Mission Fest 2024
is happening February 15 – 17, hosted by Westside Church, Vancouver in their amazing venue, The Centre.
We invite you to come filled with an expectation of encountering Jesus. Our passion for everyone at MF 2024 is that you would fall fresh in love with Jesus!
Our theme this year is ‘Together With Him.’
Co-mission
In Mark’s Gospel, we read, “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen,” Mark 16:20. Our desire this year is that you would be inspired by the reality of how close Jesus is. When that happens, the Great Commission becomes about being on a co-mission, a co-partnership with a real person.
It sounds simple, but often missions and ministry can quickly be focused on our strategies and plans rather than yielding to a person, waiting on a person and going with a person who is working with us. We hear amazing stories of missionaries who encounter Jesus and feel inspired, but inwardly, we are left tired. We believe all of that can be transformed through one encounter with Him.
This year’s theme isn’t just a ‘conference theme’ to hear great sermons. It’s our conviction that we are to model and practice together at the conference the reality that we follow a person; He doesn’t follow us. We can meet Jesus in the messages preached, in the prayer times, while browsing through the exhibit areas – and Jesus Himself will touch us, call us, renew us and save us.
Our prayer for all those who come is that they would go home and be able to say as the early disciples did in Acts 15:4, “And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.”
The speakers
This year, all our speakers are our friends who have an affection for one another. All those on the platforms are friends who carry the conviction that Jesus is a person who, when we give Him space to move, can do more than we could imagine.
Our current speakers are Steve Schroeder, Matt Menzel, Jonathan Mitchel, April Bates, Jon Thompson, James Bonney and Ryan Johnson, with more to come. We’ve asked the speakers to spend time with the Father and listen and then preach what He tells them to say. Seminar topics will be posted in early January.
Youth Encounter
Jonathan Mitchell will lead the youth gathering Friday night.
Our Youth Encounter will happen Friday night, hosted and led by Jonathan Mitchel and the 604 Network. Jonathan writes:
Trusting God to be with us in the every-day requires immense faith, but faith also means believing God for moments of encounter that change people’s lives; moments that people point back to as milestones in their walk with Jesus. We don’t live off these moments; we don’t even really need them to be faithful, but we do serve a God who is generous with his power and presence.
Actively believing in these moments is why the 604 Network of Youth Leaders keeps creating unified moments for youth ministries. We invite youth ministries to use this moment as an opportunity to grow in expectancy and desperation for a living and active God. We need each other’s faith! Let’s worship Jesus together!
Youth Encounter will be free, but we ask youth leaders, churches and all wishing to attend to register at missioncentral.ca.
The times
Doors open Thursday night at 5 pm, with the first session beginning at 7 pm. Tony Castro will lead our worship times together along with a team from Westside Church Untitled, and the 604 Network. Working within the space the Lord gave us, we are thankful to be able to welcome 60 exhibitors, missions agencies of Jesus’s kingdom and work. They will be located in the three lobbies and commons space of Westside Church.
Friday and Saturday will be full days of general sessions and breakout seminars, beginning at 9 am. You will be invited to hear more of what’s on the agency’s heart and be connected to its mission through Mission Talks, which will be 15 minute presentations in the main auditorium each day between 12:30 and 2 pm. The details of who is sharing at what times will be included in the conference schedule.
Registration
James Bonney (left) and Steve Schroeder.
Registration for all of Mission Fest Vancouver 2024 is free, with the opportunity to include a donation. Go to missioncentral.ca to register in advance, to avoid long lines. Free tickets will also be available at the door during the gathering.
We are hoping for great things for you in 2024. See you at Mission Fest 2024.
James Bonney and Steve Schroeder are leading the way with Mission Central to make Mission Fest 2024 a reality.
Go here for some of the remarkable story behind why we have Mission Fest again this year, when it had been slated to close its doors.
Shalom James and Steve, it was great seeing you both at Mission Fest in Winnipeg, continuing to pray for you both and your committee as Mission Fest Vancouver comes next week.