Gen Z Takes the Lead at Urbana 2025
Urbana 2025 closed the year in Phoenix, Arizona with a call for the 7,000 attendees to join God in His mission for the world. For over 75 years, Urbana has convened every three years as a leading missions conference for young adults. Fourteen Global Partners (GP) representatives staffed our booth, taught a workshop and had countless conversations about GP and the NEXT internship program with young adults.
The GP booth was a gathering place for Wesleyans attending the conference. Students and professors from Wesleyan universities, Wesleyan pastors and Pacific Southwest leaders all visited. Over 40 tote bags filled with GP merch were given away exclusively to our Wesleyan students who attended Urbana.
A highlight was watching Global Partners Mobilization Director, James, engage dozens of ping pong challengers every day. He used every opportunity to share about the 4 in 10 people who live without access to the gospel, and the great need for more people to go and reach them.
Over 350 young people filled out our interest form at the booth. One hundred fifty-eight of those indicated a high level of interest in a two-month missions experience (like NEXT summer internships) and 86 expressed high interest in an upcoming Turkic-Arabic vision trip.
Along with Mary*, an appointed missionary joining GP’s newly formed Kethra* team, I helped lead a workshop for 120 young adults titled “Gen Z and God’s Mission”.
In a world where the global mission often feels shaped by past generations, we explored what it looks like for Gen Z to take the lead.
Mary also shared how God used a NEXT internship to clarify her calling into long-term missions. Now, she and the Kethra* team are aiming to launch in the Turkic-Arabic Area this summer!
Mary reflected on the conference, saying “It was so encouraging to be surrounded by young adults who love the Lord and are passionate about what He is doing around the world. I truly believe my generation will have a unique and significant impact on global missions as we seek the Kingdom together.”
Rylie, student mobilizer at Indiana Wesleyan University, shared that while it can be discouraging when people don’t share her passion for the 4 in 10, her experience at Urbana was different: “I was deeply encouraged to hear so many Gen Z peers share their heart for the nations and the great commission!”
Praise God! Please join us in praying for follow-up conversations with individuals the Mobilization Team connected with at Urbana.
*Name changed due to security. Kethra is a pseudonym for a Global Partners field in the Turkic-Arabic Area.