Even when he was confined to a Roman prison, the apostle Paul gave thanks. Writing to the Christians at Ephesus, Paul said “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” (Eph 1:16 NIV)
Highlighting these words from Ephesians (This letter is the scriptural focus of next month’s Urbana 06 Student Missions Convention), InterVarsity President Alec Hill offered “Seven Things I’m Thankful For,” in a pre-Thanksgiving chapel service at InterVarsity’s National Service Center in Madison, WI. The seven included:
- Chapter Planters – Expanding on 12 new campuses
“This represents three to four years of dreaming and envisioning,” Alec said. Among the new chapters doing well: Towson University, just outside of Baltimore and Maryland’s second largest university. The school is identified as Maryland’s growth campus. As it continues to grow, InterVarsity is growing with it. University of California–Merced is a brand new school in the California system and InterVarsity is there at the beginning.
- Chapter Builders – Growing the size of current chapters
From a New Mexico community college to Harvard University, 30 campus outreaches have taken on the goal of doubling the size of their chapters. Each chapter has a coach to help it reach this goal. “This is the heart of what we do and we’re now focusing on it,” Alec said.
- Evangelism – Welcoming students and faculty into the Christian faith
“I’ve heard it said that in the last 30 years we’ve never seen a harvest like this,” Alec observed. “This is just astounding.” He noted that 28-percent of those involved with InterVarsity chapters are self-identified non-Christians. InterVarsity has become more intentional about asking them to join the faith. On many campuses, such as Oakland University in Rochester, MI, InterVarsity is teaming up with World Vision to present issues of social concern as part of an evangelistic outreach. “There is no better model for evangelism,” Alec said. “The evangelical church has struggled with this false dichotomy for 50-plus years. This collaboration is a model for bringing it together.”
- Urbana – The world’s largest missions convention
With just over a month to go, more than 19,000 registrations are in for Urbana 06. That’s well ahead of previous Urbanas, and is possible because of the larger capacity of the new location at the Edward Jones Dome and The Americas Center in St. Louis.
- InterVarsity Press – InterVarsity’s publishing arm
Of the 50 most influential Christian books of the last 50 years, listed in a recent issue of Christianity Today, eight were published by InterVarsity Press and two more were written by former InterVarsity staff. Several more were by authors whose other books have been published by InterVarsity Press. “We’re 65 years old and we have this amazing publishing legacy,” Alec said, noting that InterVarsity Press publishes fewer than 100 books per year.
- Alumni
Two of note, representing many: Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission, spent four years with InterVarsity as a student at Harvard. “He is an InterVarsity product by his own definition,” Alec said. Mark Earley*, president of Prison Fellowship, was involved in InterVarsity at William and Mary in the early 1970’s. Prison Fellowship is involved in compassionate ministry and prison reform in over 100 countries.
- *Campus Access issues*
Working to restore official recognition of InterVarsity chapters on the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus and at Georgetown University “has taken a lot of emotional energy,” he said. “But I’m so thankful for our student leaders.” He praised the leadership on both campuses for the way they have handled the difficult situation imposed upon them by school officials. He is optimistic that both situations will be positively resolved in the coming months.
The chapel ended with a time of spontaneous prayer as employees of the National Service Center expressed their thanks for God’s hand of direction and blessing in the ministry of InterVarsity.
To listen to Alec Hill’s chapel message, click here.
*InterVarsity alum Mark Earley broadcast a Breakpoint Commentary on this same day focusing on Christian witness on the college campus and a book by recent college graduate Abby Nye, entitled Out of Water: Surviving and Thriving as a Christian on a Secular Campus (New Leaf Press).
