What is God birthing in Europe?

As core team leaders of NXT Move Europe and active members of the global NXT Move community, Marina and I are committed to advancing youth and young adult ministries across Europe. We facilitate the European Evangelical Alliance’s Youth and Young Adults network and help lead the European Youth Ministry Network, dedicated to training and equipping youth leaders to spread the gospel. When not traveling, Marina serves as the young adults and students pastor at Life Church Lancashire, while I contribute to the church's vision and strategy. Additionally, I am involved with 'The Way Studios,' funding 'The Way UK,' a ministry focused on reaching youth through social media. Currently, we engage about 7% of young people in the UK aged 13 to 24 with gospel conversations online.


What is God birthing?

Isaiah 54:1-3 serves as a prophetic image for Europe, depicting a barren woman bursting into song and expanding her tent to accommodate more children. This resonates with Europe's current state, where there is potential for growth and unity in creating spaces for the next generation. Statistics underscore the urgency: 38% of Millennials are leaving the church, 52% of teens never read religious scripture, and only 11% of young people in Europe are committed to following Jesus. Despite these challenges, there is immense potential among young people, with 80% of Christians deciding to follow Jesus before the age of 18. The Talking Jesus research from 2022 shows that personal connections and Scripture significantly influence young people's faith journeys, highlighting the importance of engaging with them authentically and sharing the good news. 

To summarize the current landscape, two key elements emerge: Boldness among Christians and Hunger among non-Christians. We are witnessing a 'bold remnant' of committed young Christians who, despite the challenges of the pandemic, wars, and cancel culture, have remained steadfast in their faith. This resilience highlights the significant impact of maintaining their commitment to the Church during such turbulent times. For young Christians today, openly identifying as part of the Church is a monumental declaration. Movements like Revive Europe and The SEND demonstrates that these young Christians are fully committed.

Furthermore, there is a profound spiritual hunger among those unfamiliar with God. This generation, more spiritually aware than ever, is searching for meaning. The success of The Way in bringing people to faith online is unprecedented, with younger individuals creating and sharing content that resonates deeply with their peers. This phenomenon mirrors the great catch described in Luke 5, where numerous young people are drawn to faith, often independently seeking out churches, reading the Bible, or crying out to God.

As Sarah Breuel insightfully questions, 'Is Europe post-Christian or pre-revival?' The answer lies in recognizing this period as an extraordinary opportunity, potentially the most significant since the Reformation.

The Pre-Christian Opportunity

I see Generation Z and Generation Alpha as "blank pages" rather than "burnt pages." Although these generations may have misconceptions about the church, they are generally open and seeking authenticity. This openness necessitates a shift in evangelistic approaches, allowing us to introduce and invite people to meet the real, radical, life-changing Jesus. Joining this grace revolution is an incredible opportunity, as integrating the pre-Christian context with diaspora churches is profoundly impactful.

The Gift of the Diaspora

The diaspora church, mainly from MENA (Middle East & North Africa) regions, plays a crucial role in shaping the young church in Europe. With significant migration, diaspora churches are growing and diversifying the Christian landscape. This trend underscores the importance of addressing socio-political issues like migration and climate change from a Christian perspective, aligning with the compassion of Jesus and the passions of younger generations.

Challenges and Opportunities

To accelerate the trajectory of Christianity in the next generation, we must recognize and address specific challenges:

1. Own Truth vs. Post-Truth Culture: Younger generations build truth in a 'pick n mix' way, valuing personal experiences. In a mutual respect culture, individuals accept each other's truths. However, when a young Christian declares, "I know 'the truth' [the way and the life], his name is Jesus," they often face the severity of cancel-culture. This situation highlights their struggle to find a more effective apologetic approach. Yet, in an experience-driven culture, perhaps a direct introduction to Jesus and personal encounters with Him may prove more powerful  than traditional apologetics. 

2. Cancel Culture: Being a Jesus follower is challenging in today's cancel culture, necessitating a strong apologetic and experiential approach to faith.

3. Social Justice Causes: Engaging with young people's passions, such as climate change and social justice can demonstrate that these issues are central to God's heart. This engagement can prevent young people from detaching from the church and instead encourage them to lead in areas they are passionate about. The church must ask itself what Jesus cares about and ensure that its actions and values resonate with the younger generation.

4. Harassed, Helpless, and Hopeless: Addressing the needs of younger generations with compassion and understanding. In Matthew 9:38, Jesus sees the people's needs and has compassion for them, teaching us to extend compassion beyond our understanding. As followers, we must also embrace this compassionate approach towards others. 

5. Understanding Their Loss: Acknowledge the significant life experiences younger people have missed in recent years.

What is NXT?

Looking ahead into 2024, our primary goal is to develop a community of leaders who support and invest in each other, creating a unified vision and strategy for reaching and empowering the next generation in Europe. Our approach emphasizes three key actions: pray, connect, and start conversations. By facilitating "NOW" conversations—"Not On Our Watch"—we aim to address the decline in Christian engagement among younger generations in Europe and globally.