Urbana

"One of the largest student missions conferences in the world, Urbana is a catalytic event bringing together a diverse mix of college and graduate students, faculty, recent graduates, pastors, church and ministry leaders, missions organizations and schools."- from Urbana.org

Urbana is the largest missions conference in North America, and it is aimed at college students. The convergence of those statements fills me with tremendous pride. Every 3 years about 15,000 college students sacrifice 5 days of their Christmas break to travel to St. Louis and wrestle with their role in the issues and opportunities facing the global church. This is my 5th Urbana, and I have seen Urbana launch many students into missional lifestyles with Jesus. Here are the parts of Urbana that I see creating lifelong impact:

• Speakers from the Global church: Many students only hear North American Christian voices. As a result, their perspective becomes skewed. Sadly, privilege and wealth become synonymous with God's favor and blessing. Politics become intermingled with Kingdom building. By hearing from voices around the globe, students are exposed to what God is doing in house churches, in persecuted nations and in areas with a longer church history. Patrick Fung was our scripture expositor (he spoke several times, leading us through Matthew's gospel). He is the Director of OMF International (formerly Inland China Mission). His perspective as a global missionary, an international student in the West and as a medical doctor guided his talks and widened our view of what God is actively doing in the world. Check out his bio and talks here: https://urbana.org/bio/patrick-fung
  
  
  
•   Focus on the Persecuted church: Most Urbana's have a night focused on the persecuted church. We again had such a night; with powerful intercession, communion and the opportunity to write letters to persecuted Christians (check out a powerful rendition of "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" from the evening: https://urbana.org/message/i-have-decided-follow-jesus). However, that evening was far from the only time that we engaged with the idea of persecution. Videos told the story of a North American missionary couple serving in a closed nation where several missionaries have recently been killed. They vulnerably shared their process discerning to stay despite receiving no guarantee of safety from God. Several speakers spoke on unlit stages, due to previous threats on their lives. In short, Urbana proudly invited delegates to count the cost of mission, and believe in surpassing value of Jesus. 
• Multi-Ethnic Worship: The worship experience is central to Urbana. Much as we were invited to sit at the feet and learn with the Global church, we were also were invited to worship along side them. Not only were songs led in various languages and musical styles, but Erna Hackett (our worship leader and IV staff in Portland, OR) taught us about the history of the worship tradition and brought others to do so as well. The worship album is available on itunes and amazon (https://urbana.org/u15worship). Songs that are particularly meaningful to me are: "Africaribb Melody" (an African/Caribbean praise song), "Facing a Task Unfinished" (a translated hymn from China Inland Mission. Simply the most inspiring song of mission I have ever heard) and "Debemos Decir y Hacer" (a song from a college student movement in Mexico).
• Exhibitor Hall: As a missions conference, everything at Urbana funnels to one purpose: to invite and equip students to step into the mission field. The exhibitor hall was jam packed with missions organizations and seminaries from all over the world (a list can be found here: https://urbana.org/past-urbanas/urbana-15/exhibitors). While InterVarsity is the host of Urbana, the missions organizations inspire me every time. So many have given their lives to see the gospel reach the ends of the earth and edges of our cities. 

Brandon.

I believe the student experience at Urbana is unmatched. It is not just the size and cost (though both of which are substantial), but it is the sense that God is doing so much more than any student can imagine coming in. One student I want to highlight is Brandon from Eastern Washington University. Brandon is from Tacoma and school has been a struggle for him (mostly financially and the culture shock of moving from Western to Eastern Washington). He has felt lonely as a black Christian man in Cheney.  He came to Urbana because it was something to do, because he has persistent staff and because generous donors removed the financial cost. Brandon's expectations were blown out of the water in two ways: 1. he felt compelled to recommit his life to Jesus following an invitation from David Platt (https://urbana.org/bio/david-platt) and 2. he felt called to come on staff with InterVarsity to help reach other black students. It has been so much fun seeing Brandon since Urbana. He is committed to his call to reach his friends and reminds me that I am going to be his boss someday. 

One more note. 

Some of you may remember Erin O'Neil, a former staff partner of Donan's at Washington State University. Since leaving staff, Erin has been working as musician in Northern, then Southern California. She has continued to serve Inland Northwest InterVarsity by leading worship at two fall conferences and has also led in Oregon and for our Regional conferences. She was a vocalist on the Urbana worship team and led most of the Spanish language songs. It was such a joy to see her in St. Louis and to be reminded that though these students and staff are with IV for a season, they serve the Kingdom of God for their whole lives.