Called Out... to Call Out!

I'd like to make a special announcement about the upcoming InterVarsity Black Campus Ministries conference, Atlanta 08-- a triennial event to advance black student leaders. I am honored to be on the prayer listserv for this event, and up until now it's been something I knew I should be excited about, but I knew very little of what to expect. Having been to the regional Black Student Conference for the Blue Ridge the past two years, as well as the national InterVarsity Missions conference, Urbana, I had some idea of how things might look, but none of the details.

The wait is over, my friends! The website for the conference has just been launched.

If I may summarize...

The theme, "Called Out... to Call Out," is based on the story of Jonah, the Jewish prophet called to tell a non-Jewish people group (the Assyrians: capital- Nineveh; relationship with Jews- not pretty!) that they needed to repent from their sin. Unfortunately, Jonah's important message, while ultimately effective, was initially hampered by his bitterness, prejudice, pride, and generally not-so-hot relationship with the Ninevites--not to mention the overall state of his heart.

The conference encourages black students to learn from Jonah's story in two ways.
1) to recognize the kingdom purposes to which God has called them, including, many times, calling others out, like Jonah did.
2) to not allow their calling to call out encourage an attitude of moral superiority but instead to remain compassionate and gracious, ready to reconcile and partner with others.

The speakers look truly fabulous:
- one that taught at Fuller Theological Seminary for a while
- one that went to Berkley and heads IV's Black Campus Ministries now
- one that is Zambian, works as an AIDS activist, and actually has HIV herself (she also spoke at Urbana 06--> aka, she's super-cool)

And lastly, my two absolute favorites:
- A man of South Asian descent that grew up in Africa and India and has done significant work with IVCF's Black Campus Ministries
- An African-American man that has done significant work with IVCF's Asian American Ministries and is on staff with a Korean American church.

How sweet, beautiful, inspiring, and thrilling is that?

This, my friends is why I love InterVarsity. But we didn't come up with it ourselves, of course. Which is why I also love Jesus. ;o)

Don't worry-- as time goes on, I'll give you plenty more incentive to go to this conference. Rodney, Keosha, & other Impact peeps... Natasha and Keanna... (Gosh, the number of black people I know still in school sure has dwindled, haha.) Rest of the world... Expect to continue to hear about this!