Urbana 2000 Convention

Urbana 2000 Director Barney Ford, the Urbana Leadership Team and all InterVarsity staff give thanks for God's good work at Urbana 2000. We rejoice that God's purposes were accomplished through the convention. Our Lord received worship from the multiethnic community who gathered in Urbana to declare God's glory and from more than 5,000 delegates who obediently responded to the call to join God's global mission. God was also glorified by the collaborative partnerships in mission that formed among ethnic-minority leaders who attended Urbana 2000.

Multiethnic Community
The community of 20,000 delegates that met in Assembly Hall for morning and evening Worship Gatherings* was the most diverse in the convention's history. Forty-four percent of the delegates were of non-white ethnic heritage; African-American attendance was at a record level; and Hispanic attendance from Urbana 96 doubled. Additionally, the program speakers, worship team, emcee, dancers and drama team represented multiple ethnicities and countries. Delegates identified with people on stage who shared their racial or ethnic heritage and were challenged to look at God's world from a new perspective.

Worship through Obedience
Over 5,000 delegates indicated on the Urbana Decision Card that they believe God is guiding them into cross-cultural missions as a vocation. These delegates have committed themselves to pursuing the next steps toward becoming missionaries. Nearly 9,500 delegates decided to serve cross-culturally for one year or more. Many missions agencies with exhibits at Urbana 2000 noted that students showed an increasing interest in long-term missions service.

Collaborative Partnerships
Urbana 2000 fostered collaborative efforts among ethnic-minority leaders in attendance. Leaders from Asian-American churches discussed how their partnership might advance the gospel globally. These Asian-American leaders also met with Hispanic leaders from COMHINA, a North American mission mobilization organization for Hispanics. The Asian-Americans shared how they have developed a passion for missions in their churches and helped the Hispanic leaders brainstorm ideas for how they can do the same in Hispanic churches. African-American leaders from COMINAD (Cooperative Missions Network of the African Dispersion) explored ways that they can begin to bring an emphasis on missions into the African-American church.

* Worship Gatherings are traditionally known as General Sessions. The Urbana Leadership Team decided to use the expression Worship Gathering because it is more in keeping with the spirit of the college-age generation, among whom God is powerfully using worship to reveal Himself.

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