(Excerpted from http://community.livejournal.com/rsqubf/12740.html)
LoveJesus - Posted Jun 6, 2005, 10:43 pm
I have heard a lot of bad press about the UBF so I told a friend of mine, who is in the UBF that I was concerned. He told me that they produce good fruit, that they save souls.
I was told that the UBF is a radical ministry, and goes to great lengths to do the Godly thing, and that many Christian churches are spiritually dead. In contrast, the UBF would look odd. I agreed that many churches are simply giving lip service to God. I would do as the Bible says, and to test the spirit. I would see if they followed God or man.
So I called the Chicago UBF and I asked them what ministries they had to reach out the poor. They had none. I asked if they ran a soup kitchen. They did not. I asked, what if a homeless person comes to the UBF door. I was told they refer them elsewhere. I asked if they had a prison ministry. They did not. I asked them if they had a sick or shut/in or hospital ministry. They did not.
So I ask you, if you are reading this. Where have you placed your trust? Do you trust the UBF or God? For, the UBF does not think their members need to feed the hungry, help the sick, clothe the homeless or visit prisoners. This is the work of "other ministries" - you know, those "other" Christian ministries, meaning, not the UBF.
Turn to Matthew 25: 41"Then he [Jesus] will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Do you trust this Word, or the UBF? God bless you.
LoveJesus Posted Yesterday, 2:33 pm (June 7, 2005)
...
Every church should serve the greater community that does not belong to the church.
The Bible says, you will know them [true Christians] for their love. And not just love for each other, because, as the Bible says, even the pagan has love for his brother.
I have found the people in UBF to be very sincere. But there is something very wrong in the teaching. It hurts my heart that they are suffering needlessly.
...
I don't think it is wrong to FOCUS on Bible study, but when your ministry becomes SOLELY about having new members join, then that is a big problem. It is not wrong to FOCUS on college students, but when the ministry is EXCLUSIONARY of others, then it is wrong. The doors of the church should be open to EVERYONE.
...
I am not passing judgment on you - make no mistake. I think people in the UBF work incredibly hard to do what they think is right. What I think is that they work incredibly hard needlessly. God has opened my eyes to the spiritual starvation among the members of the UBF.
I have gone to UBF testimonies and see how the joy of Christ has been sapped from them. I've been in God for ... a very long time, and I grow in joy every day. Every day my spirit grows, every day God draws closer to me.
I have seen miracles happen, healing in bodies and families. How can a UBFer see the work of God in their families when they have abandoned them? How can they testify in joy to God's grace?
Brian, I want you to understand the difference between religion and God. In the UBF religion takes precedence before God. That is just my opinion. I love God with all of my heart, and it hurts me to know that sincere people are doing so much to earn what is free.
In Christ, you are free.
Do you feel free? Do you feel the freedom of Christ? Or, do you feel obligations, pressure, spiritual torment?
It is not out of judgment that I say these things to you. It is out of love. God bless you.
LoveJesus Posted Yesterday, 4:37 pm (June 7, 2005)
I don't want to put you on the defensive. Revelations says that the churches will be judged before the rest, and more harshly, because to much that has been given, much is expected.
Jesus didn't primarily preach to unbelievers. Rather, he mostly preached to sincere believers who had lost the GOOD news. The law was a gift that freed and they turned it into a curse to bind.
...
I don't see how you can come to that conclusion based on what I said. What I said was that it is okay to focus on college students. But, the doors of the church should be open to everyone. Are you saying that the church should be closed to people? Are you saying that the college student is more deserving of your ministry than the homeless man? My mentality is that of Christ.
...
Jesus included everyone. He included the Samaritan, and even upheld one as being even greater in brotherhood than the devout Jew. He included the prostitute, the destitute, the clean and the unclean, the rich and the poor. He didn't condone what they did. But he did allow them to come to him. He didn't close himself off to those who wanted salvation. Even the woman who pushed herself through the crowd, to sneak a touch of his garment, he said to her, your faith has made you well.
...
The UBF seems exclusionary to me because they prefer the college student to the dropout, the white to the black, the Korean to the Japanese. It seems exclusionary because a person in the UBF will not allow a person of another sex into their quarters.
...
You say you are free. What if, in your freedom, you decided to go on vacation and spent a month with your family. Are you free to make that decision? To come and go as you please?
What if, in your freedom, you decide to worship on Sunday at another church instead of the UBF worship. Do you feel free to do that?
What if, in your freedom, you decide to worship on Sunday a hilltop? To go away and be joined with God in an intimate and alone way. What if you did that for 10 Sundays in a row? Do you feel free to do that?
Realize I'm not asking if you would do it or have any inclination to do it. I'm asking that if you wanted to do it, could you, without having to explain yourself? Do you have the freedom that Christ has given you? Can you disengage with the church to engage with God?
Again, I do not attack you. My heart carries a heavy burden because I have been given much by God. People pray all of their lives to see what I have seen. So, with this gift comes much responsibility. One of those responsibilities is to make sure God's good and faithful sheep are not led astray by following man over God.
LoveJesus Posted Yesterday, 6:03 pm (June 7, 2005)
...
Honestly? I want to know how to help my friend [in UBF]. I believe he is sincere in his quest for God. But, in doing things men [UBF "shepherds"] say, he gets further and further away. He does not have the permanant joy of God, but the temporary joy of one who has been congratulated by men for their works. The problem with works is that you have to keep working to keep getting congratulated. In Christ, there is peace. This wonderful human being is full of worry. It hurts me to know that someone so bright and full of Christ's love can live in such misery and uncertainty. I hurt for him, because I know what he is missing out on, and it is something wonderful.
How can someone who spends so much time in activities "regarding" God actually DOUBT His existence? I contend that if he spent that same amount of time he spends in church [UBF] meetings actually COMMUNING with God, he would KNOW God intimately. His faith would be stronger. He would grow in peace.
You said, no, you don't feel free to commune with God over going to church. Then, my brother, you are not free, and you do not have the freedom Christ has given you. You know in your heart this is the truth I tell today.
You quoted that everything is permissible but not beneficial. I urge you to look at the MANY times Christ felt the need to LEAVE his ministry to commune with God by himself. For days and days and weeks on end. If you think this is not beneficial, then the behavior of your own savior offends you.
I ask you, aren't we supposed to imitate Christ? What would the UBF say if you imitated Christ? Would they say you've been possessed by the devil? Would they say you are evil or love the world? What would they say if you allowed a prostitute to touch you? What would they say if you ate dinner in the house of pagans? What would they say if you brought thirty barrels of wine to a wedding? What would they say? What would they say to Christ if he was in front of them doing these things today? Would they rebuke him and tell him to come down off that mountain and come to church?
You have chosen to commune with the church over communing with your God. It is why you don't have the peace you so desperately want. The UBF will tell you that you don't have the peace because you haven't worked enough, haven't given yourself enough to the UBF mission. I tell you that you don't have the peace you seek because you look for God in others. God speaks directly. The Bible says to BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. When was the last time you were still?
LoveJesus Posted Yesterday, 7:06 pm (June 7, 2005)
Brother, I have never been a member of the UBF. Please do not be mistaken. I am not saying that UBF members don't follow God.
On the contrary. I have found them to be very sincere. This is why it hurts. Because I see their pain right through their skin. They are doing so much! They are so tired.
I see that they are stretching themselves thin to please God and wonder why they aren't happy. And I contend it is because they are pleasing people, who say they are speaking for God.
...
I never implied that you could or should [do whatever you want]. What I did imply was that if you imitated the actions of Christ, the UBF would not be happy, because it would go against the UBF program.
An example: Jesus preached at many different synagogues and on the street. What would happen if you decided that you would take your message to a Southern Baptist church that Sunday? And the next week, instead of attending UBF services, you went to an Apostolic Church? Would you be rebuked for not attending UBF services?
...
Make no mistake, Brian. I know you have hurts. I know that you are sincere. I know that you have worked hard to further God's agenda. But now, it is time for you to graduate. The UBF helped you learn how to dedicate yourself, to discipline yourself. Now, it is time to learn new things. Learn it from the Master. You don't need an intermediary. The UBF isn't code word for "God's people." God doesn't have a brand name, but the UBF will have you believe that He does. Jesus wasn't loyal to one church or temple. He was loyal to God. Imitate Jesus. It is our goal, as Christians.
