News

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Gwangju UBF had a celebration of its 50th anniversary on June 2, 2011 at the Gwangju UBF center in Korea. UBF ministry began in Gwangju in September 1961. About 330 people attended this meeting to celebrate this event, including many guests throughout the world, such as Dr. Joseph and Esther Chung from Uganda, 65 missionaries (25 who were sent from Gwangju UBF; 40 who were sent from other Korean UBF Chapters), 6 Bible students from overseas, and 250 leaders and Bible students from Gwangju UBF.

The main message entitled, “You Will Be The Father Of Many Nations,” from Genesis 17, was given by M. Elijah Park from Washington UBF. God raised Abraham as the father of many nations though he was weak and hopeless. Fifty years ago, the students of Gwangju were just like the hopeless and old Abraham. But God has done great things among the Gwangju students raising them to be fathers of many nations and sending them to the whole world.

After that, M. Paul Lee (the director of North York UBF, Canada) presented his wonderful life testimony and mission report entitled, “God Who Made Impossible Things Possible.” Before meeting Christ, he was wandering in darkness and sin as a young art student. But God saved him by the precious blood of Jesus and made him a precious missionary, feeding young souls in Canada through the gospel message.

And Dr. Sam Augustine Lee (the director of U of I ) had a presentation entitled, “The Legacy Of My Father The Late Dr. Samuel Lee.” Through a touching video presentation, he revealed how much his father, Dr. Lee, loved the word of God. During the presentation he was wiping tears from his eyes remembering his father’s love and legacy.

We remember that thus far has the Lord helped us by using our UBF founder’s spiritual legacy and love of the word of God. Therefore we also made a decision to continually follow this legacy of loving the word of God and teaching campus students through the word of God.

Afterward, Sh. Johachim Ditzel (Bonn, Germany) shared his wonderful and graceful testimony. At the end, Sh. Joseph Park (Gwangju UBF) showed about the history of Gwangju UBF over the past 50 years through pictures. Gwangju UBF transferred its location to other places six times in 50 years, and constructions for new buildings has been carried out three times.

Though its beginning was small, manger-like Bible house, God marvelously blessed this small ministry by sending 200 missionaries to 40 nations. The present number of attendees at the weekly worship service is 450 (Gwangju 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 UBF). We praise and thank God for blessing and using Gwangju UBF as the Zion center of UBF, and for expanding his kingdom throughout the world even though there were so many difficulties we had to go through the past 50 years. We earnestly  pray that God may enable us to diligently make disciples and to pioneer new campuses and to send new missionaries to the whole world.

Nehemiah Kim (Gwangju 1, 6)