January 24, 2019 | By Nathan Peterson, Urbana Missions
Pastor Kevin George (pseudonym) still has his commitment card from Urbana 93 tucked away in the pages of his Bible. Ironically, the summer missions project box is both checked off and crossed-out.
That pretty much sums up how he felt about going to Urbana as a college student. He’d heard a lot about it, but the cost and a 16-hour drive stifled his interest.
However, many people continued to challenge him to go, and InterVarsity alumni and members of his church started making donations until his registration cost was covered. Chuckling at the memory now, Kevin remembers thinking, Wow, seriously? Now I guess I have to go.
Once Kevin arrived at Urbana 93, God began changing his attitude. As he stared at the thousands of students, all he could think was, Revelation 7:9. This is what it could be really like.
By the end of the week, Kevin felt the Spirit’s prompting, so he checked off the summer missions project box on his commitment card. But then he started questioning. He really couldn’t see himself going overseas, and besides, his parents would never let him go.
“I was supposed to grow up and follow the American Dream because my parents were very poor,” he explained. “I was supposed to have a big career and make money to take care of them.”
So moments later, he scribbled out his checkmark. For Kevin, that was the end of it. But God had other ideas.
“Urbana pretty much changed everything,” Kevin said. “You know when I checked that little box and then crossed it out, God held me to it. Two years later, I found myself in East Africa for a Global Project.”
As Kevin ministered to the people of East Africa, he sensed a growing conviction to go into full-time international ministry. At the same time, he still felt the obligation to fulfill his parents’ expectations.
“That summer I really battled with what I should be doing with my life. I wasn’t able to sleep much. But one night, there was just this peace,” Kevin said.
Along with that peace, he sensed God saying, “You should have died many times. I kept you alive for a reason. What are you doing with your life? You just want to live for yourself, but what about those who have never heard? They will die without hearing.”
By the end of the summer, Kevin had made up his mind. He finished college and went to seminary to prepare for his ministry. Today he looks back on his years of service both in the U.S. and North Africa, “So at times, it’s hard. You ask yourself, ‘What are we doing here? It just doesn’t seem like we should be here. This is so difficult. The culture’s so different. Everything’s hard.’”
But in those moments, Kevin takes out his commitment card from Urbana. “It’s a reminder for me in that whatever decisions we make, God will hold us accountable. It reminds me of my calling. I have to keep going. That’s how he not only continues to remind me but encourage me that he holds things tightly when we choose him.”
Thinking about those coming to Urbana 18, Kevin prays that “our new generation will rise up to take the baton from retiring workers because the work is not done, for others to hear the call in their lives and take on great careers and be witnesses where they work and really be change agents. May we live a life where he is glorified no matter where we do it, how we do it—it’s all about him.”