In early October InterVarsity’s senior leadership gathered in Madison to receive and discuss InterVarsity’s new vision statement. Alec Hill, president of InterVarsity, presented the vision of what we are doing on campus in the world beyond. Our vision is to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed.
Alec went on to explain this vision.
“There is no greater joy than to see lives radically changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers become believers, benchsitters become disciples, and disciples become disciplers. There is nothing more exciting than to see pleasure seekers become Kingdom builders, the passionless become flaming evangelists, the entertainment crazed become justice driven and the clueless become multiethnically sensitive. All of this involves transformation.
“We care not only about transformed lives, but about campus culture, curriculum, policies, student newspapers, faculty research, and other campus groups. We believe that just as God has used non-believers, such as King Cyrus of Persia and secular institutions like the Roman Empire, to promote His purposes through history, He continues to do so through colleges and universities today. Campuses are renewed through the movement of the Holy Spirit and by the incarnational influence of faculty, staff, and students.
“We yearn for our students and faculty not only to make a difference on campus now, but also in the world for decades to come. In doing so, we hearken to Jesus’ call for his followers to become salt, light, harvest laborers, and bold witnesses. In God’s economy, ‘world-changers’ include not only alumni who are serving on the mission field and in local churches, but also those who are faithful disciples in their families, neighborhoods and in the marketplace. World changers seek salvation for the lost, reconciliation for the broken, and justice for the oppressed.”
Alec sees this statement as helping InterVarsity staff in three ways as they labor in the field. “It paints a picture of the future, expresses our dreams, and stirs our passions. Second, it explains how our purpose, vision, core ministry, values, and commitments integrate with each other. Finally, it provides a brief ‘exposition’ of our reason for being on campus.”
The leaders left with a renewed passion for God’s work on campus. Please pray for them as they share that passion with campus staff and others.
