Students' New Year's Resolution: Change the World
An estimated one million people will revel in 7,000 pounds of confetti in Times Square for the new year. While the confetti rains down at one of the nation's biggest New Year's parties, tens of thousands of college students will be ringing in the new year with commitments to change the world with the gospel.
InterVarsity's triennial Urbana missions conference, Student Life's annual Clarity event, and Chi Alpha's annual SALT conferences will lead Christian students into the new year this week.
"This is a venue where students can come together for a life-changing experience," said Bob Marks, a U.S. missionary and missionary personnel director for Chi Alpha, according to the Assemblies of God News Service.
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The life-changing experience applies to all three large-scale events that will bring students more in tune with the Word of God to change themselves and to impact the world.
More than 22,000 students from around the world are expected to engage in Bible studies and explore missions opportunities at the 2006 Urbana event beginning Wednesday in St. Louis, Mo. This year's Urbana drew a record number of registrants and is expected to pump out that many more missionaries.
InterVarsity’s Christy Chappell said the conference is a great entrance to a lifelong missions calling, according to Family News in Focus.
In his New Year's resolution, InterVarsity President Alec Hill echoed what thousands of students will be devoting themselves to –memorizing more Scripture.
The challenge to experience God's Word will serve as the main theme at Clarity '07. With more people less familiar with Scripture, Clarity participants are signed up to develop a passion for God's Word and to live out daily the mission presented in the Word.
The mission for Chi Alpha students will be played out mainly on secular college campuses. SALT conferences across the country will engage students to study and preach Scripture on their college campuses.
"As they join students from other schools," Marks said, "they see the kingdom of God as more than just their local group."
