Passion and Momentum
From 19 – 23 August about 5000 young adults (students and 20 somethings) gathered to two conferences at Royal Bath and West Showground.
Firstly there was Passion for Your Name, a conference aimed mainly at people who were worship leaders, or active in worship ministry, be it in music, technical stuff, art or dance. Then there was Momentum, a conference specifically for students and 20 somethings.
It was a fantastic time, its always really moving being with lots of people worshipping God together. And what with living in the US now, it was interesting to see how God’s moving in the UK.
Of the conference delegates about 50% were students, 50% post university age/stage. About 70% had never been to a Soul Survivor event before. The vast majority attending weren’t from the big churches with lots of young adults in the UK, but had come with CU’s or small groups of friends from smaller churches. But everyone was hungry, eager, searching, working out how to do life with Jesus in it as Lord. It wasn’t so much about getting a vision of what could be, but how to live it now.
It made me think back to my fun filled 20’s. The move of God’s Spirit moving through his church that swept through the lives of many of us when we first arrived in Sheffield. We had no clue what we were doing, what God was doing, but we were up for it. How wonderfully messy everything was after that!
It reminded me of how the young adults stuff just seemed to explode at St. Tom’s when I was about 24, the growing sense of a community looking to do church differently. Then there was TG – the St. Tom’s hosted young adult gatherings that drew like minded peeps from all over the place. Then there was starting up Expression the student ministry at St Tom’s. Flipping fantastic.
You could see at Momentum that God was grabbing people’s attention again, calling for lives laid down again, inviting them on a new adventure. This was a new generation; in fact some of the delegates were 11 year olds in my youth group when I joined St. Toms! And alongside a new generation and a new season came a fresh (not necessarily new, what with it being the Bible and everything) call. This time the gaze was fully outwards. A greater emphasis on social action, on mission, on being sent out into the community as everyday missionaries. Of a church for whoever is out there, not just our friends, our types. It was a privilege to be a part of, to see where God is on the move.
And most importantly, it was a chance to listen to what God is saying to me today too.
Firstly there was Passion for Your Name, a conference aimed mainly at people who were worship leaders, or active in worship ministry, be it in music, technical stuff, art or dance. Then there was Momentum, a conference specifically for students and 20 somethings.
It was a fantastic time, its always really moving being with lots of people worshipping God together. And what with living in the US now, it was interesting to see how God’s moving in the UK.
Of the conference delegates about 50% were students, 50% post university age/stage. About 70% had never been to a Soul Survivor event before. The vast majority attending weren’t from the big churches with lots of young adults in the UK, but had come with CU’s or small groups of friends from smaller churches. But everyone was hungry, eager, searching, working out how to do life with Jesus in it as Lord. It wasn’t so much about getting a vision of what could be, but how to live it now.
It made me think back to my fun filled 20’s. The move of God’s Spirit moving through his church that swept through the lives of many of us when we first arrived in Sheffield. We had no clue what we were doing, what God was doing, but we were up for it. How wonderfully messy everything was after that!
It reminded me of how the young adults stuff just seemed to explode at St. Tom’s when I was about 24, the growing sense of a community looking to do church differently. Then there was TG – the St. Tom’s hosted young adult gatherings that drew like minded peeps from all over the place. Then there was starting up Expression the student ministry at St Tom’s. Flipping fantastic.
You could see at Momentum that God was grabbing people’s attention again, calling for lives laid down again, inviting them on a new adventure. This was a new generation; in fact some of the delegates were 11 year olds in my youth group when I joined St. Toms! And alongside a new generation and a new season came a fresh (not necessarily new, what with it being the Bible and everything) call. This time the gaze was fully outwards. A greater emphasis on social action, on mission, on being sent out into the community as everyday missionaries. Of a church for whoever is out there, not just our friends, our types. It was a privilege to be a part of, to see where God is on the move.
And most importantly, it was a chance to listen to what God is saying to me today too.
posted by Jo Saxton @ 11:31 PM
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