Urbana, as an event..

Urbana was quite an event.
I'm still not sure how I was able to go because we did not raise enough funds for everyone. Last check we had between $1-2000 raised of a needed $1800 per person. At any rate , God must have pushed someone to provide.

Upon arriving at the American Conference Center in downtown Saint Louis I could not help but notice the feeling of overwhelming excess. No doubt we are all here gathered in the name of Jesus. No doubt it says in Matthew:
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:19, 20 ESV)

In all likelihood with less conservative estimates people likely spend between 20 to 30 million dollars to attend this conference, and it happens every three years. For **calculations see below.

I truly did not intend for this post to be a bag on Urbana rant and that is not the goal here. The conference is a great effort to educate and motivate people of all generations toward missions. However, I do believe it to be completely unnecessary if people were truly, literally following Jesus and discipling young people to do likewise.

When asked by the disciples why He showed himself to them and not to the world He replies that those who love Him will obey his commands, that His and the Fathers love will rest on them. Furthermore,
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26 ESV)

So He tells them if you love me, you will show me to the world, my Father will even send a Helper to guide you, remind you of everything I said, that it is better that I go so the Holy Spirit can come! (John 16) The Spirit of the Lord fueled the ministry of Jesus and was all that was necessary in acting and speaking exactly as the Father would. (John 14:8..)

All that is necessary is to seek Him in the secret place, to know Him and to follow Him. To obey not out of obligation for that would be neither easy or light, but out of the love that can only come of knowing Him.

We don't need motivational speeches, we need a generation that seeks His face and recognizes the great adventure of life abundant which is knowing our Father, through our brother Jesus Christ.

What good all that money could do going toward organizations, communities and families around the world that could so desperately use it.




**16,000 to 18,000 people attended and paid at least $400 conference fee. People need hotel rooms, lets say one for every four people at a conservative $120/night for 5 nights turns out 4,000 rooms. I believe that's a conservative estimate as I believe the most people that shared a room in our group was 3 people. 16,000 X $400= $6,400,000 minimum for conference costs. Keep in mind I'm not a college student so the admission was $500. 4,000 X $600 = $2,400,000 as a conservative estimate for hotel fees. Right now we are at $8,800,000 with no airfare calculated in. Some people drove, I personally talked to several that did, so lets make a conservative airfare estimate to factor out the people that did drive. Lets say $300 round trip per person, I think it was closer to $5 or $600 for us. 16,000 X $300 = $4,800,000. So, the grand total very conservative estimate paid just by the people attending that goes toward putting on the conference or funding of the intervarsity organization is $13,600,000. Food was not calculated in meaning in all likelihood with less conservative estimates people likely spend between 20 to 30 million dollars to attend this conference, and it happens every three years.