What began as a weekly prayer between close friends grew into a club, which is now hosting an entire week’s worth of mission-focused events beginning March 11.
In past years at Whitworth, the Global Servants club put on a missions fair. Last year, the club almost folded. Several members graduated and there was a lack of interest on campus. This year, junior Michael Bouterse became the president of Global Servants
“My heart for Global Servants would be that it would be focused around the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world,” Bouterse said.
With the new leadership and new members, the club had momentum, Bouterse said. The club wanted to utilize the new momentum in order to coordinate Missions Week, focusing on God’s work around the world.
“The theme is ‘God Is Moving,’” Bouterse said. “The idea is to focus on God’s heart for the nations and to magnify the
incredible works of redemption that he is doing around the world. Psalms 2 talks about how the nations are Jesus’ inheritance. Missions is about worship, about claiming for Christ what he’s already due.”
One key event is Tuesday’s panel discussing women in ministry, which will include two pastors, two missionaries and two students. Both perspectives on whether or not women should be in leadership will be represented. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions.
“I want this to be a calm way to discuss a heated topic,” said Global Servants vice president and junior Rosie McFarland. “Usually this topic is pushed under the rug or argued about. I want students to learn more, not just be inheriting their church’s belief.”
The capstone of the event is Friday’s worship night in the chapel.
“In reality, missions is about worship,” Bouterse said. “It is not about us becoming superhero Christians. Missions is about bringing worship to a God who is worthy in areas where that is not occurring.”
Part of the worship night will include a time of prayer.
“Prayer is the first step towards any outreach and relationship, both from us to God and us to others,” McFarland said. “We want to be worshipful and prayerful, which is the foundation for our faith and the global church and our relationship with God.”
Bouterse said a glimpse of God’s miracles working around the world is a perfect anecdote to selfishness and discouragement.
“The focus is what God is doing, not us being superheroes for Christ,” Bouterse said. “My prayer is people can see the events and have a fresh burst of awe at who Christ is and what he has done for us.”
Here’s what Missions Week will look like:
Buffet Sampler and Speaker
Monday, March 11
An around-the-world food sampler with samples from six different countries on different continents will take place in Lied Square from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Students will receive pamphlets with information about the country and God’s work in that location. In the evening Phil Arendt, who worked for Partners International for 12 years and has spent decades helping global church leaders, will speak on the changing realities of twenty-first century missions at 7 p.m. in the Robinson Teaching Theatre.
Missionaries will be visiting primetime in Ballard and Warren at 8 p.m.
Women in Ministry Panel
Tuesday, March 12
Pastors, missionaries and students will discuss women’s role in ministry at 3 p.m. in the HUB Multipurpose Room. Both sides of the debate will be represented.
Missionaries will be visiting primetime in Duvall at 8 p.m.
Missions Fair
Wednesday, March 13 – Thursday, March 14
A missions fair with 30 mission organizations from around the country will be in Lied Square and the HUB MPR from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students can hear about God’s work around the world and can get plugged in to missions opportunities, Bouterse said. There will be a dessert booth as well as a raffle for items such as hand-woven baskets, books and gift cards.
Indonesia Mission Team Presentation
Thursday, March 14
Students who went on the Indonesia mission trip will share about their experience and provide information about future trips from 6 to 7 p.m. in the HUB ABC Conference Rooms.
Steve and Susan Vinton from Village Schools International will be in Warren for primetime at 8 p.m.
Worship Night
Friday, March 15
A worship night and time of prayer will be held in the chapel at 8 p.m.
Contact Madison Garner at [email protected]
