20150910 TEDS chapel Tom Lin

Summary

In this inspiring talk at Trinity, Tom shares his journey from aspiring for the American Dream to becoming a missionary. Married to Nancy with two daughters, he recounts his experiences leading the Urbana Student Missions Conference and his unexpected call to missions in Mongolia. Tom discusses the challenges of leaving behind wealth, family, and pride to follow Jesus' mission. Despite hardships, he emphasizes the blessings and fulfillment that come from committing to God's global mission, urging listeners to find and follow their own 'Mongolia' to bless the nations.

Takeaways

• 😊 Married to Nancy for 16 years and has two daughters, Abby (10) and Olivia (8).
• 🏠 Grew up near Trinity in Park Ridge and Niles, Illinois.
• 📅 Directs the Urbana Student Missions Conference, the largest student missions conference in the world.
• 🌍 Emphasizes the significance of missions and calls to reconsider personal priorities in favor of global missions.
• 🧑‍🎓 Was initially focused on the American dream and a high-achieving career but felt called to missions.
• ✝️ Discussed the story of the rich young ruler from Mark 10, highlighting the difficulty of leaving behind wealth and status.
• 💼 Identifies future wealth, relational wealth, and pride as the main obstacles to committing to missions.
• 👪 Shares personal challenges, including strained relationships with his parents over his decision to pursue missions.
• ❄️ Spent four years in Mongolia, dealing with extreme conditions and pioneering an evangelical student movement.
• 🙏 Encourages others to follow God's call to missions, whether locally or globally, and to embrace humility and dependency on God.

Q & A

Who is the speaker and what is his connection to the local area?

The speaker is Tom, who is married to his wife Nancy for 16 years. He grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois, and Niles, Illinois, which are just a few miles from where the speech is being given.

What are some key details about the speaker's family?

Tom has two daughters, Abby and Olivia. Abby is 10 years old and Olivia is 8 years old.

What is the Urbana Student Missions Conference and what is its significance?

The Urbana Student Missions Conference is the largest student missions conference in the world, expecting 16,000 to 20,000 students every three years. It has been taking place since 1946 and is known for inspiring many missionaries, as noted by Billy Graham.

What did the speaker initially believe about missionaries and how did this perception change?

The speaker initially believed that missionaries were strange people who had nothing better to do and were only for super spiritual individuals. His perception changed through his experiences and calling, realizing the importance and impact of missionary work.

What does the speaker discuss in relation to the story of the rich young ruler in Mark chapter 10?

The speaker relates his personal journey to the story of the rich young ruler, emphasizing the challenge of giving up material wealth and societal expectations to follow Jesus' call to mission work.

What were the three categories of 'wealth' or 'idols' the speaker struggled with?

The three categories were future wealth (careers and money), relational wealth (relationships with family), and pride (desire to be known and remembered).

How did the speaker's parents initially react to his decision to pursue missions?

The speaker's parents argued with him, pleaded with him not to pursue missions, and even threatened to harm themselves. They cut off communication with him for many years.

What significant life change did the speaker and his family make, and how did it challenge them?

The speaker and his family moved to Mongolia to pioneer an evangelical student movement. This move was challenging due to the extreme poverty, harsh climate, and cultural differences.

How did the speaker describe the transformation in his understanding of mission work?

The speaker realized that mission work required humility and serving from a position of weakness, rather than strength and pride. This shift in understanding was significant in his approach to missionary work.

What was the outcome of the speaker's reconciliation with his mother before she passed away?

The speaker's mother apologized to him, asking for forgiveness for not supporting his missionary work, which led to their reconciliation before her passing.

What was the main message the speaker wanted to convey to the audience about mission work?

The speaker emphasized the importance of being willing to give up personal wealth, relationships, and pride to follow Jesus' call to mission work. He encouraged the audience to consider where their 'Mongolia' might be and to embrace the challenges and blessings of mission work.