Hungry for More: Reflections from SEND, Leeds

By Naomi Fennell, YBA Young Adult Lead

On Thursday 5 June in Leeds, something powerful happened.

Young adults and youth from across the YBA came together for an evening of worship, prayer and vision at the SEND, a movement that exists to see a generation activated into bold, surrendered lives for Jesus. The atmosphere was electric with expectation, and God did not disappoint.

At least eight of our YBA churches were represented on the night: Blenheim, Moortown, Shipley, Cornerstone, Middleton Park, The Well, St Thomas Church and Hillsborough. What made the evening even more moving was seeing not only young people show up, but people of all ages from our Baptist family coming to support and pray. There was a real sense of unity. A shared desire to see this generation walk boldly with Jesus.

We heard lot of stories that stirred our hearts. There were testimonies of students encountering Jesus in dreams and visions, the kind of stories we might normally hear coming out of the Middle East. But these stories are now being told by young people right here in the UK. Jesus is revealing himself. Young adults are showing up at churches, completely unprompted, asking if they can come in. The demand for Bibles is rising. It is as if the Spirit is whispering to a generation and they are beginning to wake up.

One powerful moment was hearing a recent stat from Fusion, a student ministry that helps churches connect with university communities. They found that if a student is invited to church by a friend, 76 percent would say yes. Just two years ago that figure was 74 percent. The signs are all around us, students and young adults are open. They are searching. Many are ready.

As the YBA, we are passionate about championing young adults and youth, and this event was a beautiful reminder that we are not alone. God is on the move. Let us keep praying, keep inviting, and keep showing up for the young people around us.

You can find out more about the SEND movement at thesend.uk. Let’s keep saying yes to what God is doing