The Academy 2025: a new generation ready and eager to share gospel truth

The Wilberforce Collective is a community of young adults who want to see society transformed by Jesus in all areas of public life.

Last week, Christian Concern hosted its 15th annual Academy, bringing over 70 new delegates to the community, and equipping them to engage and confront the culture with the hope of Jesus.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1:15-23 ESV)

Jesus being Lord of our lives means so much more than him buying us a ticket into Heaven.

All things were created through him and for him.

He is before all things.

He reconciles us through his blood on the cross.

Reconciliation to the living God cannot mean compartmentalising a single part of our life apart from him.

Jesus is Lord of everything

By definition, reconciliation to Jesus – the image of the invisible God – means that whatever we do, we do for his glory.

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” – Abraham Kuyper

Where we work, how we work, where we fellowship, how we spend our time, what we do with our money, how we pray, who we have relationships with, what we do with our lives; for the Christian, all of it is filtered through the understanding that Jesus is our Lord.

And the Wilberforce Academy grounds delegates in the Colossians 1 reality that Jesus is Lord over all things.

Faculty – who are on site to disciple delegates all week – include Rev Dr Joe Boot (Ezra Institute), Dr Dan Strange (Crosslands), Beth Peltola (One Truth Project), Dave Brennan (Brephos); as well as Christian Concern’s Andrea Williams, Andrew Marsh, Tim Dieppe, and Steve Beegoo.

The Academy uncovers for delegates how society has wholly rejected the lordship of Christ on core human matters including marriage, gender, culture, life, and religion; and equips them to walk as a redeemed people made in the image of God.

Our Chief Executive Andrea Williams said:

“Our 15th annual cohort have brought a fresh energy and passion to the mission – and they are up for it! A new generation is here; ready to carry the gospel to our nation and beyond. God’s Spirit is as alive as he has ever been, and this week in our 15th Wilberforce Academy, we’ve seen men and women grafted in to the Collective, to be faithful and fruitful for his kingdom purposes in this generation.”

In many ways, what we currently see in society with the ‘Quiet Revival’ is mirrored with what we saw in the Academy last week.

Andrea is right; a new generation is here, and they just want to get on with it.

The Academy always draws delegates from a range of church backgrounds, but there really is unity in diversity. All of them, together, are young, keen, bold, and not all that bothered about the promises of this world.

God is raising up a new generation of gospel-heralders that have grown up in a society that sought (and failed) to diminish God. They’re not having it.

And they’re not at all fazed or disheartened by the darkness.

They know the light of the world, and they’re equipping themselves to shine it and to shine it bright.

Together.

Because this is not just a conference, designed to simply give delegates knowledge. It is the entrance point to a community of Christians determined to see the society transformed by Jesus.