Emerge Weekend
This weekend I travelled to Chichester to speak at Holy Trinity Brompton's Emerge weekend. Emerge is a gathering of 20-30s from HTB who are involved in leadership and service. There were about 350 of them there. To be invited by Nicky Gumbel to speak to this awesome bunch was a huge privilege. Standing at the front of the room I was struck that in front of me was a paradox. The Church is apparently losing young adults, cannot engage with them, and is unable to harness their gifts. Yet there was 350 young adults passionate about their faith, and desperate to serve God with their lives.
The Church of England would do well to ask how does HTB do it? How do they keep raising up leaders? Nicky Gumbel was saying this year they are releasing over 30 young leaders into full time ministry. (Hopefully some of them will come and train as Evangelists with us!)
It was a huge honour and privilege to be able to be there, and to encourage them with the Word of God. As I drove home last night I thought to myself, these guys really could change the world, and impact this generation for Christ.
4 comments:
HTB over many years has been a wonderful example of what it means to be faithful to Gods calling .From John Collins(and indeed a history of vicars before him)then under Sandy Millar,and now Nicky Gumble,we have seen a dedication to following the Spirit of God.
They were not looking over their shoulders,or trying to make huge claims about themselves.They had a humble determination to make disciples in the place to which God had clearly called them, and to welcome all who would join them.
I suspect that the emerge weekend is an expression of this faithful history.
Certainly our family owes much to the love care support and sense of being at home which HTB has given us over the years.
I was at the Emerge weekend and Mark's talks were just fantastic - and so perfectly timed for my life, it was incrediblel! If we could just spread this kind of teaching and the incredibly positive, God-led approach of Mark, HTB and other places like it around the whole country - and then the world - truly AMAZING things could happen! (they are already starting...it's really exciting!).
If you don't have the priviledge of being in such a church yet, though, PLEASE don't give up!! Perhaps God will call you to make that change where you are!! Just keep close to Him, read and learn - put in the foundations to your faith, attend talks and conferences if you can (and you can usually get recordings of them on iTunes as well) and PRAY! If you don't already have it, God will give you your VISION; and if you do have it, keep praying and He'll take you through it every step of the way and before you know it you will also be on an amazing journey for Him!!
I'm just starting out - and still making LOTS of mistakes - but I am TRYING and I am LEARNING and I am EXCITED! God is doing amazing things in this country, and how fantastic to be invited by Him to be a part of it, to turn our country and the WORLD around!!!
God is amazing!!!! Here's to hard work and change and more people giving their lives to Him! Let's go!!
Hi Mark
Great talk this weekend... you inspired many of us at HTB...
i remember you saying you were single?! I have a lovely friend who is 27, works for HTB and is an amazing woman of God!!! yes.. im trying to be miss matchmaker here, but i think she is a great catch. Let me know what you think and i can set something up.
you can email me back on: lois.glover@alpha.org.... i also have a possible request for you... regarding speaking at a conference in China.... please email me and i can explain more.
God bless mate. xxx
i remember the story of Enoch Adeboye, the leader of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria... whilst standing on a platform in from of 7.5 million people on lagos beach in 2000 had a chat to my old pastor Paddy Mallon. Paddy said - wow look at all these people, all here for God, they'll change the country! (or words to that effect).
Enoch turned round to him and said - if i can find 100 people in all of these people who really have a heart for God, we'll change the world. thats what my job is. (i paraphrase, but it was 100 people)
100 out of 7.5 Million.
wow
laul
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