“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.” John 17:14,17-19

We are familiar with Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John being spoken of in the context of Jesus’s prayer for Christian unity. But Jesus does more than that in this chapter: He calls, commissions and consecrates his then and future disciples. We believe that is what God wishes to do with us this summer at the “For the World” conference.

What's Happening
The “For the World” conference is the first Kairos European Zonal Conference. Happening in Belfast in August 2018, it is a conference in three parts. The first part is a 5-day mission training school for student leaders (‘ACTS Week’). The second part is the weekend conference where 17-25 year olds involved with Kairos outreaches will look into being released for mission in their local situations and communities (‘For the World: The Conference’). In the middle of this latter conference, we have invited friends and partners in the gospel to join with us in organising and planning an open day entitled ‘Commissioned’ (the “third part” of the conference).

Having moved to Belfast this year to live with the Servants of the Word, I have had the privilege of being part of the team planning and organizing all of that!

The team meets weekly over skype. Having kicked off preparations in September, we are now in entering the final stages of recruitment of all the young people and student leaders who will be joining us in Belfast to worship the Lord and listen to what he has to say to us.

Blessings
There have been lots of blessings to working on the team, not least of which is getting the chance to meet and work with God-fearing individuals from many different places. However, the best part for me in all of that is the opportunity I’m getting to help prepare the stage for God to work in people’s lives. Having been at similar conferences as a participant and student leader in the past where I experienced the Lord powerfully and heard him speak to me, I am thrilled to be able to help build for this special moment in other people’s lives – the moment when each of our eyes are opened to see and understand what God really thinks of us and what he wants to do in and through us.

One very interesting aspect of the “For the World” conference is the open-day conference taking place on the second day of the weekend conference. This conference is a first in that regard. We have invited friends and partners in the gospel to join with us in organising and planning this open day entitled ‘Commissioned’. We are working with University chaplaincies – both Catholic and Protestant of varied denominations – as well as parachurch organisations 24-7 prayer, YWAM, Campus Crusade and others to prepare this day.  I believe this can prove to be a very special day. I can imagine a great number of young people who are not originally connected to the Sword of the Spirit joining us in coming before the Lord in pleasing worship and being built up in the Lord. Only time can tell how good of a venture this was. I believe this will be confirmed if/when the Lord reveals himself to all of us gathered there and speaks to us all together.

Challenges
Naturally, the preparations for the conference and my involvement in the team wasn’t without challenges. By definition, planning a conference day with partners and friends of the Sword of the Spirit involves starting from less established common grounds. On a more personal note, I have had to deal with cultural differences related to teamwork dynamics and approach to certain things, such as the way to formulate my opinions. This was sometimes uncomfortable.

In conclusion, I would simply reiterate my belief in how powerfully the Lord works when a group of people set a time to “retreat” together in order to meet him.

Pray
Meanwhile, may I ask for the reader’s prayers for the “For the World” team & the community in Belfast, for Kairos friends & partners working on the one-day “Commissioned” conference, and for the Lord to be preparing the hearts of all who are coming.

Jacques Noun is currently living in Belfast where he serves with UCO Belfast and Kairos EME. He originally grew up in Lebanon as part of the People of God community.

For more information about the Conference, please visit www.fortheworld2018.co.uk