Lecture Notes: Every Nation's Slogan and the Student Volunteer Movement

Introduction

• Speaker: Dr. Rice Brooks
• Focus: The slogan "Every Nation in Our Generation" and its significance to Every Nation's mission.
• Predecessor Movement: The Student Volunteer Movement (SVM)

Every Nation's Slogan

• Originated in 1999
• Articulated a 2000-year-old apostolic mandate for the ministry
• Slogan: "Every Nation in Our Generation"
• Intended to mobilize people globally to embrace the mission

Student Volunteer Movement (SVM)

• Described as a predecessor to Every Nation
• A significant movement with a global impact
• Part of the modern mission movement initiated in the 19th century

Origins of the SVM

• Rooted in the modern missionary movement from the Moravian movement initiated by William Carey
• Massive increase in Protestant missions in the 19th century
• Primarily from the United States, targeting university students as the mission force

The YMCA's Role

• Founded in the 1840s to provide spiritual discipleship services
• By the 19th century, the YMCA became prominent on American campuses
• Hosted a significant month-long bible retreat in 1886

The Mount Hermon 100

• Event: Month-long bible conference in Mount Hermon, Massachusetts, 1886
• Speaker: D.L. Moody
• Result: 100 out of 251 college students pledged to become global missionaries
• Sparked the beginning of the SVM

Formation and Growth

• Officially formed in 1888
• Motto: "The Evangelization of the World in This Generation"
• Rapid growth with significant student mobilization
• By 1910, significant optimism about reaching every nation

Key Figures

• J.R. Mott: Principal leader and mobilizer, connected students to missions, won the Nobel Peace Prize
• Samuel Zwemer: Missionary to the Arab world
• Kenneth Scott LaTourette: Missionary historian
• E. Stanley Jones: Methodist missionary in India, engaged in interfaith dialogue

Decline of the SVM

• Peak in 1920, but decline begins thereafter
• Disillusionment post-World War I
• Anti-colonial sentiments and modernist-fundamentalist debates
• Shift towards the social gospel
• By 1945, significant decline in signing declaration cards

Reasons for Decline

• Transition of leadership and mission focus
• Movement away from evangelical missions to liberal Protestantism
• By 1969, the SVM officially disbanded

Successor Movements

• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: Formed in reaction to SVM’s decline
• Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru)
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM)
• Every Nation Campus: Considered a successor due to similar mission orientation

Conclusion

• SVM serves as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale about mission drift
• Importance of maintaining mission focus and avoiding drift
• Prayers for continued campus movements and mission commitment