u09 reflections & praises, part II: questions worth asking

What was the message that came through at Urbana 09?

What drew the participants to this Urbana? What did they leave with?

What do the students arrive thinking the Gospel is? What do the students leave thinking the Gospel is?

What is the Gospel?

Did we present the biblical basis for missions clearly? Was it heard? Or was it drowned out by prescriptive methodology?

What is the intended missiology of Urbana? What missiology was communicated?

What was our main message? Was it communicated?

Those were some of the questions that were raised after Urbana 06, and ones that I think we'll also address for U09 later this week at the Missiology Review. I think this will be one of the funnest parts of Program- thinking through the message that was communicated and the implications/effects that it'll have on the next generation of missionaries. In some ways, it'll be the most sobering and potentially heaviest (emotionally, spiritually) debrief meeting since the conclusions aren't only about "improving" the next Urbana, but about how it will be affecting the mission field for years to come. With that said, I think there will also be many occasions and stories to celebrate over, pray for and hope that God will multiply the fruits.

Today as I was printing out pictures of Urbana for the Review, I couldn't help but tear up. I wonder what happened to the girl who bravely stood in front of 16,000 others with the bright, yellow glo-stick. I wonder what her story is- how did she get to Urbana? What was her view of God and the Gospel? How did God prepare her for the morning session on the 30th? What did she hear? One month later, how is she living out the Gospel? What are the plans God has for her? I don't know her story and I may never hear of her again, but this brings me so much joy and hope- hope that what God has dreamt for her will be so much more than what she could've ever imagined it to be when she stood up with hundreds of others to accept Christ has her Lord and Savior on the morning of Dec 30, 2009.

For me, these are the images and stories that bring those questions above to life.