My experience of Kairos events this year was somewhat unexpected: I had failed to realize what it would entail to attend a week-long event going straight into another trip four days later. Far from the usual experience of “Retreat, Recuperate, Repeat”, I found myself thrust from the rolling downs of Belfast country, surrounded by like-minded Christians, straight into the heart of Glasgow city center, offering prayer to some people who might not have had any experience of Christ except through the media. It was a challenging and eye-opening experience.

For me, Bible Week was very much a week of preparation. It was the time one spends in training before setting out to accomplish something amazing. It was the time one spends before the battle donning one’s armor. It was Aragorn giving his speech before storming the Black Gate, if the Black Gate was Glasgow and Aragorn was Don Schwager!

On the very first day of Bible Week, I received a word that I would leave Northern Ireland with a heart for evangelism. Th is word was confirmed for me during our introduction session when Tadhg, who was leading, picked three random people out of the audience to give examples of what the Lord would say to us during the week. “Mark”, he said, looking me in the eye. “You will leave here a changed man.”

The Glasgow mission was amazing in a different way. Until the first day of mission in Glasgow, my experience of Christian events that I had attended - I’d never been on a mission trip before - consisted of flattening out a nice patch of grass somewhere in the country and telling each other how wonderful we were. With regards to preparation for mission, that would be akin to charging the Black Gate with a toothpick.

As it was, we were fully fitted with “the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the readiness in our feet that comes from the gospel of peace.” Thusly equipped, we were seen safely through the challenging week of mission in Glasgow, from which we emerged tired, worn, but with a light in our eyes and a peace in our hearts that comes only from God. A special thanks to all the staff on Bible Week, to the Community of the Risen Christ who hosted and helped us during our stay in Glasgow, and to everyone in Kairos who made it all possible.