Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and author of the bestselling The Purpose Driven Life, will speak at the Edward Jones Dome on Saturday, December 30, 2006. Warren is one of the plenary speakers for Urbana 06. The evening is free and open to the public and also features Lisa Espineli Chinn, Director of International Student Ministry for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA.

Urbana 06 will host over 20,000 college students, young adults, high school seniors, pastors, church leaders and missionaries from around the world. They will gather this December 27 – 31, 2006, at the Edward Jones Dome and The Americas Center to explore opportunities for service and cross-cultural missions. Urbana is North America’s largest gathering of representatives from missions agencies and Christian service organizations.

The theme of Urbana 06 is Live a Life Worthy of the Calling, and the Community Night will focus on how we may embody this calling. The Urbana 06 Community Night service will begin at 7:30 p.m., featuring the Urbana Unity Choir, made up of musicians and vocalists from churches throughout the St. Louis area.

“This is the first generation that has the option of literally being world-class Christians,” Pastor Warren said. “Because of technology and the internet and transportation, you can go anywhere in the world within 24 hours. No other generation could do that.”

Urbana 06 is InterVarsity’s 21st Student Missions Convention. Since 1946, Urbana conventions have challenged over 220,000 men and women to share God’s love throughout the world.