Ditching the Shallow: A Radical Generation at Urbana 12
I鈥檓 still in awe.
What would happen if this generation embraced a vision to give their whole lives to God鈥檚 global mission?
Exactly one year ago, 16,000 participants from diverse backgrounds across North America (49 percent were not White) came together to engage this vision at the triennial . After hearing the extremely challenging call to missions from Scripture throughout the five days, I was in tears as I watched thousands of people respond by committing to long-term and mid-term service. It ended up being the most commitments we had seen since 2000, and the highest percentage in several decades.
As students were challenged to 鈥渄itch the shallow,鈥 one Urbana historian shared that it was 鈥渢he most challenging Urbana since 1987,鈥 while others were reminded of the 1970s Urbanas, known for their clear focus on sharing the gospel with the nations. The powerful by Kenyan pastor Calisto Odede anchored the Conference, while God used the theater sketches, multiethnic worship, and artistic elements to clearly contextualize the message to the language and culture of this generation.
I鈥檓 in awe of how Urbana tackled some difficult topics鈥攖opics like and activism to gospel-centered mission, and not reducing the gospel to just praying a prayer nor 鈥渞educing Jesus to a puny Savior,鈥 as David Platt challenged.
The growing influence of the Majority World church was captured by testimonies from serving in Europe and preaching in Spanish, in addition to Calisto鈥檚 messages.
I鈥檓 in awe of this generation of students that engages action-oriented learning, like the live blogging and 40,000+ tweets at the Conference as well as Urbana鈥檚 first app (for the Urban Poverty Track). The innovative Launch Lab, an interactive place where participants incubated their missional ideas with the help of coaches and mentors, couldn鈥檛 hold all the people who wanted to participate.
The most interactive learning activity, which happened to be the biggest new undertaking of Urbana 12, was our . An amazing picture was painted that night: the floors were cleared, semi-truck trailers took their place in the Dome, and every participant used their hands to assemble a record 32,000 medical caregiver kits while giving hugs to the of the evening, a World Vision volunteer in Swaziland. I was in awe of how this generation鈥檚 hearts and minds were engaged, and how the elements of the evening came together to proclaim a powerful message: we are all invited to serve alongside our brothers and sisters in the good work God is doing through the global church.
鈥淭here鈥檚 something radical about the group of students at this Urbana鈥 was a phrase echoed by many organizations that exhibited as they interacted with thousands of students. 鈥淲e saw a passion for sharing the gospel that we haven鈥檛 seen for decades,鈥 they said. Indeed, over 6,400 students committed to leading an evangelistic Bible study after the Conference, a record number since the invitation was first given in 2006.
I鈥檓 in awe of this student generation that is so equipped to embrace rapid change and innovation, to cross cultures in their local context as well as the global context, and to resource places of need.
I鈥檓 in awe because as North Americans, we continue to be invited to play a part in God鈥檚 global mission. God uses the weak and the strong, the rich and the poor, older graduates and younger students, and the many who never imagined that they would participate in his mission, because it鈥檚 an 鈥渁ll-play鈥 mission. Every Christian student has been invited to participate.
Every Christian student is a missionary. ()
I鈥檓 in awe that God continues to use Urbana as a special place to mobilize the next generation鈥攖o call generations into global mission and into life trajectories that have not only brought others to Christ, but have also transformed our country and the world for the better.
I can鈥檛 wait to see what God will do at Urbana 15. See you in 730 days!
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