I hang on his every word with eager anticipation. His words inspire hope and provoke thought. In mid-August, Andreas Nordli traveled from YWAM Norway to Lausanne to speak at the YWAM Switzerland staff meeting to an audience of about 80 people of various ages and nationalities. I’d like to share some of his thoughts and testimonies—mixed with my own comments—with you.
Is there hope for Europe? Or are God and the Christian faith being increasingly pushed out of our society and replaced by a different set of ideas? And is there even a future for a mission movement like YWAM?
When we look back over the last few centuries, there have been repeated spiritual revivals that often came in waves. They were sparked by revivalist preachers who mobilized masses of people, or by newly formed groups that radically followed God in their own way. These revivals often leveled off again after a few years, or the movements dissolved. “Why didn’t that passion for God last on such a large scale and continue?” Andreas once asked a man who had been part of such a group in his youth and had followed God with great enthusiasm. The man replied that they had never learned how to live out their faith together with their children in their newly formed families and make God relevant to everyday life. At that time, it was common to distance oneself from one’s own parents and their beliefs and to walk the path of faith independently of the older generation.
What keeps the Christian faith alive in a society across multiple generations? According to a monk with whom Andreas once spoke, it is small groups that study God’s Word together, pray, and foster fellowship. This communal journey is often the key to sparking a new spiritual awakening. In his view, YWAM—as a community-based movement with various locations—is certainly relevant!
“God is dead!” and other provocative statements frequently graced the headlines a few decades ago, calling the Christian faith into question. For several years now, a noticeable shift in this regard has been evident, particularly in Northern Europe.
There seems to be a new awakening, especially among the younger generation. Not a large, obvious revival, but many small revivals among individuals or small groups who are earnestly following Jesus in their daily lives.
This “quiet awakening” has not gone unnoticed by the media either: The last World Cup was perceived as one of the most devout. No wonder, when believing soccer players from both teams stand together after a match and pray together or testify to their faith in Jesus in interviews. Today, there are many young Christians who also share their faith on social media. On the cover of a government-run magazine, Jesus was recently described as the greatest influencer. In Europe, we are dealing with a young generation that once again longs for tradition and values—for a down-to-earth faith that is relevant to everyday life.
In Norway, since the COVID-19 pandemic, Andreas has seen many young people turning to Jesus and wanting to be sent out as missionaries. There are so many that, according to a survey, various mission organizations are reaching their limits. At JMEM, there’s still room for young missionaries because we’re organized decentrally!
In recent years, “Bless” youth services have sprung up in several regions of Switzerland, attracting even young people who don’t yet know Jesus personally. The Praise Camp in Basel is coming up soon, where thousands of young adults want to encounter God. It’s amazing that we can witness and help shape some of this spiritual awakening here in Switzerland as well.
But how can we ensure that this revival doesn’t soon fade away, but continues and also reaches future generations? What does it take to ensure the sustainability of the Christian faith?
In the last verse of the Old Testament, in Malachi 4:6, God promises that He will send someone: “And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their sons and the hearts of the sons to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse.”
The key to a fruitful land and sustainability is that we, as generations, continue to walk this path together. The “spiritual fathers and mothers” must reach out to Generation Z and give them the freedom to realize their potential and take on responsibility. This requires flexibility and a willingness to embrace new things. We need older people who are there to catch the young ones when youthful exuberance leads to stumbles or when any resulting ripples need to be smoothed over. Those under 30 are called upon to reach out to the older generation and learn from them as well. A great deal of humility and openness is required on both sides.
At the end of Andreas’s talk, a young person takes the initiative and calls on us to make a statement. The Gen Zers bless the “old hands” among us, and we over-30s pray for them and declare that we want to empower them as the younger generation.
May God continually grant us—at YWAM, but also in our churches and families—the wisdom and humility to encourage young people, share life with them, and walk with Jesus across generations!
Article by Sandra Jörg