Every few decades, the church has to rediscover itself and its purpose—who it is and why it exists. When the Urbana Student Missions Conference first gathered in 1946, it functioned as one of those rediscovery moments. Generations of believers have been called to see their place in God’s global story through Urbana. This year, I will be one of the opening night speakers for the students, but I’m also curating Urbana’s first ever pastors’ and leaders’ cohort, because we want to empower local churches and leaders for mission.
The Drift from Sending to Seating
In many church lobbies today, something is missing. We used to find bulletin boards displaying pictures of missionaries, with pushpins marking their locations on maps. But now we usually see branded conversation nooks and coffee stations. Branding, conversations, and coffee stations aren’t wrong (except maybe for coffee, which I like to say is bitter water for bitter people). But these things can reveal churches’ priorities—even trading their identity as sending bases for that of service providers.
Often, we measure church success by weekend attendance, giving trends, and program quality. I’m all for people attending church, giving generously, and churches doing things with excellence. I’m not against big churches. I serve one now as a teaching pastor in Southern California. That said, the most significant metrics of the kingdom are about a church’s sending capacity more than its seating capacity. The early church in Acts filled the upper room, but much of the story is about what happened when they left that room and went out on mission.
That’s why I’m really excited about this year’s Urbana 25 conference—and our new track for pastors.
Urbana’s Call To Re-Center
Since the first gathering of a few hundred students at the University of Toronto, Urbana has asked three simple questions that have changed many lives, and even the world:
- What is God doing in the world right now?
- What is God saying through his Word and Spirit?
- What does he want us to do about it?
Those questions still pierce the malaise of church busyness. Urbana 25 will ask them again—not just of college students but of pastors and church leaders. Because we all must decide whether we will invest in a sending culture or settle for institutional protection.
Urbana has been focused on mobilizing college students for mission. When students sense a call to missions or to live globally on mission, they will eventually return home and ask, “Will my church stand with me?” It would be tragic for the answer to be apathy or vague interest. The conference might ignite a flame, but unless the local church provides oxygen, the fire will fade.
God’s Mission Has a Church
As a missiologist, I spend a lot of my time reminding Christians: the church doesn’t so much have a mission as God’s mission has a church. From Genesis to Revelation Scripture tells us that God is redeeming a people from every tongue, tribe, and nation for his glory. The local church is not a cul-de-sac of worship but a launchpad of worship and witness.
Every few decades, the church has to rediscover itself and its purpose—who it is and why it exists.Click to PostA vision for the mission of God requires pastors to lead differently. Our discipleship must not just aim for personal growth, but for global mission. We must preach to form world Christians. World Christians see their neighborhoods and the nations as the field of their mission.
Practical Steps Toward a Sending Culture
Recovering this biblical identity requires intentionality and courage. A few practices can help pastors and church leaders intentionally and courageously develop a sending culture in their churches.
