Cairn Hosts Global Mission Week 2015

On Monday morning, January 16, 2015, Cairn University began celebrating its annual Global Mission Week. Despite the impending arrival of winter storm Juno, faculty, staff, students, and missionary representatives from various organizations gathered together in Chatlos Chapel to begin a week of focus on God’s work around the globe. The 2015 Global Mission Week theme was “The Church in China: Past, Present, and Future.”
This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Jonathan Li, pastor of Beijing International Christian Fellowship. With scholarly expertise and pastoral experiences, Dr. Li spoke throughout Global Mission Week on the church in China, including the historical development of Christianity in the closed country and the function of the Chinese church in its postmodern context. His chapel series addressed the topic of God’s calling, from using Abraham as an example of a faithful risk-taker to exploring the relationship between Christ and Confucius.
Drawing from Monday’s chapel, Dr. Li asserted that “faith is taking risks.” In Hebrews 11:8, it says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Although Abraham did not know where God was leading him, he willfully obeyed God’s call. Dr. Li challenged the students to be prepared for this kind of calling. “God may call you to leave your homeland to a Promised Land” he said. While we as believers may not always know our true calling, we are called to be faithful and act in obedience.
Other highlights from Global Mission Week were “Window on Culture,” which included a Chinese food demonstration and showings of Chinese movies. There was also a global worship session, seminars on student debt and serving God hosted by GoCorps, and a testimony from Cairn alumnus Philip Jackson (‘86) on his mother’s experiences in a concentration camp in China. Throughout the week, there were also academic and informal opportunities to learn more about Dr. Li’s life through fellowship, discussion, and interviews.
Global Mission Week 2015 was a successful week of celebrating the church in China and its tremendous growth during times of intense persecution. The Cairn community, as well as various missionary representatives and guests, was able to experience and celebrate the unique ways in which God is working all around the globe.