Sue Paul
2008 GERMAN LEADERS’ CONFERENCE

Freiburg, Germany – September 3-7 

Jim and I were so pleased to be invited to this conference. To prepare, we were to write Life Testimonies based on David’s last words, focusing on our experience of pioneering old age in UBF. Jim’s and my prayer was that we would be a blessing because we knew we would be blessed. 

It took every minute we had to prepare and I was sewing pillows for presents on the way to the Detroit airport. Our flight was direct, 8 ½ hours, and the director of German UBF-Dr. Peter Chung and Heidi Grigoriadis meet us with a luxury rented Mercedes van. It was 5 hours to the conference site in the Schoner Schwanzwald (the Black Forest). This area is about 90 miles by 30 miles. As best I can understand, it is called the Black Forest because it is so dense with much of the mountainous terrain being inaccessible. It is the highest German low mountain range (highest peaks being around 5,000’). This area is known for the wooden houses which are considered more beautiful than the northern homes. 

Because we are travelling with Dr. Hong, the European Coordinator, and with M. Sarah, and we are also international guests, we got such special treatment. We were given a private room in the beautiful hotel Altglashutten with the best view of the pine covered mountains and open grassland. I wondered if these were actually just hills or real mountains. Then we saw a couple walking their dog. It was easy to see it was a big mountain. We walked to a fancy German restaurant, Sonneck. It is the season for special mushrooms and the food is delicious. We stop at the local glass factory in this resort town of Titisee. We are then given time to rest and wake to a driving rain storm. Can’t see anything because of the fog. When it lifts, light wispy clouds rise from the forest trees which look like smoke from a beginning fire. This mist rises and joins other visible clouds. After dinner we get wonderful talk time with coworkers. Tomorrow the conference will begin. 

PART I: WHAT I OBSERVED

Because this was a conference for leaders, the message selections were different, deep, and direction oriented. One thing I saw was the wonderful coworking between the Korean missionaries and shepherds/shepherdesses. They really respected each other and worked out all problems together. Dr. Peter Chang worked so well with Peter Schweizer and designated van driver, Heidi Grigoriadis as well as with all other chapters’ young leaders. In the past I had felt nervous talking to him (like I did at first with Mother Sarah Barry). But I saw a very gentle, kind spirit towards everyone and he made Jim and me feel so welcomed and comfortable. One bonus observation from visiting his Bonn chapter for Sunday worship service was a graceful idea for a high ceiling curtain which might be applicable in our Toledo renovation work. 

I was also impressed with the second gens and young shepherds who served so happily and had so many diverse talents. Two of the special songs were about giving everything we have to Jesus and they did. S. Sarah E. J. Park played violin, piano, sang, took pictures, and even played timpanis. My friend S. Sara Helene Poliatskin was a presider, sang, played piano and drums, and served endlessly. She also had raised up Yaroslava (Rebekkah) Song, who formed the first house church in Freiburg and whose husband would arrive the next week from Korea. 

All needs of guests were met with no holds barred: best transportation, best accommodations, excellent food (with a snack at 3:00 p.m. and an extensive snack in the evenings), large bottles of water left at your door, translators and translations for each 5 non-German  speaking Americans, including the entire program, two main messages and a report translated into English hard copies and all English presentations translated into German. Besides the boat trip, train trip to Freiburg University (whose motto is “The truth will set you free”) and their UBF center, a special restaurant, and the local glass factory; Dr. Peter Chang had checked with Dr. Paul what Jim and I might like to see and arranged a trip after the conference to a war museum, Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.  

I also observed more of what Dr. Paul Hong’s role at these conferences. On our way to Bonn, he stopped in Mannheim to encourage the house church there. They shopped in order to have presents for their 4 children. He spent time with other chapter directors any chance he had. The van became an office, as well as meal times (like our gourmet meal in Meintz), or in people’s homes. He gave his message at the conference, but also in Bonn. He varied the content after talking to directors and finding out specific problems they faced and he gave a lecture based on a chart at Koln instead of his message. He was always serving as he was being served. All Jim and I could do was be prayer servants when asked, give our L.T. at conference and in Bonn, and talk to some of the shepherds and other leaders. I personally had in-depth talk time with Sara (Helene) Poliatskin since I’ve known since a Russian Conference in 2000, M. Wynelle Nett, Dr. Brigette Schauwienold, Brigit Steller, and Priska Lee.  

What these observations meant to me is that the love and coworking between leaders/shepherds, between chapters, and on an international level are growing and yet they are growing because all of these levels are remaining personalized. This was the theme of the conference-focus on 1-1 ministry that God can use to double ministry by 2010. 

PART II: PERSONAL LESSON LEARNED

I wasn’t aware of it at first, but God was building up to a major rebuke for me. However, as always, God’s rebuke came softly and encouragingly. The conference theme was Gott segnete David und seine Helden, God blessed David and his mighty men. The opening address was given by M. Noah You, our host from Freiburg. Jim was asked to be a prayer servant. It was on Mark’s gospel feeding the 5,000. He mentioned that the disciples felt that it was ok to give some of the people something to eat, but not all of them. We have a lot of reasons why we can’t help others. He said that people were now coming to Freiburg but growing so slowly. He felt that was their problem. But he accepted with a broken heart that there is never a sheep problem-it is the problem of the shepherd who must grow in the shepherd heart of Jesus. What is Jesus’ shepherd heart? It is that a sheep without a shepherd is unthinkable. I saw a connection between this message about the “never a sheep problem” but “a lack of shepherd heart problem” and the 2008 Purdue report. At Purdue, we saw over 500 people’s hearts moved to answer a mission call. But this creates a new problem. How do we help those motivated by mission to hold their vision and take steps to be raised as leaders who can be sent out? How do we keep their vision alive? I immediately began to pray that Jim’s and my reports would stir some of these young people in Toledo to attend the 2009 Conference. 

I was asked to be a prayer servant for Dr. Paul Hong’s message ½ hour before. I prayed, skipped dinner, and offered the 10 prayer topics by faith. I liked Dr. Hong spiritual principle that “Developing capabilities is not a quick-fix program.” It is a life-long process as we depend on God’s strength to match our capabilities according to God’s purpose. Through David walking with God to the end and having humility as a leader, God could use him to raise up mighty men for God’s purpose. Dr. Hong mentioned that common life in the cave of Adullum had to be difficult. David couldn’t really take care of himself, but David had to find ways to support 400 distressed, in debt, and discontented men. Through basic disciplines, these men were slowly transformed. When we welcome those God sends, he heals them and we experience God’s help. Before we left Germany, Dr. Hong concluded that these 3-D people, “distressed, debtors, discontented” sheep who were dirty, difficult, and dangerous were slowly transformed into disciplined, devoted, and dedicated leaders and coworkers. As Christians are determined to help one person at a time, Dr. Paul Hong said that “We see a beautiful and defined soul emerge before God.” People are transformed into mighty men and women of God. We can trust that God can use us to raise up leaders for Christ and advance his Kingdom! 

S. Reiner Schauwienold gave a “Campus Message” entitled “A Genuine Servant of Christ” based on 1Co 4. Paul was a leader but he suffered in following Christ: no wages, no thanks, plus many painful difficulties. Leaders often want to teach but not learn. But Paul followed Christ’s servant example and therefore God used him in his generation and this one. Humility is the basis for God making us influential. We need faithful, humble servants of Christ for this generation and beyond. 

The last two main messages brought home God’s personal point. M. Jose Ahn from Chicago spoke on “Tent Maker Mission”. It emphasized that 1-1 is God’s plan for evangelizing the world. God began earth’s history with one man, Adam, and then one woman, Eve, and filled the whole world through them. God worked 1-1 with Abraham. One by one Jesus called his disciples to him. And God used one man, his son Jesus, to save the world. To God one person is the equivalent of the whole world.  

His point was that most churches do not do 1-1. Usually a pastor works very hard and is like the pilot of a ship. He says, “Sit there and I will take you to the Kingdom of Heaven.” But most people who come to a church as one person-30 years later are still only one person. But each person in the ship must row. If each one does something, then the whole ship begins to move in the direction God wants. This was a graphic image for me as I pictured a boat and only one person rowing. The boat was just going around in circles and getting nowhere. He said that one-to-one is God’s “cell division”. One cell in just 12 times of dividing goes from 1 cell to 4096 cells. Before this conference, I had decided my niche in UBF was to proof Bible study materials so that other people could raise up disciples. But God was saying to me that I also had to stay on a personal serving level and row with everyone else. 

S. Walter Nett gave the last lecture on “Elisha’s Desire”. Elisha had grown up in a rich environment, so being Elijah’s servant must have been somewhat humiliating. But this 1-1 relationship grew over the years. Elijah though truly loved Elisha and instead of wanting something at the end of his life, he wanted to give Elisha something. S Walter mentioned that Elisha asking for the double portion was not Elisha trying to be proud and become twice as great as Elijah. He was asking for the inheritance portion of the oldest son, a double portion meant he was ready to be Elijah’s successor-to carry on his God-given work. It is truly wonderful to have a legacy to pass on. The principle was that “Whoever wants to be used by God, should learn both from God and from ancestors of faith to the end. This is the secret of Jesus’ love: ‘love to the end.’”  

S. Walter said “Only the Spirit of God enables us to do God’s will and to serve God’s work.” Having the Holy Spirit must be our heart’s desire. And how do we receive God’s Spirit? We ASK. (Mt 7:7-11) Here it was! The answer to my being able to engage in 1-1. This very “ASK”  principle is the conclusion of my book, my advice to those who needed help facing cancer and death. They were to take a step toward God-ask God to reveal himself-it was to pray. But I was not taking my own advice to overcome my desire not to go fishing and have new 1-1 sheep. I have to grow in the shepherd heart of Jesus and I have to ask God for his Spirit. I want to be a part of the “row the boat” team and accept my responsibility to double ministry by 2010. This will be accomplished by God through his cell division plan of 1-1 for the world. 

I have always known that 1-1 worked. It forms such deep relationships in which both parties are richly blessed and can bless others. However, The closing message on Mk 13:10 helped remind all of us of the real impact of 1-1. God wants all nations to know about Christ before he comes again. At that time, all nations will see the truth, people will be collected to be in the new Jerusalem, and everyone will see Christ’s glory. This is the true hope of all believers. God wants all nations to be included so the gospel must first be preached to all nations. We may not think much is happening through us, but God is using those who preach the gospel as his history makers and he will multiply our efforts. Our direction is therefore to ASK and start a 1-1with our whole heart for one person. 

PART III: SPECIFIC PRAYER TOPIC

My one prayer topic is for me and UBF coworkers, especially our young people who were moved by God to want to engage in mission work; to see the value of God’s word and work through 1-1 and be renewed. I see young people in other churches going on trips to engage in a small building project and preach a few times in the streets. But it is only for a few weeks and then they return home. It is a nice step and gives some insight into missionary life. However, UBF gives us a very unique look at mission life through conference participation. We go to strengthen each other in the Word of God, have fellowship with our front-line missionaries, and mutually encourage each other. We see the work of God going on, meet new sheep, pray for them, stay with coworkers, see the unique features of different countries, and practically see the community of Christ growing in nation after nation.  We can picture our coworkers in their mission fields and cowork for the gospel by remembering them and their struggles. It is really so personal and exciting, and eternal lasting friendships are formed. My prayer is that Jim’s and my reports might show the real rewards of attending conferences and many will begin now to prepare to attend the 40th European Conference in Eringerfeld next August 13-16th.  

We are all invited! There is even a full advance program schedule booklet with all the necessary information and deadlines, including plans after conference for several tour package choices for those who have a specific mission field in mind. Please go along with us! Get passports, save money, pray for this event. Keep your mission vision alive. Everything will be in English and it is going to be glorious. 

ONE WORD: ADVANCE GOD’S KINGDOM-ASK FOR HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND START A 1-1 WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART FOR ONE PERSON!