St. Louis

Faculty: The Key to Revival on Campus?

ashlye.vanderworp@intervarsity.org — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 18:20:32 +0000

Nathan Peterson

Faculty: The Key to Revival on Campus?

“God has assembled quite a few Christians here. I don’t know what he wants to do, but I would love to discover it with you.”

George Stulac found himself saying that a lot after joining ��ñ��’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries (GFM) as a Campus Staff Minister. It felt like each new Christian faculty he met in the St. Louis area would recommend another faculty contact he hadn’t known about before. Since starting back in 2015—after investing 38 years as a pastor—George has been able to connect with over 50 Christian faculty at his alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis.

The odd thing was that many of them didn’t seem to know each other.

George came to recognize this phenomenon as the silo effect. Simply put, many professors find it difficult to build relationships with other faculty outside of their department.

Dr. Jill Pasteris, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, speculated about the reason for this, saying, “We just get too focused and don’t reach out enough to other faculty, in part, because we are not sure of what common interests might bring us together.”

Several professors shared with George some of the challenges that come along with the silo effect, with the first, most obvious one being isolation. It’s also easy to compartmentalize, to see faith and academics as separate. Even when professors seek to integrate their Christian faith into their work, navigating university structures can be quite demanding. Others admitted to George that the influence and authority they held on campus set them up for temptations they were sometimes not prepared for.

Discovering Community

In all this, George recognized an opportunity to serve and help. “When I began to introduce [faculty] to each other, they began to meet together and build relationships,” he said. “I saw opportunities for collaboration and mutual help to blossom naturally among some faculty whose paths otherwise wouldn’t cross.”

George invited a group of faculty to Urbana 15, where they met together to hear from Bobby Gross, the Vice President of GFM, and Dr. John Inazu, a Washington University professor and ��ñ�� Board Member. “When they attended Urbana sessions, they heard about being missional people,” George said. “That seemed to stir a desire to do that together on campus and not be content with the silo-ing and isolation. [They believed] that there was more that could be done to have a redeeming influence on the university.”

Some faculty at Washington University in St. Louis returned from Urbana inspired to form an ��ñ�� Faculty Fellowship and begin meeting twice a month. “I enjoyed watching these faculty form friendships and initiate cooperative ventures together for a Christian presence and witness on campus,” George said.

After that initial fellowship was planted, he has continued connecting faculty and has helped to establish three more fellowships in the St. Louis area. George now meets with a number of professors individually for spiritual formation and also leads faculty Bible studies. “I learned so much,” one professor described their time spent in the Word. “I felt better equipped to understand the passages and got insights on how to approach Scripture.”

“George has supported my desire to be an example and share Christ in my academic work life,” said another.

Discovering Opportunities

More and more faculty have sensed the call to be more active in their faith. “Because they’re in positions of influence, [their openness about their faith] affects the thinking, the ideas of the university,” George said. “The gospel becomes more a part of the campus-wide discussion of what is true and real and good.”

At Lindenwood University, several professors have designated their offices as prayer stations, public places where anyone can come to pray or receive prayer. And when one philosophy professor finished his PhD, the fellowship decided to throw a party, inviting all faculty, both Christian and non-Christian. Around 30 professors gathered to hear about and discuss his dissertation on the existence of God. “They had a great time,” George said. “They loved engaging with each other.”

In many ways, the ministry taking place within these four ��ñ�� Faculty Fellowships parallels the greater work God is doing among St. Louis faculty.

“There are a lot of Christian faculty members who want to engage more deeply with ministry,” said Washington School of Medicine’s Dr. S. Joshua Swamidass. “When we [as faculty] can actually integrate what we’re thinking and doing, we can actually change how a whole field thinks about things.”

For much of his childhood, Dr. Swamidass admits he focused on “building [his] faith on the sinking ground of scientific arguments,” as he writes in his article “Finding Confident Faith in Science.” But over time, he began to realize there was someone bigger than science: Jesus, whose presence and power was greater than what he found in science.

Alongside his scientific work, Dr. Swamidass launched Peaceful Science to find common ground around questions of origin and science. He has spoken at many venues, like Urbana 18 and Veritas Forums, founded the nonprofit, and wrote the ��ñ�� Press title The Genealogical Adam and Eve.

Dr. Swamidass also is one of the faculty fellows at another nonprofit, The Carver Project (TCP), founded by faculty to “empower Christian faculty and students to serve and connect university, church, and society.”

TCP continues to gain momentum with faculty dinners and discussions across departments, professors coteaching and developing new classes together, and reading groups being hosted for students as well as mentoring opportunities being offered. The past two years, they have hosted Carver Conversations for the larger community, inviting guests like Tim Keller, Lecrae, Sara Groves, and Makoto Fujimura to discuss topics like “Christian Witness in an Age of Fracture” and “Baptizing Our Imaginations: Art and the Divided Church.” The next Carver Conversation is scheduled for April 3, 2020.

George has been thrilled to witness TCP’s development and serve them through leading Bible studies, providing pastoral care, and helping plan their annual faculty retreat. “George has been an indispensable partner to The Carver Project: his words and actions demonstrate again and again that he knows faculty, he knows Washington University, and he knows Jesus,” said Dr. Inazu, who is also one of TCP’s founders.

Reflecting on the future of his own ministry and God’s greater work in St. Louis, George has begun to gain a clearer sense of what the Lord may be doing by gathering so many faculty together.

“I’ve come to believe that faculty are perhaps the key to all the things ��ñ�� does on campus,” he said. “With their longevity on campus, compared to students who graduate, and by their positions of influence and respect on the campus, faculty have the potential to be the greatest influence for revival on our campuses.”

News Keywords

Faculty Ministry

Graduate and Faculty Ministries

St. Louis

Washington University

The Carver Project

Urbana 18 Underway in St. Louis

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 17:29:56 +0000

Press Room

Urbana 18 Underway in St. Louis

For Immediate Release

(St. Louis, Missouri) – Urbana 18, ��ñ��’s 25^th triennial student missions conference, has drawn over 10,000 college students and others to St. Louis for a 5-day conference focused on world missions. For 75 years the Urbana conference has challenged each generation of college students to find their place in God’s mission for the world.

“God is on a mission,” said Ruth Hubbard, Vice President of Urbana for ��ñ��. He is the one who invites us to join in what he is doing.”

Tom Lin, ��ñ�� President, said, “It is important for this generation to have a challenge. What does it mean to be a faithful witness, to model our lives after Christ, the faithful witness as we live our lives.”

Faithful Witness is the theme of Urbana 18, taken from the New Testament book of Revelation, which is the scriptural focus of the conference. Over the next five days attendees will have the opportunity to hear from more than 200 seminar leaders and 200 missions organization and seminary representatives on what God is doing in the world and the opportunities to get involved with what God is doing.

Morning and evening general sessions are streamed online at urbana.org from The America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Urbana 18 is ��ñ��’s 25th student missions conference, cohosted by ��ñ��, ��ñ�� of Canada, and Groupes Bibliques Universitaires et Collégiaux du Canada. ��ñ��'s first student missions conference was held in Toronto, Canada, in 1946.

For more information:
Gordon Govier
608/628-8609

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Missions

students

St. Louis

Urbana 18 Invites Tech-Savvy Students to Hack for Missions

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 20:13:50 +0000

Press Room

Urbana 18 Invites Tech-Savvy Students to Hack for Missions

For Immediate Release

(Madison, WI) -- For 70 years, ��ñ��’s Urbana Student Missions Conference has drawn students who want a life of significance and challenged them to discover what God is doing in the world and join his redemptive mission.

Some of the college students attending Urbana 18 at the America's Center in St. Louis on December 27-31, 2018, will be helping solve real-world missions dilemmas. About 150 of the 10,000 Urbana 18 attendees are participating in #Hack4Missions, which debuted three years ago at Urbana 15.

The #Hack4Missions hackathon at Urbana is codirected by Ali Llewellyn and Nick Skytland, who are also the cofounders of NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge and National Day of Civic Hacking. At Urbana 18, they will direct student teams made up of software developers, digital designers, project managers, and other technologists, who will tackle challenges submitted by missions agencies.

The Urbana 18 #Hack4Missions challenges include:

developing a drone navigation system to survey remote airstrips
developing an automated visual storytelling generator that will help people learn Bible stories in their native language
developing a project to monitor shortwave reception to help a radio ministry know how well listeners are receiving programming

Urbana also features specialized tracks, which include:

the Business Track, where attendees will explore how to use a commercial vocation to help people physically and spiritually
the Global Students Track, for international students, third culture kids, and others whose lives have crossed many borders
the Justice Track, for those who want to explore economic, ethnic, and environmental justice issues in a biblical context
the Ministry and Missions Leadership Track, for pastors, nonprofit organization leaders, and others who are already involved in ministry

Urbana 18 has more than 200 seminars. Urbana is an opportunity to learn from Christians who are on the cutting edge of many fields and contemporary issues.

Urbana 18 is ��ñ��’s 25^th student missions conference, cohosted by ��ñ��, ��ñ�� of Canada, and Groupes Bibliques Universitaires et Collégiaux du Canada. ��ñ��'s first student missions conference was held in Toronto, Canada, in 1946.

For more information:
Gordon Govier
608/443-3688

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Generations of Faithful Witness—All Saints Day & Urbana 18

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 13:31:35 +0000

Press Room

Generations of Faithful Witness—All Saints Day & Urbana 18

For Immediate Release

The Christian holiday All Saints’ Day, November 1, commemorates God’s faithful witnesses and saints of past generations. This year, Urbana 18—��ñ��’s 25th Student Missions Conference—will seek to catalyze today’s students to carry on this legacy of faithfulness. Urbana will invite them to join God’s global mission and more deeply consider what it means to be a Faithful Witness, the conference’s theme.

“For Urbana 18, we have chosen to challenge this generation of college students with the story of faithful witness in the New Testament book of Revelation,” said Úna Lucey-Lee, Urbana Program Director. “We are eager for God to use this biblical vision to compel Urbana 18 participants into deeper trust, wholehearted discipleship, and enthusiastic involvement in global missions.”

During daily inductive Bible studies and general sessions featuring Urbana 18 expositor René Breuel and a number of other global voices, students, faculty, pastors, and other Urbana participants will be challenged through the book of Revelation to live as faithful witnesses in several tangible ways:

committing to say yes to Jesus for the first time (for those who have not done so already)
serving short-term or long-term in cross-cultural missions
testifying about Jesus in daily life wherever he calls them

The rest of the conference will focus on helping participants receive and engage Revelation’s hopeful, challenging message and also gain a better sense of God’s global presence as they discern how they are being called to a life of faithful witness. Of the many unique opportunities Urbana 18 provides, some include:

200 seminars—presented by distinguished thought leaders, experts in the corporate world, and veteran missionaries—to provide students with practical guidance about joining God’s global mission through their vocations
an exhibit hall with over 200 missions agencies and seminaries looking to support participants in determining their next steps in their journeys of obedience
rich, multiethnic worship with thousands, praising the King of kings and celebrating the diversity of his people from every nation, tribe, and tongue
#Hack4Missions, a hackathon that invites 150 software developers, graphic designers, program managers, and other technologists to support missions organizations in their real-world challenges and opportunities to further Christ’s kingdom work across the world

“We are praying that God will give this generation fresh eyes to see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain, in all his power and glory,” Úna said.

For more information on Urbana 18, taking place December 27–31 in St. Louis, Missouri, go to urbana.org and register by November 15 for the early bird cost of registration, saving you $100.

Media Contact:
Gordon Govier
ggovier@intervarsity.org
608/443-3688

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Pastor René Breuel Named Urbana 18 Expositor

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 14:00:04 +0000

Press Room

Pastor René Breuel Named Urbana 18 Expositor

(Madison, WI) — René Breuel will be the Bible expositor at Urbana 18, ��ñ��’s 25th student missions conference, held December 27-31, 2018, in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the pastor of Hopera, an evangelical church in Rome, Italy.

“With his winsome but courageous confidence, René's deep commitment to proclaim the Gospel of hope in word and deed makes him a great choice for Urbana 18’s expositor as we study the book of Revelation,” said Ruth Hubbard, ��ñ�� Vice President and Urbana Director.

Urbana 18 will focus on passages from the book of Revelation during general sessions and manuscript Bible studies. “Revelation is unique and so powerful,” Breuel said. “I’m dedicating the whole year to studying Revelation, the prophetic literature of the Old Testament, and commentaries. I trust that the Word is rich and God will speak.”

Breuel has served as a student leader in International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) movements in Brazil, Germany, Canada, and Italy. He and his wife Sarah attended Urbana 06 as participants and returned in 2012 when Sarah shared her testimony.

“René’s ministry, which is both local and international, closely aligns with Urbana’s commitment to learn from global voices,” said Úna Lucey-Lee, Urbana Program Director. “His life is a crucial model for this generation of giving your whole self to God’s global mission. I’m incredibly excited René will be our expositor. He’s a faithful minister in the Gospel.”

Breuel joins the many notable expositors from past Urbanas, including A. W. Tozer (Urbana 54), John Stott (Urbana 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, and 79), Ajith Fernando (Urbana 87, 90, 93, and 06), Ramez Atallah (Urbana 09), Calisto Odede (Urbana 12), and Patrick Fung (Urbana 15).

Urbana brings together a diverse group of participants from across North America and challenges them to give their whole lives for God’s global mission. Through five days of multicultural worship, Bible exposition, and teaching from global voices, participants have unique opportunities to hear from God and discern their calling.

Urbana 18 is sponsored by ��ñ��, an interdenominational ministry with over 1,000 chapters on 687 campuses nationwide, and also by Inter-Varsity Canada and Groupes Bibliques Universitaires et Collégiaux du Canada.

For more information:
Joyce Hiendarto
urbana.communication@intervarsity.org
608.274.9001

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The Book of Revelation Will Shape Urbana 18

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 22:07:36 +0000

Press Room

The Book of Revelation Will Shape Urbana 18

For Immediate Release

(Madison, WI) --- The leadership team for ��ñ��’s Urbana Student Missions Conference has chosen the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, as the focus of the next Urbana, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, December 27-31, 2018.

“We are praying that God will give this generation fresh eyes to see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain, in all his power and glory,” said Úna Lucey-Lee, Urbana Program Director. “We are eager for God to use this biblical vision to compel Urbana 18 participants into deeper trust, wholehearted discipleship, and enthusiastic involvement in global missions.”

With this selection, Urbana renews its commitment to making Scripture the foundation and framework integrated into every aspect of Urbana. “In the development of the Urbana program, we select Scripture first and build the program out of it rather than pick topics and find Scripture to support them,” said Lindsay Olesberg, ��ñ�� Scripture Engagement Director and Urbana 18 Scripture Consultant.“This approach is an expression of our belief that the Holy Spirit is orchestrating God’s global mission of redemption and of our desire to cooperate with the Spirit.”

Since ��ñ��’s first student missions conference in 1946, more than 285,000 Urbana participants have heard the call to join God’s global mission. Billy Graham has said that half of American missionaries can trace their vocational call, at least in part, to Urbana.

“This generation of North American students may be more globally aware and connected than any before them. They long for justice as they carry the hurt of a world in crisis in their pockets,” said Ruth Hubbard, Director of Urbana. “Our desire is to provide a space for as many students, recent graduates, and faculty as possible to find or renew hope as they grow in their love of God, God’s Word, God’s people of every ethnicity and culture, and God’s purposes in the world.

��ñ�� is an interdenominational ministry working with more than 40,000 students and faculty on 667 campuses nationwide. ��ñ�� is a founding member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, which advances Christian student work in over 160 countries.

Urbana 18 is ��ñ��’s 25^th student missions conference, co-hosted by ��ñ��, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada, and Groupes Bibliques Universitaires et Collégiaux du Canada.

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Urbana 15 Commissioning Service

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 21:40:01 +0000

News

Urbana 15 Commissioning Service

Eleven days in advance of the opening of Urbana 15, ��ñ��’s triennial student missions conference, leaders and staff gathered at ��ñ��’s National Service Center in Madison, Wisconsin, for a Commissioning Service. "I'm excited about the fruit of our labor that we'll be able to see in just over a week," said Urbana director Tom Lin.

Tom compared the Urbana team to the Israelites, getting ready to cross the Jordan River. “We’re not quite there yet, we’re at a Joshua 3 moment,” he said. In Joshua 3:5, the leader of the Israelites tells his people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Tom noted that the verse doesn’t talk about persevering, or what to pack, or what not to worry about. “Consecration is setting ourselves apart completely for the Lord,” he said. “We’re making space for God to do his work in us, making us holy.”

Time was spent in quiet prayer as those in the service prayed for cleansing and for consecration for service at Urbana. Each Urbana team was then prayed for: program, operations, and communications.

��ñ�� president Jim Lundgren noted the disturbing news stories that fill the news media from around the world every day, news that he spends more and more time praying about each day.

“It feels to me that this is one of the most dangerous times in my lifetime to be alive in this world,” he said, noting how tempting it seems to be isolationist, to pull back from engaging the trouble spots.

“What I love about Urbana is that God is a global God who loves the whole world,” he said. “He calls us to take risks, to be people who bring the Good News of Jesus Christ, and what it means to follow Jesus Christ. Urbana is all about saying to us, and to everyone, ‘God cares about the world and we care about what God cares about.’”

Instead of crossing the Jordan River, many will be crossing the Mississippi River into St. Louis beginning about ten days from today. “The Lord will be with us,” Tom said. “I believe God will show up in powerful and miraculous ways that we can't even imagine, calling thousands and thousands of students to give their whole lives for God's global mission. I believe that God will send out thousands and thousands of students from Urbana 15 to tell the gospel story on their campuses and throughout the world.”

May it be so.

Audio from the commissioning service is available through ��ñ��’s podcast or our audio resources page.

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A Call for Prayer for St. Louis Churches

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:46:47 +0000

News

A Call for Prayer for St. Louis Churches

We’re grieved that as of today seven churches, most of which serve predominantly Black communities in the St. Louis area, have been intentionally set on fire since October 8th.��ñ�� has a significant presence in St. Louis, including our campus ministries, Urban Program, and the upcoming Urbana 15 Student Missions Conference this December. Though we do not know why these fires have been set, we pray for and stand with the Black community there as they experience fear, stress and uncertainty.

Michelle Higgins, a church leader from South City Church in Saint Louis who will speak at Urbana 15, noted today that whoever is doing this is having a grave impact on the community.“These are churches that are ministering in needy areas. North St. Louis is largely African American. Most Black churches will have a meal together each week, and many people who can’t afford to eat well regularly will get their one good meal at church.

Higgins called the Christian community to unite around these attacks. "This is a call for St. Louis churches to view one another as One Church, and not multiple churches. This is our opportunity to break down the barriers.”

As 16,000 people prepare to go to ��ñ��’s Urbana 15 in St. Louis, would you join us in praying for the churches and people of St. Louis? “We recognize that intercession and engaging the pain in the communities closest to us is an integral part of global missions,” said Urbana Director Tom Lin, ��ñ��’s Vice President and Director of Missions. “��ñ�� stands with St. Louis for the good of the world.”

��ñ�� is contributing to the fund to install security systems and conduct repairs at the seven churches targeted in these attacks.

UPDATE: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports an arrest has been made in the case.

News Keywords

Urbana 15

St. Louis

churches

Urbana Is Not Like Other Conferences

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 15:45:48 +0000

Press Room

Urbana Is Not Like Other Conferences

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Madison, WI) --- Urbana 15, ��ñ��’s 24th Student Missions Conference, will take place December 27-31, 2015, in St. Louis, MO.

In the 69 years since ��ñ��’s first student missions conference, the number of options for attending similar events has exploded. But Urbana remains distinct in its ability to call students to engage in God’s global mission and provide them with practical resources to respond to the challenge.

Read the rest of this news release at urbana.org.

News Keywords

St. Louis

Missions

Calling

Urbana 15 Registration is Open

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 18:01:56 +0000

News

Urbana 15 Registration is Open

(Madison, WI) – In a world grappling with ISIS’ aggression in the Middle East, Ebola in Africa, and border conflict in Ukraine, God is not silent. For Christians asking how they can share the good news of Jesus throughout this broken world, and seeking answers to difficult questions, the Urbana Student Missions Conference offers answers and a space to discern their calling.

Urbana presents a big-picture snapshot of God’s work among the nations. “My prayer is that Urbana 15 will result in millions around the world hearing and responding to the gospel,” says Urbana director Tom Lin. “The vision of Urbana is a mobilization vision—and it has been since 1946—to inspire and challenge this generation to give their whole lives for God’s global mission.”

Registration opens today for Urbana 15, ��ñ��’s 24th triennial Student Missions Conference. Urbana 15 will be held December 27-31, 2015, at the America’s Center in St. Louis, MO. Online registration is available at http://www.urbana.org/register.

Throughout the five days of Urbana 15, participants will study passages from the Gospel of Matthew through both in-depth Bible study and exposition. “We will hear and study different stories based on people’s responses to Jesus in the passages,” says Urbana program director Úna Lucey-Lee.

The Urbana 15 speakers who will challenge participants to find their life in God’s global story include:

Patrick Fung - General Director, OMF International
Christena Cleveland – Reconciliation Studies Professor, Bethel University
Francis Chan – Church Planter, World Impact
Evelyne Reisacher – Islamic Studies Professor, Fuller Theological Seminary
David Platt – President, International Mission Board
And more to be announced

More than 16,000 Urbana participants will engage with God through Bible study, seminars and tracks, and general sessions, and they’ll explore where their gifts may fit into God’s global mission. New to Urbana 15 is a technology hackathon, Hack4Missions, which will seek to create solutions for missions organizations under the guidance of technology and missions experts. Participants will also have the opportunity to meet with missionaries and leaders from over 250 missions organizations and seminaries exhibiting at Urbana.

��ñ�� is an interdenominational ministry with over 40,000 students involved on 616 campuses nationwide. Urbana 15 is also sponsored by Inter-Varsity Canada and Groupes Bibliques Universitaires et Collégiaux du Canada.

More information on Urbana 15 is available at www.urbana.org.

Matt Sally
matt.sally@intervarsity.org
608/443-3792
��ñ��
6400 Schroeder Rd. P.O. Box 7895
Madison, WI 53707-7895

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