From December 27-31, 2009, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship hosted the URBANA 09 conference. Some 16,000 students descended upon a cold and blustery St. Louis, MO.  Urbana events were held in the colossal Edward Jones Dome and The America's Center. Seminars, small group meetings and Bible studies were held in various downtown hotels within walking distance from the Dome.Those attending heard from speakers such as Ramez Atallah, general secretary of the Bible Society of Egypt; Ruth Padilla Deborst, general secretary of the Latin American Theological Fellowship; and Patrick Fung, general director of Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) International.

URBANA 09 focused on four pressing global issues currently faced by those active in missions around the world: the movement of peoples, money in terms of missions funding, environmental stewardship, and divisions between peoples.

TEAM, along with 300 other missions, schools and not-for-profits, set up displays in the hangar-sized exhibit hall. This year TEAM was well represented with sixteen staff people all wearing bright red "RedZone" t-shirts. The RedZone display and materials turned out to be a huge success in terms of creating "buzz" and serving as a great conversation starter.  The Information Desk reported several students inquired about a mission called "RedZone." Many came by after being told by their friends that "RedZone" was the "coolest" display and they needed to see the graphic layout. One passer-by, a professional graphic artist, dropped off his business card and inquired about the creative genius behind the idea. Kudos to TEAM's Robert Johnson for his eye-catching display!

This year, keeping track of contacts was accomplished with high-tech savvy.  Every exhibitor was given a scanner which, when pointed at the student's name badge, provided the exhibitor with name, address, telephone and e-mail information. TEAM missions coaches would interact with the students, evaluate their readiness and vision level for ministry, pray with them and then "hit" them with the scan gun. The scanner then printed out the information which staff then attached to a card containing information gathered about that individual. When the event came to a close, Irene Mellema, the URBANA TEAM leader, counted up 700 cards which are currently being followed up! God alone knows the impact URBANA 09 will have on getting new missionaries out to the field. As for me, I can only praise God for once again doing "above and beyond anything we could have asked or imagined! (Eph 3:20)"

Mark. W. Clark
Director of Mobilization

 

For more information, visit the Urbana 09 website.