This year’s Missions Conference will eagerly set the hearts of students ablaze to fulfill the great commission –– both at Biola and around the world.

“On March 16, 17 and 18, Biola University will conduct, for the 82nd time, the largest known student-run missions conference in the world,” said Michelle Welke, a Missions Conference co-director.

Conference to focus on Great Commission

With its theme “Set Us Ablaze,” derived from Isaiah 64:1-2, Missions Conference will promote a community that is zealous for God and fervent for worldwide outreach.

“It will be different this year,” said Rebekah Peace, one of the co-directors of Missions Conference. “We will be coming back to the basics of first, living out the great commission here, and then throughout the nations.”

Biola has joined hands with foreign missionaries, more than 100 missions organizations, local churches and illustrious speakers who will help with the event. Furthermore, they will be incorporating various activities as a means of connecting the student body with missions.

Conference speakers

This year, Missions Conference will feature three well-known orators: Kevin Humble, Mark Parker and Rev. Joseph Felix Kwesi Mensah.

Humble was a Biola graduate in 1985. After pastoring for eight years at Fountain Avenue Baptist Church in Hollywood, Calif., Humble has been devoted to planting churches among the unreached people of Indonesia.

Additionally, Parker, the national training director for Youth With A Mission in New Zealand, has a passion for discipleship and teaches in many Discipleship Training Schools around the world.

Mensah, the president of the Christlike Disciplemakers Movement, has been involved in making disciples since he was a student at the University of Ghana. Mensah will start the sessions off on Wednesday morning.

Global Awareness rooms to spotlight countries and issues

In addition to these speakers, Missions Conference’s Global Awareness staff will expose students to a first-hand, simulated experience of multiple conflicts around the world. They will feature Colombia, Russia, Paraguay, North Korea and Sudan, addressing heartrending issues like abortion, Islamic oppression and the persecution of the church.

Together, the Global Awareness staff have constructed skits and assembled volunteers in order to project accurate issues for each country. There will be a total of eight rooms in McNally, each with an assigned country and different global issue. In addition to these rooms, there will be a prayer room where students can meditate on their experience and lift up prayers on behalf of both global and local issues.

24-hour prayer room planned

The prayer department will be hosting a 24-hour prayer room from 7 a.m. on Wednesday to 2 p.m. on Friday.

“Because the theme is ‘Set Us Ablaze,’ the prayer room will serve as a prayer furnace on campus that will ignite a passion in every student’s heart for missions and the great commission,” said sophomore Malia Flores-Lacangan, who is one of the coordinators of the 24-hour prayer room.

Missionary speed dating

Missions Conference staff will also be running activities such as missionary speed dating. At this event, students will get the opportunity to quickly converse with missionaries from different countries. More so, they will get the chance to schedule a meal with missionaries, learn about their stories and get to know them on a personal level.

“What a blessing it is, to be part of a school that decides to cancel three school days solely to allow students to organize a conference,” Welke said.

Staff fasting to prepare

The anticipation for this event is so significant that Missions Conference staff members began a 21-day Daniel fast prior to the conference. This fast entails the rigorous dedication of eating fruits, vegetables, seeds, brown rice, oats and nuts only. On top of that, more than 80 staff members have been taking part in weekly meetings held with the purpose of making this year’s Missions Conference a success for the kingdom of God.

“Biola students are going to love this year’s Missions Conference,” Biola president Barry Corey said. “Its theme, ‘Set Us Ablaze,’ conveys the passion of this university and our students who are willing to take risks and go boldly forward knowing that their flames are ignited and fueled by God alone. When we come together to pray, to worship and to listen to those who have sought the Lord for their messages, powerful stuff happens beyond our highest expectations. Be prepared for an incredible three days.”