Passion for a “Great Commission culture” grows at Corban
November 30, 2009
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Keynote speaker, Dr. J. Ronald Blue |
During the week of October 26–30, Corban College & Graduate School’s students, faculty and staff engaged in their annual missions conference, now called World Outreach Week (WOW). Numerous volunteers and guests collaborated for WOW, including campus departments, 18 missions agencies, and TrueNorth Corps — the college’s newly established, student-run missions organization. Throughout the week, the college’s community members were challenged to align their lives with God’s global purposes.
The 20–25 active members of TrueNorth Corps, who started the Associated Student Body (ASB) organization last September, played a key role in planning and administrating WOW. “Then God did some things that went beyond what we envisioned,” said Paul Johnson, Assistant Professor of Intercultural Studies and Missions and adviser of TrueNorth Corps. “In everything we tried to do, we felt like He blessed it.”
The 2009 WOW theme was “A Hitchhiker’s Guide to God’s Global Journey,” which followed the overall campus theme for the year, Dedicated to the Journey. Keynote speaker, Dr. J. Ronald Blue, is an international speaker and former president of CAM International. Having taught missions at Dallas Seminary for 17 years, in 2000 Blue launched the first ever Spanish Doctor of Ministry program with Dallas Seminary and also at Seminario Teológico Centro Americano (SETECA) in Guatemala.
Connecting with students, faculty and staff through humor and biblical wisdom, Blue spoke in the weekly chapel services. Kathy Clarke, Communications Office Manager, said, “Once you hear Dr. Blue speak, you’ll make every opportunity to hear him again.”
World Outreach Week also brought ministry representatives to campus from all major people-populations on six continents. These missionary guests volunteered their time and shared information from booths, in classroom visits, at special evening programs, and in resident hall Bible studies. Two of the represented organizations minister in rural America, including one that emphasized Native American cultures.
The missions representatives, as well as Blue, also interacted with individuals and small groups of students in the dining hall. Johnson said, “Dr. Blue personally encouraged and impacted many as he talked with them at meals.”
LeAnna Bartholf, Vice President of TrueNorth Corps, was drawn to leadership of the new organization because she wants to learn more about what she can do to help with God’s plan for the world. After WOW she noted, “I really enjoyed having the different missionary guests speak. A woman from Wycliffe also came to my Bible study, and I loved the time she took to answer our questions and share her story.”
TrueNorth Corps continues to heighten student awareness on campus of national and global opportunities. Their next venture is to encourage student involvement in the 2009 Mission ConneXion Northwest on January 15–16 in Vancouver, Wash., at Crossroads Community Church.
Johnson said: “There is a renewed movement on campus to create a ‘Great Commission culture’ among the students, faculty and staff. We are praying that everyone who is part of the Corban community will see God’s heart for the world and follow Him in spreading the message of salvation to all peoples — whether that’d be to a neighbor across the street or across the globe.”
By Jenny Hirschfelder, Staff Writer, Office of Marketing & Communications
503-375-7005 | jhirschfelder@corban.edu
