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Empowering a
Generation in Mission
Members
from Kairos
in Europe and the Middle East
gathered for a
powerful weekend retreat in
Belgium February 2015
A New Generation with Power
for Mission:
reflection from James Mead
 This
was the first year I’d attended the Kairos
Weekend as a university student
missionary, which also happens to be a
season of my life in which the Lord has
been blessing me generously through his
spiritual gifts. It was for both these
reasons that I found the theme ‘Power for
Mission’ particularly relevant, and as a
result I now feel equipped to “make
disciples of all nations” as Jesus tells
us in Matthew 28.
Throughout the weekend, our speaker Jean
Barbara spoke to us about his own
experience of being empowered for mission,
and gave countless examples of times the
Lord had rewarded his faithfulness with
miracles and conversion. Taking time
separately as men and women on Saturday
afternoon provided us with an opportunity
to pray over individual members from each
of the represented outreaches, as well as
allowing for a time of fellowship.
As we gathered in the evening for our
prayer meeting, some older Christian
community leaders who had been meeting in
Leuven also joined us. Taking the
opportunity to pray and worship alongside
these brothers and sisters served as a
reminder to the responsibility that is now
being shared with us as a new generation.
A number of people following our prayer
meeting spoke about tongues of fire they
had seen being placed over our heads as we
prayed, which to me was a powerful
affirmation that the Lord is now starting
to fully equip his “younger warriors.”
Offering
It Up: Hearing a New Invitation
into
God's Heart
by
Cathy Holmes
I
have three main criteria for what makes a
good retreat: good prayer times, good
fellowship and a large variety of herbal
teas – and the Kairos
Weekend 2015 met all of these! This
was my first Kairos Weekend Encounter, so I
was nervous. I’d never been to such a large
event before. Despite there being 110 people
from all over the place, it was very easy to
settle in and make friends. Everyone was
open with each other, but more importantly,
open to receiving the Lord. Our theme was
‘Power for Mission,’ which helped us not
only to look at how each Kairos outreach
could adapt their approach to mission, but
also at how I myself could adapt my mindset
for mission in daily life. I came away from
the weekend on fire for mission. This was
incredible to me because I’m usually a “just
holding out the UCO leaflets because I was
asked to” kind of person rather than someone
who wants to actually open up, share and
bring Jesus to those who need him.
Something that
struck me throughout the weekend was how
strong every prayer time was, especially
during the women’s session and the
prayer meeting on Saturday night. People
prayed for and with us for a variety of
things from healing to freedom – this
was a very powerful time and the Lord
moved within every single person
present. I’ve given, or tried to give,
my life to God many times before, but at
the prayer meeting I was given the
opportunity to offer up my life again,
this time with new certainty. It was the
best thing I’ve ever done! I can
honestly say lives were changed this
weekend, not only for good, but for
God’s purpose.
Courage
to Speak:
Stepping Out in
Obedience and Boldness
by
Aagje Vander Plaetse
This
was the first Kairos
Weekend I had ever gone to. I
didn’t know quite what to expect. It was
definitely a new experience to pray
together with so many people – over 110
young people. It was challenging and
inspiring to be in an environment where
so many of us were using the gifts of
the Holy Spirit. I had prayed before to
receive the gift of tongues, but I
thought the few sounds I was making were
just me copying others in my outreach
who were speaking in tongues.
During the prayer
night on the weekend, I suddenly felt the
Holy Spirit ask me to speak out a prophesy
in tongues. I was so afraid! “God, I don’t
even speak in tongues! How do you want me
to speak out loud to the whole group?” I
held back, but then asked God to give me a
second chance to speak it, and the courage
to speak. Not long afterward, someone else
in the group spoke out that he sensed
there was a sister who had a prophecy in
tongues, and that this was the moment to
speak! I knew this was my second chance. I
decided to go for it. The Spirit gave me
courage and spoke through me. It was a
beautiful experience, and I was so
thankful for my second chance. It taught
me a lot about courage, to obey God when
he asks something. I also met someone in
my small group whom I was able to pray
with and exchange some advice for similar
situations in our lives. I know it was not
by accident that we met each other.
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