Next Gen Revival - in Tucson too!
You might need to be standing up when you read this – the news is really a bit too good to be sitting down. Just saying.
Urbana - in Arizona
If you haven’t heard of Urbana before, click HERE to find out more. It’s arguably the most impactful missions conference in the US over the last 80+ years. And don’t let “missions” mislead you – the conference is geared toward young adults, with a goal of helping them be all-in followers of Jesus, no matter the cost. There’s a huge emphasis on those who’ve never heard the Gospel, as there should be. But there are millions of those people right where we are, too, so missions can mean following Jesus 24/7/365 wherever you’re planted.
The conference takes place every three years, and for the first time on December 28-31, it’s in Phoenix! Two members of my board point to Urbana as a life-transforming experience when they were young adults. Ask around among seasoned saints, and you’ll find more who share that testimony, guaranteed.
September 17 info meeting
God keeps introducing me to other John 17 fanatics around the country, all of whom get the connection between John 17 unity – loving one another the way Jesus loves us – and reaching those who don’t know Jesus yet. I am regularly amazed by the people I’m meeting in this season, and find myself sharing “you can’t make this stuff up” stories with my wife and anyone who’ll listen! One of those is Mark Matlock, the executive director for Urbana 2025. He’s coming to Tucson to cast vision for this incredible opportunity.
Best kept secret - no more!
I’ve been sharing with people for months that this is happening right up the road, and I think I’ve had exactly two people tell me they already knew that. Outside of InterVarsity circles (hugely instrumental in my daughter’s and son-in-law’s lives), many don’t know about Urbana at all. And those that do didn’t know you can get there without the extra cost of flights. So, let’s smash this secret!
Who do you know who’s a young adult?
Who do you know who works with young adults?
Who do you know who should be inviting people from numbers 1 and 2 above?
Wait for it… tell them! That’s your job! They don’t have to come on September 17 if they hear Jesus calling straight from the website and video. September 17 is a bonus.
And WAY more!
Urbana is just a conference. It can be a life-changing experience, for sure, but it’s still in the category of “seed” rather than full blown “vineyard.” I’m all in not just because I’m so tired of Tucsonans missing out on the good stuff, but because we’re seeing this as catalytic for:
Next generation unity
And revival
And contagious revival
Hold on to your seat
Not every young adult and those working with young adults in Tucson need to attend Urbana… but they should all have the opportunity! So check this out… we are:
Reaching out to every campus ministry we can find
And every church youth and young adult ministry we can find
Already empowering young adults to help lead this charge
Connecting to the next generation revival happening on campuses all over the country
Praying into several other next generation possibilities that are related to this (a youth version of John 17 weekends, anyone?)
And already praying and planning for what happens AFTER Urbana, when we pull the attendees together and say… “Tucson is a blank canvas. How is God calling you to paint on it?”
Second chance
And… in case you need more, check out MissionConnexion Southwest, November 7-8, in Phoenix. It’s free, it’s tying in to the unity revival happening across our state, Mark Matlock (and little old me) will be speaking at it along with others, and yeah. It’s worth your time.
