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Cologne UBF, Germany 

Streams of Living Water

Key verse: John 7:38 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

Praise God who has led us graciously and gave us many thanksgiving topics this year! We thank God for granting us a blessed Fall Bible Conference at Willingen-Usseln on the beginning of the winter semester 2012/13. In preparation time, Eberhard Gross and Volker Keller were convinced that through this conference we should build an altar of thanksgiving to God. At the same time we wanted to raise two longtime Bible students as shepherds. But the messengers we first chose, were not ready. Some pioneering chapters had their own program and shepherds in Koeln were under pressure from studies and/or work. God used this to glorify himself among us through his word and his spirit.

For the conference, we had an unfamiliar place, and we were all excited though not too expectant. We were joyfully “disappointed” arriving at a Christian place with a large and bright hall, pleasant rooms, and delicious food. The environment was also beautiful: a house on a hilltop. And instead of streams of November rain, we had mostly dry weather with pleasant temperatures. We also thanked God for the coworkers from Dusseldorf I, Koeln II, Kiel and Frankfort II who joined us actively.

Pastor Abraham Lee had had no chance of preaching in a long time, but this time served the opening message on John 15:1-17. In this passage, Jesus taught his disciples their indispensable relationship with him, like the branches and the vine. This relationship needs active care. As the gardener cuts the branches, we, the disciples of Jesus, must separate ourselves sometimes from good and even better things in order to serve the best, i.e., doing what God wants us to do. Our lives will be meaningful, happy, and fruitful when we remain in Jesus.

Before the message, we watched a short self-made video covering the topic from the point of view of a (JBF) pupil and a (shepherd) office worker. Sarah Jeong showed God’s wonderful gift for her in drawing many pencil drawings for the video.

On Saturday morning, we studied the main topic, John 7:14-39, in groups. Before the message, our young missionaries Josua Cho and Henoch Seok presented a duodrama that was also very well received. Rene Richelshagen preached from all his heart. By the end of this month, he is supposed to turn in his bachelor paper. Still, he put priority on God’s word and both challenged and invited us through Jesus’ teaching. Jesus said that we will realize the origin of his teaching simply when we have made a decision to do the will of God. Many religious people do not truly live for God, but for themselves. Therefore, they have no discernment, just as the Jews of Jesus’ days couldn’t or wouldn’t realize who Jesus was. Jesus also invites us to come to him by faith. Then, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we will be changed from mortal shells into channels of blessing for streams of living water. Rene emphasized this in his message with many examples. Most of all, he found many thanksgiving topics for God’s gracious work among us throughout this year.

The message helped us to write our testimonies and to share them in our groups. In this way, the grace each one received was multiplied, and we can pray for each other from our hearts even after this conference. On the same afternoon, we also had much fun through games supporting team spirit.

On Saturday night, Michael Pohl preached on John 10:1-18. Jesus taught about the Good Shepherd on the background of the Pharisees who had cast out of the synagogue a man born blind who had been healed by Jesus. The Good Shepherd does the very opposite: he gathers those who are lost. Jesus gathers the lost ones and makes them winners of life. He takes care of God‘s sheep because he loves them from his heart. And since he loves them selflessly, only for their own sake, he is even willing to lay down his own life for them. The lost ones – that doesn’t mean only losers, but also people who seem to lack nothing – just as Michael himself experienced.

The message was followed by the life testimonies of two shepherd candidates.

Sergej Levitski is a Ukrainian. He suffered under the power of death since he was 13 when his brother died. After finishing high school, he wanted to study physics; but because of corruption in his nation, he was denied his deserved entry. So he decided to study physics in Germany. In his German language class, he came to know David Yoo who invited him to Sunday worship service. Soon after, Sergej moved in to have common life with three shepherds at the center apartment. In this way, he came to know our church close up – and loved it. Through Matt. 6:33, God changed Sergej’s self-centeredness into God-centeredness. And finally, through Luke 9:23, he received Jesus’ calling as a disciple. He prays to read God’s word daily and to pray accordingly, to graduate for the glory of God, and to win one student for Bible study.

Krystian Freitag is from Poland. He used to live a traditional religious life. But he suffered from the sense of meaninglessness of life; so he lived for the moment. After graduating in economics, he started to work with LG Poland. After some years, he was offered a position with LG Germany. Despite his boss’ warning, he came to Germany. At LG Germany, he met Daniela Yoo who invited him to Sunday worship service. He came although he lived rather far away. Through Sunday worship services, his interest in faith was awakened. One-to-one Bible study with David Yoo helped Krystian realize his own sin. Since then he has been praying for the restoration of the relationships in his family. He also realized his desire to live as a shepherd for students, sharing God’s love with them. So, he also prays to read God’s word daily and to pray accordingly. And he wants to become a good shepherd like Jesus.

We prayed for God’s unceasing blessing over these two young men, thanked him for their decision of faith und established them as shepherds. All the participants were deeply moved and overjoyed. On this night, we also saw a video made by our young coworkers. On the Sunday before, all the assembly of Koeln I had danced a “good shepherd style” (like “Gangnam Style”) right after worship service. God has truly given us many possibilities to express our joy of his calling and over the task entrusted to us.

On Sunday, we also started with group Bible study, this time on Acts 8:26-40. Then we had Sunday worship service with a message from Ulrike Gross. Philip, the evangelist, was a Christian under persecution, but spiritually successful. The Ethiopian official was successful, but sorrowful because of his loneliness as a eunuch. God brought them together, and they opened up to each other. In obedience to the Holy Spirit, Philip made the first step, and he listened carefully. Then he explained the gospel of Jesus Christ shortly and clearly to the official. The Ethiopian made an immediate decision and was baptized along the road. He was overjoyed. From that moment on, he had to get along without his Bible teacher. But he never forgot the grace of Jesus. His witness to his own people led many on the way to Jesus and to eternal life. A single one-to-one Bible study can influence a whole nation, even a continent. Ulrike asked us to keep praying for Catherine Weecxsteen; like the Ehtiopian official, she seemed to be „irrelevant“ for God’s work. Now she is back in France and shares the gospel with the people around her.

We praise God for an all-over successful conference – which couldn’t be expected before. May God use each participant in this winter semester to share the word of God deeply with one person.