More from Urbana

We live in a global world; therefore we need a global vision in order for Christianity to make sense in our worldview. If you view Christianity as essentially western and non-penetrating into other parts of the world, it will ultimately make you doubt the truth of Christianity itself. How can the message of the Gospel be universally true if it is not universally taking root all over the world? Therefore, the testimony from around the world that the church is growing and is strong is one of the most tangible modern-day proofs of the truth of the gospel we have in this current age.

This revelation has a been a powerful piece of my Urbana experience. Seeing the church in action around the world, and seeing by faith what God yet desires to accomplish through His church throughout the world immensely strengthened my faith/trust and joy in God. In addition to new excitement for the global church, it has strengthened my desire to see His kingdom come afresh here in the US, and in the lives my family, friends, and co-workers.

In short, you don’t have a very accurate picture of the church of Jesus Christ unless you have a global picture of the church….the really smart ones see that right in the Scripture where it says “this gospel shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14). However, for slower ones, who don’t always get it so fast (like me), a jumpstart experience like Urbana can be immensely helpful in understanding God’s plan.