Did God just curse the latest worship of Samuel Lee? Well according to the ubf reports, we must draw that conclusion. One magical thing ubf people love to do is to look for signs in the weather. It was always odd to me how many times I was told that God blesses ubf so much that God even changes the weather for our conferences and meetings. Take a look at these recent statements in ubf reports to see what I mean.

God blessed us!

If you do a search on ubf.org for the word “weather”, you can read many cases of how ubf people look for signs from the weather. Here are a few examples:

“God blessed us with cool weather during the conference, even though it has been really hot…”
http://www.ubf.org/world-mission-news/asia/japan-united-summer-bible-conference-2014

“God gave us a beautiful and nice weather.”
http://www.ubf.org/world-mission-news/europe/switzerland-fall-bible-conference-2013

” thank God for giving us wonderful 3 weeks with perfect weather”
http://www.ubf.org/world-mission-news/europe/german-second-gens-sent-report-thanksgiving

“We also thank God, for he has given us beautiful weather during the conference providing us with a wonderful and safe environment to enjoy all the outdoor programs.”
http://www.ubf.org/world-mission-news/korea/korea-ubf-national-student-conference-2014

It is one thing to thank God for good weather. But reading all those reports by ubf people left me feeling they’ve gone too far, and are bordering on some sort of sign-seeking nonsense.

If God blesses, does God also curse?

Let’s just assume all those mentions about the weather are normal. They just want to thank God for good weather. Well what about bad weather? If good weather is God’s blessing, wouldn’t bad weather be God’s curse? The ubf mind is flabergasted when God doesn’t appear to bless one of their ceremonies. Take a look at this latest Samuel Lee worship report:

“On October 4, we held late Dr. Samuel Lee’s memorial service at a chapel in the cemetery. 130 leaders in the Chicago area, including 15 outside guests attended. On the day before our memorial service, we learned that the weather would be cold and that it would rain. But our God is always good. The cemetery manager allowed us to hold our service indoors. We praise God for this.”
http://www.ubf.org/world-mission-news/north-america/late-dr-samuel-lee%E2%80%99s-memorial-service

Note the comments I highlighted. The weather was bad. Yet the ubf mind cannot accept that this means God is cursing them. So they just say “But our God is always good”. The weather is clearly bad, and this reporter feels the shame.

On another note, notice how they moved indoors this time, instead of holding a tent worship next to Samuel Lee’s actual grave like last year.

Bigger Questions

Will ubf one day stop this Samuel Lee worship stuff? The man died in 2002 in a fire in Chicago. It was a strange event. He was reportedly trapped in a room, but someone told me the door wasn’t locked. Why didn’t he just leave the burning building?

Anyway maybe ubf people really should follow Lee’s teaching and “go back to the bible”. Maybe they should read Matthew 5 and the Sermon on the Mount again. The sunny days and rainy days are NOT signs of God’s blessing or curse. It is just sun and rain. There is nothing specially good about a sunny day at your conferences. There is nothing specially bad about cold rainy weather at your Lee worship service. The more important question to ponder is about what Jesus says here: How will you learn to love those of us who are now your “enemies”, we who have left your ministry with matters of conscience that you have ignored for decades?

“43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers,[i] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

Mark 7:5-16 ESV also comes to mind.