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2021 Western Canadian UBF Joint Summer Bible Conference

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

*See the program: https://www.ubf.org/articledetail/17143

Thank and praise God who blessed the Summer Bible Conference during Aug 27-29, 2021, in Western Canada overflowingly.

Since last April, 7 chapters (Vancouver 1, 2, 3, Victoria, Calgary, Evanston, Edmonton UBF) gathered online every two weeks to prepare the conference. As each director prayed and meditated on the word of God, the seven directors decided on the overall theme, “Love one another,” from John 13. They discussed and prayed together for 5 months intensively. God worked in the hearts of the 7 directors and blessed them to be united in the name of Jesus and form a single community in western Canada. Around 82 people joined the conference.

On the first day, there were beauty and healing in M. J*ohn Kang’s message on Luke 5 that Jesus called a nameless and broken fisherman, Peter. M. J*ohn Kang shared his heart-moving testimony of how Jesus healed his wounds and renewed him to be a man of mission. The Lord, Jesus is good and graceful!

After the message, we had a new program ‘talent show.’ We praised and worshipped God through it and it was a very joyful event. Young Christians showed their talents through a variety of music and dance performances.

On the second day morning, in M. Joshua Park’s message on John 13, there were a lot of tears.

A man in his mid-50s shed tears like that.. How is it possible? Only by Jesus’ unconditional, unlimited and everlasting love. We put our hope and trust in Jesus who washes our filthy feet again and again. And we received strength to love one another by forgiving and embracing one another in the name of Jesus. Jesus is our salvation and hope. We were touched by Jesus’ unchanging love. He is God of hesed.

That evening, a young Christian, M*ark Gerson delivered a message on Isaiah 53.

He gently, clearly, and firmly delivered who Jesus was. Our Lord, Jesus was a servant of suffering. He knew man’s suffering, agony, and wounds. Who can heal man’s brokenness? How? It is Jesus who came to the earth as flesh-tasting man’s agony and sorrow. To heal man’s wounds and sin-sick curse, he was cursed and crushed and finally shed his blood on the cross for sinners. Praise Jesus who came to the earth from eternity to save us and bring us back to God’s eternal kingdom. In him, there are healing, freedom, salvation, and eternal life.

In the evening, A*braham Lee, who serves the vision camp delivered us a special lecture testifying of God's grace and power as a blessing in campuses around the world. He has full of confidence and faith in God who has blessed and used him to evangelize many more souls around the world. Lord, help many young Christians learn his confidence, joy, and mission spirit.

On the third day morning (Sabbath day), a young Christian, E*den Muamba delivered a message on John 21, “Do you truly love me more than these?” He was moved by the love of Jesus who did not condemn but forgave Peter, who had failed and blamed himself, and revived him to become a man of mission for the church of God. Eden experienced the grace of God who restored him from a sense of failure and despair. He found hope and strength in Jesus.

At the conference, we had prayer night. We experienced that prayer was worship toward God. On the evening of the first and second day, three people each recited Psalms 42 and 51 respectively and prayed as representative prayer servants. They opened their hearts and poured their spirits before God with sincere thanks, repentance, and spiritual decision. Then, all the attendees had time to pray to God personally for about 20 minutes for the people in the church and the world. We prayed for the whole world by broadening the scope of our prayers; wildfires in B.C, Canada, California, Greece, Turkey; flood in Europe and USA; Afghanistan crisis, the earthquake of Haiti; the first nations people in Canada and drug addicts in B.C and Alberta. We became sober and joyful at the same time as we prayed to God opening our hearts. God enlarged our eyes, hearts, and visions when we prayed. It was our joy to worship God through prayer.

There were seven life testimony sharers; E*sther Jun, S*tephani Lim, T*ravis Mcnaught, L*ucky Quias, M*wenya Chishimba, B*rian Leung and M. E*sther Chang. As they prepared their testimonies, they prayed and looked back on their lives before God. Two missionaries worked with each of them and prayed together. They rewrote their testimonies at least three times and more and more they were moved by the love and guidance of God. Our God is a God of revival and restoration. We saw the beauty and power of life in their testimonies. Many young attendees were moved by their testimonies and praised God who saved them and healed them and blessed them. They also gained strength and courage to reveal themselves before God so that they might also experience forgiving grace and healing from God. It was the work of the Holy Spirit.  

We thank God for S. P*hilip Wong who delivered a congratulatory speech for us. His word of congratulations encouraged us in western Canada. We also give thanks to God for some joined the conference from Montreal and Ontario.

Thank and praise God who renewed and revived us in this hopeless and gloomy era amidst the pandemic through the conference. We experienced the grace, healing, and hope from God. We experienced the power of the word of God.  Thank God for making Western Canada UBF be united in the name and word of Jesus and love another. We prayed all together that each ministry may serve active one-to-one Bible study in western Canada campuses and serve double ministry by relying on Jesus’ cross and resurrection.

In Christ,
D*aniel Kwon