One year ago at URBANA '18
Wow, time flies! Just a year ago I was walking through the streets of St. Louis, MO going to the different seminars and sessions for InterVarsity's Urbana Missions Conference. What an experience that was!
Urbana is the largest student missions conference in North America which takes place every 3 years hosting more than 10,000 participants from all over the world. Apart from offering hundreds of different seminars on a variety of topics, there's a huge exhibit hall of missions organizations and Christian universities sharing opportunities and information.
Although I had attended the previous Urbana in 2015 as a student, this Urbana I was going with both my sister and mom. It was so much fun to share with them an experience that had been crucial in my time as a student, I'm really grateful to have gone with them!
Urbana offers different tracks, one being the business track. My mom and I signed up and enjoyed Bible studies and seminars focused on business and entrepreneurship in the kingdom of God. We also enjoyed mentorship opportunities over a meal where we asked questions and networked with Christian professionals.
Urbana 18's theme was "Faithful Witness" based on the book of Revelation. Thanks to this conference, my initial discomfort with it changed. Until then, Revelation always had seemed like a difficult book to understand and at times, a scary one. Before arriving to the conference, there was the option to go through an Urbana devotional on Revelation to prepare for the themes and further studies we would be diving into.
It was amazing to see this book come to life, to see the relevance and accuracy of its prophetic cry today, and to see the power and mercy of Jesus. Our worship continuously pointed and mirrored these passages. We sang in different languages (Revelation 7:9-10) and sang in choir to Revelation 5 and 19. I've left the Spotify album on the sidebar of my blog if you would like to get a glimpse on the worship experience!
There's so much left to share but I will end with my highlight for this Urbana. Before arriving to Urbana, there was an announcement inviting anyone interested to participate in a dance for one of the morning sessions. Although I had danced before, this was the first time I would be participating in such an artistic way for a Christian event.
The dance was based on Revelation 18 in the fall of Babylon. We represented the citizens of Babylon, excited and full of ambition to build towers that represented success and progress. As our towers grew, we soon began to fight each other, a parallel to the tower of Babel and a pattern we continue to see today. But by the time our towers had made it, we realized the evil that formed our foundation. Pictures of human trafficking, addictions, greed, death, and so much more, filled the base of each tower depicting the sin embedded in the bedrock of each civilization and empire (Revelation 18:3).
This was a heavy scene, and even heavier for us participating. As we practiced, the leaders made sure that we never lost connection with the relevance of Babylon in our lives. Before we had the presentation, the whole dance team gathered for an in-depth Bible study on the passage and we saw our own participation and benefit of Babylon. When the session ended, we got together for debrief and the Urbana prayer team came to pray over us. We asked forgiveness for the ways we have conformed to modern society and to the American Dream instead of the kingdom of God.
Apart from being touched by the dance, I was amazed at how holistic and intentional everything was. Sadly, similar things in churches can loose its meaning for participants and instead of viewing it as a means for hearing God, it becomes another show or performance, aimed at the viewer experience. I was greatly challenged to practice this intentionality with participants even among our puppet team as we prepare for each act.
I've uploaded a video showing the dance, hope you enjoy!
Urbana is the largest student missions conference in North America which takes place every 3 years hosting more than 10,000 participants from all over the world. Apart from offering hundreds of different seminars on a variety of topics, there's a huge exhibit hall of missions organizations and Christian universities sharing opportunities and information.
Although I had attended the previous Urbana in 2015 as a student, this Urbana I was going with both my sister and mom. It was so much fun to share with them an experience that had been crucial in my time as a student, I'm really grateful to have gone with them!
Urbana offers different tracks, one being the business track. My mom and I signed up and enjoyed Bible studies and seminars focused on business and entrepreneurship in the kingdom of God. We also enjoyed mentorship opportunities over a meal where we asked questions and networked with Christian professionals.
Urbana 18's theme was "Faithful Witness" based on the book of Revelation. Thanks to this conference, my initial discomfort with it changed. Until then, Revelation always had seemed like a difficult book to understand and at times, a scary one. Before arriving to the conference, there was the option to go through an Urbana devotional on Revelation to prepare for the themes and further studies we would be diving into.
It was amazing to see this book come to life, to see the relevance and accuracy of its prophetic cry today, and to see the power and mercy of Jesus. Our worship continuously pointed and mirrored these passages. We sang in different languages (Revelation 7:9-10) and sang in choir to Revelation 5 and 19. I've left the Spotify album on the sidebar of my blog if you would like to get a glimpse on the worship experience!
There's so much left to share but I will end with my highlight for this Urbana. Before arriving to Urbana, there was an announcement inviting anyone interested to participate in a dance for one of the morning sessions. Although I had danced before, this was the first time I would be participating in such an artistic way for a Christian event.
The dance was based on Revelation 18 in the fall of Babylon. We represented the citizens of Babylon, excited and full of ambition to build towers that represented success and progress. As our towers grew, we soon began to fight each other, a parallel to the tower of Babel and a pattern we continue to see today. But by the time our towers had made it, we realized the evil that formed our foundation. Pictures of human trafficking, addictions, greed, death, and so much more, filled the base of each tower depicting the sin embedded in the bedrock of each civilization and empire (Revelation 18:3).
This was a heavy scene, and even heavier for us participating. As we practiced, the leaders made sure that we never lost connection with the relevance of Babylon in our lives. Before we had the presentation, the whole dance team gathered for an in-depth Bible study on the passage and we saw our own participation and benefit of Babylon. When the session ended, we got together for debrief and the Urbana prayer team came to pray over us. We asked forgiveness for the ways we have conformed to modern society and to the American Dream instead of the kingdom of God.
Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
Revelation 18:4
I've uploaded a video showing the dance, hope you enjoy!
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| Urbana Exhibit |
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| My sister and mom |
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| Business Mentorship Lunch |
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| Urbana Dance |
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