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Chicago UBF

April 1, 2013

RENEW OUR GOSPEL FAITH!

John 19:30 “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

From March 20-24, UIC and North Park University ministries celebrated Easter with a very joyful conference to renew their gospel faith. There were 4 student messengers, 10 life testimonies sharers, and 15 group Bible studies. We thank God for 120 attendants, including 44 students, 30 of whom were from UIC. We dedicated this conference as prayer for 8 graduating seniors from UIC.

The first three days of the event were held in the evening at the UIC Bible House. These programs featured an in-depth look at the gospel key verses, 5 life testimonies, and presentations of prayer topics for world mission and campus pioneering.  In particular, Joshua and Mary Jeon shared their life testimonies as their prayer to prepare to pioneer Austin, Texas, after the 2013 International Summer Bible Conference. During the first two nights, following the life testimonies (the Jeons, Sunny Wu and Shade Davis), attendants met in their Bible study groups and each person organized the gospel key verses in their own order on a story board and explained them based on their personal testimony and convictions. On the third night following a life testimony by Helen Kim, Sara Lee shared insightful presentations of God’s work and challenges throughout Asia, and we prayed for Asia UBF.

The last two days of the conference (the weekend) took place at the Chicago UBF Center. On Saturday, 120 participants joined in the half-day event, including several parents of our UIC students. Beginning at 2 p.m., there was praise and worship led by Daniel Park. Then each of the four messengers (Danny Yoshiba – UIC 4, Joseph Baghi – UIC 2, Susanna Park – NP 2, and Alex Glockman – UIC 4) shared a part of the gospel message (sin, judgment, salvation, and the kingdom of God, respectively) based on the gospel key verses. Their gospel messages were gracious and thoughtful and flowed together like a symphony. They helped us to meditate on the necessity of the gospel and to renew our gospel faith.

Afterwards, three students (Christine Anderson, Eric Lopez and Alexandria Warner shared life testimonies that revealed how much the gospel was working in college students’ hearts through one-to-one Bible study and prayerful shepherding. We were greatly encouraged that our ministry is fruitful and effective.  Afterwards, Bible study groups discussed openly their thoughts and impressions of the messages and life testimonies. Then everyone joined together for dinner in the center basement, where there was a smorgasbord of tantalizing, Asian specialties as our prayer for Asia world mission. Especially, there was Mongolian Beef, as our prayer for one of our students, Stephanie Polvi – UIC 4, who is going to Mongolia as a short-term missionary this summer after her graduation. Also, in the registration process, participants could pay extra to make an offering for Stephanie’s missionary journey, and $1740 was collected.

After dinner, 15 Bible study groups spread throughout the center and neighboring buildings and homes to renew their personal gospel faith based a study of John 19, “Jesus Finished God’s Salvation Work.” The Bible study group leaders and prayer servants had prepared well and met to pray together before the conference. After 2 hours, the groups reconvened at the center for praise and worship and two more life testimonies by students – Stan Ogorek and Stephanie Polvi. Based on the glowing smiles around the room, the word of God had worked in everyone’s heart to renew their gospel faith!

Before the worship service on the following morning, which was Palm Sunday, the Bible study groups walked throughout the neighborhood waving palm branches and praising God, and inviting neighbors to the worship service. They also greeted worshipers at the center with palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna.”  Before the message on John 19, the UIC/North Park chorus sang a special song, “Worthy Is the Lamb.”Through the message, we meditated on Jesus’ words on the cross, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Through writing their testimonies afterwards, many accepted the deep grace of Jesus that he paid it all on the cross for our sins. We could renew our gospel faith that only Jesus saves us and decide to continue to trust in Jesus and to love Jesus.

Praise Jesus who finished God’s will on the cross to save us from our sins as the Lamb of God! Praise God for blessing our Easter conference from beginning to end to renew our gospel faith!

UIC and North Park fellowships pray to dedicate the remaining Spring Semester to raising disciples of Jesus among our college students and to preparing the 2013 International Summer Bible Conference. Following the Easter conference, UIC will host a discipleship training workshop to further support our students to have a strong foundation of gospel faith. Please pray for us to live with gospel faith and raise disciples of Jesus who have gospel faith.

By Yvonne Timlin