Mobilise: Facing the ‘Next Generation’

Challenges

It is a rare thing to find a student conference which so openly welcomes the Spirit whilst completely honouring the Word.  It is certainly rare to find students and twenties being invited to join church leaders worldwide to be involved in an exciting world mission.  These are two things 1500 students and twenties experienced at this summer’s Mobilise!

Often we describe summer conferences as ‘mountain-top’ experiences. 
Mobilise 07 was more of an entire mountain-range.  Each session brought its own stirrings and challenges, yet together the various parts brought application to the exciting things
we were hearing in the plenary sessions with Together on a Mission.

The prophetic message that God is turning a brand new page for us in the story of Newfrontiers formed the backdrop to everything we heard at Mobilise; this was clear as David Stroud brought us an exciting challenge to prioritise the cities in mission.  Reminding us that the Holy Spirit consistently directed the early church to important cities, we heard: “Jesus didn’t die for clean air, he died for people! Go where the people are!” We need to see a generation who are content to settle in cities for life, because cities are where the people are.

‘Solomon without the Sex’ was the title of Tom Shaw’s main session, and as we looked at the ‘next generation’ challenges Solomon faced, Tom highlighted the importance of dedication in Solomon’s relationship with God.  In the face of responsibility, diving into ‘the vertical’ was the best way for Solomon to handle the responsibility he was given.  It’s still the same for us today! We need to understand our past, and be confident about the future which God has put before us.

The amazing blessing we received from Rob Rufus’s ministry in Together on a Mission was extended into the Friday morning of Mobilise. The challenge was simple; what are you building into your life so that in thirty years you’re still fresh for Jesus? Reliance on our youthfulness is not enough.  A complete reliance on God is what He is looking for, and that requires great humility.  The challenge was to have maximum impact for God in the parts of society He’s called us to.  Those in the arts, media, sport, business, law and others all need to be empowered by God for the mission He’s called us all to.

The Mobilisation Zone was new for 2007, and it gave many the chance to catch a glimpse of how our heart and vision is being worked out practically, both in the UK and around the world. Local churches from around the world gathered in the foyer of the Brighton Centre to help us connect with friends working into the nations.  If the main sessions and seminars provided the overall picture, the Mobilisation Zone provided the jigsaw pieces to help us start putting it all together. This mission is not one to simply get excited about; it is to be acted upon! And the message of Mobilise 2007 was that in all the excitement there is a clear strategy mapped out for us, and most importantly, a God to get to know!

The purpose of seeing the bigger picture is never that we feel belittled or alienated.  The purpose is that through Word and Spirit working together we are lifted to see a vision we could never otherwise have dreamt of, that we are helped to see the next few steps along the way, and that we enjoy a sense of the Father's delight as we follow into the unknown. The mountain range before us is huge and uncharted, but as we follow into the future it is times like Mobilise 07 which will help us stay the course.

Luke Wood is part of Life Church, Southampton. He regularly updates his blog. Mobilise talks and seminars can be downloaded for free by following this link.