Jim Tebbe, InterVarsity vice president of missions and director of Urbana, prays that Christian students and faculty know that God is the Lord of the world and that he calls all people to know him. Through a variety of programs supported by prayer, InterVarsity’s Missions Department and Urbana are instrumental in developing this mindset and commitment in students and faculty on America’s campuses.
InterVarsity’s Missions department includes the overseas programs of Global Urban Treks and Service and Lingua-cultural Global Projects, the domestic urban programs, both short-term plunges and summer Urban Projects, and the triennial Urbana Student Missions Convention.
All of these programs expand the perspective of InterVarsity students and faculty, giving them a broader view of their work within the context of God’s mission and purpose in the world. Jim says, “It is a compelling experience to worship God with people who are very different from oneself, to realize that they understand and are committed to the same gospel message and submit to the same Lord, Jesus Christ. An experience like this can expand a person’s understanding of God and how he works in the world.”
InterVarsity is also a member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), an organization of 150 national movements. Jim says this connection is also important in the development of world Christians. Through Global Projects, InterVarsity sends students and staff to work alongside IFES staff and students in countries around the world and hosts staff from abroad. Jim would like to see this reciprocal relationship deepen and expand.
The Urbana convention is a premier venue for students to learn about the current state of missions work throughout the world. Representatives from missions boards, denominations, and international organizations are available to help students understand the specifics of missions work in a particular part of the world and how they might help fulfill the Great Commission.
The program at Urbana includes noted speakers to challenge the students with God’s command to be his witnesses to the outermost parts of the earth. The convention does not give students detailed instructions on how to get involved with missions. The purpose is to allow God to speak and the student to respond. Jim has great expectations that as God works and people obey, a new generation of missionaries will emerge. People will respond to new situations in creative ways as God’s Spirit moves, and a new generation will respond to the message presented within their culture.
God is indeed larger than anything we can imagine. InterVarsity’s Missions Department is working with students and faculty to expand their understanding of how big God is.
