On Friday, January 18, a “missions-bot” visited chapel to make a special announcement concerning the Spring Missions Convention, held the week of January 21-24. The missions-bot encouraged students to attend the convention, saying, “It would bless my circuits if you come.”

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Joel Watson, longtime missionary and current SAGU World Ministries Director, opened the missions convention with the message “Changing Our World,” which integrated Dr. King, Benaiah, and missions.

“I’m not an idealist,” said Watson. “I am a Christian. I am a believer in a God Who can do anything. And I believe that I can change the world. I believe God has set us up to change our world – not if we can, but if we will.” Watson cited King as an example of a man of valor who stood up and made a difference when few had the courage or platform to do so. He also pointed to the biblical example of Benaiah, a mighty warrior who became the personal bodyguard of King David.

Benaiah’s perspective of history’s mistakes was clearly in focus and he saw the need for correction. According to Watson, “We as Americans in this nation, in this room, need to remember that there are others who are just as loved of God who had the misfortune of being born into another place, into another time, who did not have the opportunities that we have today. This world needs Jesus Christ and deserves to hear the truth of Who He is!” Christ died for everyone and we are called to be His ambassadors.

Benaiah acted despite the risk involved. God has not called us to be comfortable or to always be in security; He has called us to be faithful and to be true to who we are and what He has done in us. Benaiah was not intimidated by the enemy’s size or weaponry. His view of the enemy reflected that of the one he was serving. Because of this reflection, David knew he could trust Benaiah.

“If you look like Him, He will pull you close to Him,” said Watson. “You want to get closer to Jesus? It doesn’t always happen around an altar. You see, you get around an altar and that’s good, but if you want to get close to Him, if you want to be like a bodyguard to Him, go out and do what He did and He will see Himself in you and He will pull you closer to Himself.” Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

Watson proclaimed to students, “In you are the seeds of greatness if you will allow the water of the Holy Spirit to cultivate you and aerate the soil of your heart!”

The theme for this semester’s missions convention is “Future Trends in Missions.” Various missionaries are on campus, speaking in classes and interacting with students. Tuesday Billy Burr from Rwanda spoke in chapel while Wednesday’s chapel featured Jay Dickerson from Costa Rica. The convention will conclude on Thursday with guest speaker Tim Sutherland from Northern Europe.