A united year of mission: Hope 23-24 

Christians are being encouraged to unite as a church across denominations to offer the hope of Jesus for a year of mission starting in September 2023

Hope 23-24 is call to the UK church to offer again the hope of Jesus Christ to everyone in the UK.

The idea has come from Hope Together, which provides support, ideas and resources to equip Christians to put faith into words and action to make Jesus known. 

Hope Together began when evangelists Mike Pilavachi, Roy Crowne and Andy Hawthorne conceived a year of mission in 2008 - Hope 08. Around 1500 churches participated in Hope 08, with many young people taking the lead.

All three appear in a video to explain why they're encouraging a similar year of mission beginning in 2023. 

Roy, Hope Together president, said, 'Hope 08 was a catalytic moment where we had a dream to mobilise the whole church in mission.

'We're at such another moment, so my dream is that we could mobilise the church working together in unity to transform communities villages towns and cities.'

'People are more open to the gospel than I can ever remember,' added Mike, pastor of Soul Survivor, Watford, 'and it's time for the church together in unity to rise up and to proclaim Jesus with our words, but also with our deeds and with our lives.'

Hope 08 wasn't 'full-blown revival', said Andy, founder of the Message Trust, but nevertheless it was 'amazing'.

'Thousands were reached, groups moved together all across the nation and the gospel was proclaimed in words and actions.'

He added, 'Here's a chance again for the church to come together like we did in 2008 perhaps even a greater level to proclaim this beautiful gospel in words and actions, to see His name lifted high, and to see eternal life breakout all over the UK. 

'Is there anything more important than that?' 

The video begins with Rachel Jordan Wolf, Hope Together's executive director, explaining that events of the last two years have led to people questioning their life's foundations.  

'The question most of the population are asking in the UK right now is: 'Will everything be okay?'

'The foundations have been shaken and have been found to be wanting. We know there's only one foundation on which to build life, and actually even world peace, and his name is Jesus. 

'That's why right now is the time to offer Jesus in the UK in Hope 23-24.'

A launch event took place at the end of May, which was attended by General Secretary Lynn Green and Webnet Regional Team Leader Nigel Coles, Baptists Together's Hope Together representative. 

They said, 'We wholeheartedly endorse mission and evangelism across Baptists Together and our prayer is that God would use this year of mission in 2023-24, in and through every one of them. 

'Working together is at the heart of what we seek to do and we pray our partnership with Hope Together will be fruitful for the kingdom of God.'

The Hope 23-24 website highlighted a variety of ways people can participate:

• PRAY for friends and family who don’t yet know Jesus, and for our streets and communities
• TALK and listen create space for deep conversations with our friends, family, neighbours and colleagues
• UNITE to run mission events – where we present the good news of Jesus
• SHARE resources, like ‘The life of Jesus’ and other helpful material
• SERVE our communities where there is need
• GIVE our time, ideas, energies and money to make things
• UTILSE the power of Google to help seekers find us and find Jesus