What do you get when you gather 1,000 evangelicals from 148 countries in a Mexican resort?
Nothing less than una fiesta grande: a plethora of culture and a little foretaste of Revelation 7.9: ‘…there before me was a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb…’
The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) – the umbrella organisation for evangelistic student movements across the world (of which UCCF: The Christian Unions is the British member movement) – created the stage for this gathering back in July.
Reflecting on vision and mission
The IFES World Assembly brings together representatives – staff and students – from the 150 IFES member movements to share the joys and challenges of student ministry, to be equipped from God’s Word and to reflect upon and shape the Fellowship’s vision and mission. Probably the most multinational event after UN meetings and the Olympics, this quadrennial conference provides a unique opportunity to meet brothers and sisters from across the globe and to understand more of what it means to follow Christ in the student world in other contexts.
In terms of resources, clarity of purpose and number of staff, UCCF is one of the strongest IFES movements and we are keen to share what the Lord has given us in order to strengthen the ministry of other movements. Yet we are also blessed greatly by the wider Fellowship, not least through the encouraging testimonies of bold faith in the face of hostility.
Ordinary heroes
Take, for example, Xu*, a staff worker in an East Asian country, who told us that since Christians have always suffered in his country, suffering is an expected and welcomed part of the Christian experience. He shared a remarkable story to illustrate this: ‘A Christian Union small group which met weekly to read the Bible, pray and discuss ways of reaching their peers for Christ, was arrested one week because their Christian activities had become known to the authorities. One of the group members had been out at the time and came back to find them all gone. When she was told what had happened she broke down in tears. People tried to console her, comforting her with the thought that her friends would probably be released in a few days. “No, no!” she cried, “I’m upset because God didn’t have me arrested too. Am I not counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Christ?”’
Or take Matthew* in Romania, who refused to pay the customary bribe to pass his university finals and was failed seven years in a row, much to the disbelief and anger of his family.
Or Chiago from Nigeria, a recent graduate who is using all his resources to root students in the Bible.
Or Rebecca from Sri Lanka, who is committed to making the CU accessible to everyone on campus, however much condemnation she receives from her own tribe.
Bow or burn
‘Bow or burn’ was a repeated refrain during the week, referencing the story of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. We were exhorted to remain faithful to the Lord, even if it costs us our lives: a very real prospect for many there. When I told Farouk from Baghdad that I often pray for his country, he looked serious and told me firmly: ‘Don’t pray for our persecution to end; pray that we will remain faithful and stand firm through it.’
How can Farouk say this? We were reminded that, whatever our circumstances, God is with us. ‘Wahamba nathi siyabonga Jesu’ are the words of a Zulu chorus that was sung many times during the week: ‘He walks with us; Lord, we thank you’. An acappella rendition of this chorus would sometimes start spontaneously in the auditorium after we had heard of a particularly tough situation, as a way of encouraging each other to keep contending for the gospel on campus.
With the world’s student population likely to double by 2025, giving every student an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ has never been more vital, and it is a privilege to share in this work with evangelical brothers and sisters from across the world.
