Since February 2024, THE SEND UK & Ireland has been catalysing a nationwide movement, hosting events in arenas and churches to awaken a generation of young Christians to their missional calling. Each event carries a simple yet profound invitation: to pursue deep devotion to Jesus Christ and to boldly go wherever he leads with the gospel.
People are encouraged to scan a QR code and indicate where they feel called – whether it’s their school, neighbourhood, or another nation. Each response is followed up by experienced missional leaders who offer personal support and training.
The recent SEND Scotland arena gathering was the largest youth-focused Christian event in the region in over 30 years. From that event alone, over 800 committed to sharing the gospel locally, 500 expressed a desire to serve overseas, 700 wanted to evangelise in their schools or universities, and 87 sought training to plant churches.
In total, THE SEND has now engaged over 20,000 people and seen more than 5,000 missional responses. These numbers point to a growing fire in Gen Z – not just among seekers, but within the Church itself. Many are finding fresh passion for their faith and a renewed sense of mission.
Here are four marks of this growing movement:
- Deep devotion
These young believers are serious about following Jesus. They’re waking up early to pray, committing to holy living, fasting, and worshiping with passion.
- Bold witness
After each event, hundreds take to the streets, joyfully sharing Jesus. One pastor wept, saying, ‘I prayed for this, but never believed I’d see it,’ after 200 young people joined a street mission. And what marks this boldness is joy, not needing to be persuaded, but excited to share Jesus, who they love.
- Authentic community
They don’t want to go it alone. One young woman leads a WhatsApp group of 100+ peers, sharing testimonies, prayer requests, and gathering weekly to read scripture.
- Spiritual parents
This generation honours older Christians and seeks their mentorship – while also craving the freedom to follow God in fresh, culturally relevant ways. Churches must choose to release, not just recruit them.
In response to this momentum, THE SEND has launched Spotfire Communities – micro-communities where young believers gather monthly (in person and online) to pursue personal revival and mission together. Over 100 Spotfire Communities have already formed, with a vision for 1,000. One in North London meets weekly for prayer and outreach at their local shopping centre.
These communities echo Jesus’ first call to his disciples: follow me, and I will make you fishers of people. This is discipleship in a nutshell and Gen Z is responding. The only question now is: Is the Church ready for them?
To engage with THE SEND, you can visit their website to register for updates or request information about forming a Spotfire Community. And come and bring younger people to one of our national arena events in November; Wembley OVO Arena, 16 November and Leeds First Direct Arena, 22 November.