shepherd. M. Joshua Kim and Bauman coworkers pray for him to establish a shepherd family in 2018.

7. There was a communion for 2nd gens from MGIMO, MSTU, and MISIS, conducted by S James Suh. M. Paul Choi and MISIS coworkers pray for twelve disciples by 2020, including six 2nd gens in MISIS UBF.

8. In RUDN, Moscow, Daniel (M. Andrew Choi’s son) and his friend, Amasa and Masa faithfully attended Sunday worship service. RUDN coworkers pray for them to grow to be disciples of Jesus.  

9. In Irkutsk, shepherdess Youngeun returned to God and God’s ministry, after she had left God upon  her fiancé’s death by cancer. M. Andrew Han is so thankful to God for this precious work of God. God also provided Irkutsk UBF with a new spacious centre of 133 м2.

10. In Yakutia, Siberia, S. Moses Alexey kept his faith for the last one year. He prays to establish his shepherd family.

11. In Astana II, M. Frances and Susanna Yoon and their sons, Samuel and Frances and other leaders keep 365 days prayer meeting at 7 pm with the prayer topic to pioneer 14 cities in Kazakhstan.

12. In Minsk, Belarus, M, Paul Oh prays to complete his Ph. D study, defending his dissertation on “the change and development of Korea economic model according to the global economy” by February, 2018.

13. It was so good to see that 2nd gens, Samuel Lee from Yekaterinburg, Petra Han from St. Petersburg and Rebekah Kim from MGIMO were used as translators at this conference.

Prayer topics

1. For doubling 1:1 bible studies in each chapter

2. For raising 2nd gens as future gospel servants

3. For attending 2018 ISBC and preparation for 2019 CIS SBC in Odessa, Ukraine

4. For sending missionaries to 3 Caucasus countries: Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan