By Sophia Gage, CIU Student Writer
Challenging biblical teaching and exciting missional opportunities highlighted the annual World Christian Week at Columbia International University, recognizing the CIU core value of World Evangelization.
CIU alumnus, Dr. Raphael Anzenberger, executive director of the French-speaking Baptist Union of Canada, was the week’s guest speaker. He holds three degrees from CIU including a Master of Divinity degree, a Doctor of Ministry in Missions and a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies. He also serves as a CIU adjunct professor.
Prayer Day
World Christian Week began with a prayer day; instead of classes, students attended multiple chapel sessions. In the morning chapel session, Anzenberger set the theme as “Mission to the ‘Nones,’” young people who say when it comes to religion they believe “Nothing in Particular.” He also defined them as those who do not know what they believe, but simply know what they do not believe. This powerful chapel explored deconversion, particularly among Christian youth. Anzenberger listed the five main reasons those who grew up in the church deconvert, and acknowledged there were perhaps students in the audience who still have questions about Christianity. He stressed that CIU is a safe place for anyone who thinks they may be a “None.” He emphasized the professors on campus would be overjoyed to answer their questions and walk with them as they wrestle in their faith. He closed by saying that there is an Author of life, and that “… in the noise of the chaos of life, there is a gentle voice calling you home.”
Prayer day also was the first day that nearly two dozen mission agencies were on campus. Representatives from ministries such as Samaritan’s Purse, World Team, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Christar made themselves available to students who had questions about serving around the world and the opportunities awaiting them.
In an afternoon session, students broke into groups on a beautiful day in the CIU Quad, and visited with the individual mission organizations to pray with them. It was a touching scene as students learned about the various missionaries who serve abroad and asked how they could pray for them on a personal level.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, Dr. Anzenberger continued his theme of reaching out to the “Nones,” focusing on the secular communities that feel unseen. He explained the importance of having an established congregation of believers, as well as the unknown mission field on the streets and in foreign countries although the congregation there may be decentralized.
That evening was the World Christian Week party, where Mukappa (a club for MKs — Missionary Kids who grew up on the mission field) and various mission agencies offered fun snacks from around the world, while traditional songs from countries such as Albania blared in The Quad. The students also joined in on traditional dances from various countries. Students at the World Christian Week party reflected on the importance of raising awareness of international missions.
Andres Gomez said that hearing of these ministries “should inspire us to draw near to God,” since God’s view goes much wider than ours. Carley Floore saw the importance of raising awareness “because there are people out there who know nothing [about Jesus].”
Thursday
The final day of World Christian Week included a panel discussion, moderated by the dean of the School of Missions & Intercultural Ministry, Dr. Ed Smither. Joining Dr. Anzenberger on the panel was CIU Philosophy Professor Dr. Jonathan Reibsamen and Clinical Counseling Professor Dr. Ben Matthew. Much of the discussion centered around deconstruction and faith. Matthew said that the “silence of God is answered in the community of church,” encouraging anyone with questions about the Christian faith not to struggle alone.
The openness of the week sparked productive and heartfelt dialogue on campus.
See the World Christian Week chapel messages from Dr. Raphael Anzenberger on CIU’s YouTube channel or listen on Spotify.
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(Photo: Dr. Raphael Anzenberger speaks at World Christian Week. Photo by Noah Allard, CIU Staff Photographer)
