History
Established in 1923, SMU has made steady progress in fulfilling the Great Commission. Original membership of SMU was divided into two groups: active members, who planned to serve abroad, and associative members, who prayed for and gave to the cause of world missions. In the 1930s and 40s, deputation teams of about six union leaders traveled throughout greater Los Angeles carrying out SMU goals and activities. The SMU prayer bands originated in the 1920s and played a crucial role in the union’s effectiveness. Over the years countless groups of students have gathered to pray for the nations, missionaries and the lost worldwide.
1940 In 1940 SMU had missionaries coming from all over the world to share with students. They also were having prayer bands and deputation teams.
1950 In 1950 SMU had weekly Wednesday night meetings during which particular needs of the world would be presented. Ten prayer bands would meet to pray for specific countries and needs. Finally, each Monday through Friday morning SMU would hold a prayer meeting as well as having SMU Gospels teams filtering out into churches on Sunday evenings. During this time SMU supported Biola graduates in foreign fields by dividing $6,000 among them.
1960
In the 1960s, weekly meetings continued in SMU. They also decided to undertake a task each semester, funded by student offerings. One task involved getting a bus for the Navajo Gospel Mission in Oraibi, Ariz., because the mission had been using a truck to transport the kids 140 miles away to the summer camp.
1970 In 1970 over 200 Biola students helped with the Watts-Mead Program, which was sponsored by SMU and World Opportunities. Some other activities of SMU during this year were helping out Operation Jericho, Ministries of the Hindu Stand Bible Institute, Christian books printed in Russian, and Children’s Orphanage Home in Vietnam.
1980 Into 1980 SMU prayer groups averaged 250 students. SMU also sent 130 students to four programs, which included: Fred C. Nells correctional facility, Mexican outreach, South LA churches and community outreach. Throughout the year 600 students involved themselves with SMU.
1990 Throughout the 1990s SMU started to experience a change in global factors as they considered how to best equip missionaries for spreading the gospel. The goal of SMU during this time was to break the mold of traditional missions and strive to expand the ideals of missions. During this time SMU saw a shift from an abundance of tribal ministry and personal limitations, to urban ministry and governmental restrictions placed on missionaries.
2000 and Beyond
As we have crossed into the new millennium SMU has continued to grow. With 21 staff members, SMU has five departments running: Short-Term Missions, Long-Term Missions, Prayer Department, Missions Conference and Publicity. Kingdom bands continue to meet, as well as weekly meetings with specific prayer focuses for the world. Teams are being sent out every interterm, spring break, and summer. Long-Term Missions brings in speakers to share with students the vision of investing ones life into spreading the gospel, and Mission Conference continues to run strong as a conference put on by students for students.
SMU continues to positively affect the student body at Biola University to inevitably reach the nations for Christ by going, sending and praying.