Raising spiritual leaders

As mentioned before, at that time Korea suffered with many problems such as chaotic politics and poverty. But Dr. Samuel Lee saw that the biggest problem of all was lack of true spiritual leaders. He emphasized that only true spiritual leaders can give hope to Korea. He found the model of a true spiritual leader in Jesus and next in Apostle Paul. Apostle Paul's faith, zeal, sense of mission and pioneering spirit became the foundation of the early Christian churches. Since UBF ancestors tried to imitate and learn Apostle Paul's spiritual leadership, naturally UBF followed the patterns of the early Christian church. The leadership UBF wanted to foster is well-stated in the UBF declarations.

• We are soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. By correctly handling the word of God, we want to grow as workmen who do not need to be ashamed.
• We are soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the glory of God and Korea, we participate in the sufferings of Christ voluntarily.

Here the phrase, "grow as workmen" was changed to "establish a Christian view of life"; "For the glory of God and Korea" to "for Bible Korea and world mission"; and "We" to "I." These declarations were based on 2 Ti 2:3,15. These declarations show the leaderships UBF wanted to foster. The purposes of UBF were: among college students to raise spiritual leaders and workmen who can establish a Christian view of life, and furthermore, do not need to be ashamed and correctly handle the word of God; to raise men of God's mission who are willing to participate in the sufferings of Christ voluntarily for the glory of God and Korea. Since we studied the Bible with these purposes, Bible study did not become just theoretical or intellectual. Instead, students focused on accepting the word of God and putting it into practice.

Dr. Samuel Lee encouraged students to become extraordinary spiritual leaders. He said in his message delivered at the prayer meeting on Jan. 5, 1966 that the role of Christians is to become the light of the world and the salt of the earth; we did not become Christians in order to get something, but to give ourselves to Korea and to the world mission command of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, UBF must help wandering students find a clear meaning, purpose and direction. At that time, students longed for America and readily accepted its materialism and selfish individualism. Therefore, Dr. Samuel Lee's lecture had a tendency to promote nationalism and patriotism. When I came to UBF for the first time, I liked his patriotic Christian messages, singing the national anthem at the beginning of the student committee meetings and reciting the UBF declarations.

The first objective of the UBF movement was to make Koreans a people who love the Bible. The UBF movement was not ideological but purely gospel-centered. In time, its scope changed from Korea to world mission. Its character and direction was no longer based on nationalism or "Judaism," but universalism. Today UBF prays for "Bible Korea and world mission." UBF grew to be a spiritual awakening movement based on the gospel of Jesus' death and resurrection through Bible study. Dr. Samuel Lee helped students to have a clear identity as spiritual leaders and have vision. He said in Nov. 29, 1964, "We, student committee members, must have pride in being members of the UBF student committee. Though we have no power and this nation is in tragic conditions, still we must have a clear identity as spiritual leaders for the world and have spiritual authority. We are UBF leaders. Though we are lonely and suffering, we must feel the joy of being spiritual commanders."

Dr. Samuel Lee encouraged students to have courageous faith in order to become spiritual leaders with inner depth and philosophy. He challenged students to overcome all kinds of inner problems such as mediocrity, inferiority, authoritarianism, selfishness, and envy. He encouraged them to overcome their narrow egocentricity and grow to be international figures. For this, he helped them to study the Bible and read many books. He helped them to learn endlessly through having book reports, seminars on ideology and inviting speakers. He encouraged them to study hard in school. In order to be qualified to be a member of the student committee, one needed to have above a B average. Moreover, he encouraged all student committee members to receive scholarships. Especially, he trained them in English. Because of this English training, some became English teachers though they did not major in English. One shepherd spoke English so well that even Americans were amazed at his English. Several years ago I met one of those ancestors and asked him, "What do you do for living?" He answered, "I have been teaching English at Middle School." I asked him, "You majored in engineering in college. How can you be an English teacher?" He answered, "It's because I learned English in UBF." Some who received English training went out as missionaries to America. This English training became the foundation of the growth of UBF as an international gospel organization.

At that time Korean young people had no vision because Korea was poor economically and was far from having a democratic government. In this situation young peoples' dream was to get well-paying jobs and feed themselves well. It was difficult for them to think about their nation, not to mention about the world. But Dr. Samuel Lee wanted to raise them up as spiritual leaders who could think deep and wide and challenge everything by faith with a certain possibility.

At that time Korean people were poor and the political climate was far from a democracy. So young people could not have any national vision. They only worried about how to get jobs and survive. They could not think about any thing else. But Dr. Samuel Lee wanted to raise them up as spiritual leaders who could think deeply and widely and challenge everything by faith with a certain possibility. For this, he encouraged students to have a sense of problem and history, think about national and international problems and to have a shepherd heart and sense of mission for the world. Chunghwan-Choi recorded on March 17, 1966 about Dr. Samuel Lee as follows:

• "In one word, he is the Korean Don Quixote of the 20th century. Though he is short, thin and wears glasses, he is poised, clean and aristocratic. As a leader he does not have any formalistic attitude. Instead, sometimes he acts like an office boy; at other times he becomes a fiery spiritual leader who has the Spirit of God in him. He does not have any fixed rules as an educator and UBF staff. Outwardly he is limitlessly free and irregular. But inwardly he has bubbling rhythms and inspirations that cannot be contained in any fixed frame of reference. He works hard mentally and physically. For example, when he sits down in his chair, he looks calm. But upon careful inspection, you can see that he does not sit still. He moves his feet and hands to fix something. Through his sharp insight, he helps students to find their greatness in God. In order to help put their talents into use, he encourages, forces and even rebukes them hard so that they may overcome themselves and grow in God. He has many sides to his character: he is irregular but strict; he has no rules but is conservative; he is busy but calm; he is sharp but soft-hearted. He was born with artistic talent. More than that, he has his own unique way as a God-centered philosopher, educator and innovator. It may be that God made him this way in order to enable him to carry out his work as a pioneer."

His leadership training became the foundation of raising up spiritual leaders with a sense of problem and history. He also published a UBF newsletter called, "Cornerstone." It was to enhance the quality of UBF ministry and to plant the vision that UBF leaders are the cornerstone of pioneering Korean campuses and Southeast Asia.

The UBF movement is based on 2Ti 2:15 and its evangelical purpose is to change the course of Korean and world history by raising up spiritual leaders whom God can use. As a result, even though students' living conditions were very poor, their love for the truth and devotion for God were more intense than now. They devoted themselves to God and UBF ministry with stewardship. It was like Jesus' ministry. Jesus called Galilean fishermen as his disciples, raised them up as spiritual leaders who took care of God's flock during the first century, and changed the course of world history through them. Raising spiritual leaders from the beginning of UBF ministry became the foundation of UBF discipleship ministry, Bible Korea and world mission work.