University Bible Fellowship
Encyclopedia
The University Bible Fellowship (Korean: 대학생성경읽기선교회) is an Evangelistic
non-denominational
Christian
organization that originated in South Korea
in 1961. It was founded through a partnership between a Korean, the late Samuel Chang-Woo Lee, and an American Presbyterian missionary who was sent to South Korea, Sarah Barry. UBF has headquarters in Chicago
and Seoul
. UBF is present at many campuses from American Ivy league
schools to small community colleges. The organization's stated goal is student evangelism
. Some outside observers and former members describe the group as cult-like
and/or "abusive."
ended. In Korea Barry met Samuel Chang-Woo Lee, who had been studying in a Presbyterian seminary in Seoul. They shared a common goal to "purify Christianity in Korea and find a new vision and hope for Korean intellectuals." They gathered about 80 students from Chun Nam and Chosun Universities to study the English Bible in the Christian Student Center in Kwangju, Korea. Soon thousands of young Korean men and women gathered to study. From the beginning of the ministry, UBF emphasized sending missionaries to the world. In 1964, UBF sent a college graduate named Han-ok Kim to Cheju Island. This marked the beginning of one of the largest Korean missionary sending movements. As of 2006, UBF had sent 1,463 self-supporting missionaries to more than 80 countries.
Barry was appointed General Director in 2002, following the death of Lee, and served until 2006. When Barry resigned, John Jun, formerly the Korean UBF director, assumed the duties of international general director. Under Jun's leadership, the ministry began working more closely with major Christian organizations in various countries.
and believe that the Bible is the word of God. They invite students and others to study the Bible "inductively from the point of view of the Bible writers." Bible study in the ministry is primarily carried out on a "one-to-one" basis. The ministry also has small group Bible studies and weekly fellowship meetings. They seek to lead those who study the Bible with them to a "saving knowledge" of Jesus Christ, and to help them to grow as disciples of Jesus.
One of the main goals of the ministry is to evangelize college students based on the Great Commission
. UBF trains ordinary people who have a desire to study and teach the Bible and do missionary work. The organization has a "medical mission" - Bethesda Mission Hospital in Uganda
.
and was accepted to membership in the National Association of Evangelicals
in March 2008. The ministry has formed partnerships with over twenty missionary and relief organizations, such as the Midwest University
and the Evangelical Missiological Society.
campus newspaper described the local chapter as "...an organization that has students polarized. While some student members have grave concerns about the church, many members love it."
In May 2006, Christianity Today
magazine published a reader's letter that referred to UBF as a cult; after investigation in July 2006, the magazine published a correction in which the reader retracted the accusation.
Some observers and former participants characterize UBF's practices as authoritarian, abusive, and/or cult-like, as members are encouraged to cut ties with friends and family and submit to the demands of chapter leaders. These concerns have arisen at Canadian and German universities as well as in the United States.
Some universities have restricted UBF's on-campus recruiting efforts, such as University of Illinois, University of Winnipeg
, University of Guelph
, University of Manitoba
, and DePaul University
.
UBF is used as one of the case studies in the book Churches That Abuse
, published in 1991 by Dr. Ronald Enroth about Christian churches and organizations he perceives as "spiritually abusive" and the effects these groups can have on their members.
As of 2011, UBF continues to be on the lists of several cult-watching groups, such as the Apologetics Index , the Rick Ross Institute , the New England Institute of Religious Research and the Cult Information Services of Northeast Ohio, Inc.
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
non-denominational
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
Christian
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
organization that originated in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in 1961. It was founded through a partnership between a Korean, the late Samuel Chang-Woo Lee, and an American Presbyterian missionary who was sent to South Korea, Sarah Barry. UBF has headquarters in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. UBF is present at many campuses from American Ivy league
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
schools to small community colleges. The organization's stated goal is student evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
. Some outside observers and former members describe the group as cult-like
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
and/or "abusive."
History
The UBF movement began in 1961. An American college student named Sarah Barry had become a Christian and decided to go to Korea as a missionary soon after the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
ended. In Korea Barry met Samuel Chang-Woo Lee, who had been studying in a Presbyterian seminary in Seoul. They shared a common goal to "purify Christianity in Korea and find a new vision and hope for Korean intellectuals." They gathered about 80 students from Chun Nam and Chosun Universities to study the English Bible in the Christian Student Center in Kwangju, Korea. Soon thousands of young Korean men and women gathered to study. From the beginning of the ministry, UBF emphasized sending missionaries to the world. In 1964, UBF sent a college graduate named Han-ok Kim to Cheju Island. This marked the beginning of one of the largest Korean missionary sending movements. As of 2006, UBF had sent 1,463 self-supporting missionaries to more than 80 countries.
Barry was appointed General Director in 2002, following the death of Lee, and served until 2006. When Barry resigned, John Jun, formerly the Korean UBF director, assumed the duties of international general director. Under Jun's leadership, the ministry began working more closely with major Christian organizations in various countries.
Beliefs and Characteristics
UBF began as a parachurch organization. In time, the ministry became a church and began having Sunday worship services. UBF is conservative evangelical in doctrine and conservative in Korean values of leadership and mentorship. UBF believes that God is the creator of heaven and earth and all things. They affirm the Apostles' CreedApostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
and believe that the Bible is the word of God. They invite students and others to study the Bible "inductively from the point of view of the Bible writers." Bible study in the ministry is primarily carried out on a "one-to-one" basis. The ministry also has small group Bible studies and weekly fellowship meetings. They seek to lead those who study the Bible with them to a "saving knowledge" of Jesus Christ, and to help them to grow as disciples of Jesus.
One of the main goals of the ministry is to evangelize college students based on the Great Commission
Great Commission
The Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism...
. UBF trains ordinary people who have a desire to study and teach the Bible and do missionary work. The organization has a "medical mission" - Bethesda Mission Hospital in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
.
Memberships
University Bible Fellowship is a member of several Christian organizations including the Evangelical Council For Financial AccountabilityEvangelical Council for Financial Accountability
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is an accreditation agency to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. Founded in 1979, it comprises over 2,000 evangelical Christian organizations which qualify for tax-exempt, nonprofit status and...
and was accepted to membership in the National Association of Evangelicals
National Association of Evangelicals
The National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
in March 2008. The ministry has formed partnerships with over twenty missionary and relief organizations, such as the Midwest University
Midwest University
Midwest University is a private four-year Christian university and seminary college located in Wentzville, Missouri. It was founded in 1986 by Dr. James Song. Midwest offers degrees in Social Work , Theology, and Intercultural Studies....
and the Evangelical Missiological Society.
Controversies
Reactions to University Bible Fellowship have varied between two extremes. A reporter for the University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
campus newspaper described the local chapter as "...an organization that has students polarized. While some student members have grave concerns about the church, many members love it."
In May 2006, Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
magazine published a reader's letter that referred to UBF as a cult; after investigation in July 2006, the magazine published a correction in which the reader retracted the accusation.
Some observers and former participants characterize UBF's practices as authoritarian, abusive, and/or cult-like, as members are encouraged to cut ties with friends and family and submit to the demands of chapter leaders. These concerns have arisen at Canadian and German universities as well as in the United States.
Some universities have restricted UBF's on-campus recruiting efforts, such as University of Illinois, University of Winnipeg
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
, University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
, University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
, and DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
.
UBF is used as one of the case studies in the book Churches That Abuse
Churches That Abuse
Churches That Abuse, first published in 1991, is a best-selling counterculture apologetic book written by Ronald M. Enroth. The book presents real-life stories of pseudo-Christian churches and organizations deemed spiritually abusive and the effects these groups have had on their members...
, published in 1991 by Dr. Ronald Enroth about Christian churches and organizations he perceives as "spiritually abusive" and the effects these groups can have on their members.
As of 2011, UBF continues to be on the lists of several cult-watching groups, such as the Apologetics Index , the Rick Ross Institute , the New England Institute of Religious Research and the Cult Information Services of Northeast Ohio, Inc.