The biggest issue faced by young working adults today is the absence of spiritual ambition. While there is much striving towards worldly measures of success, a void of spiritual vision exists in how Christian working adults see the integration of their faith and vocational calling.
On one hand, it is so easy to focus on feeding our carnal appetites for validation, achievement and success. This crowds out our wonder over the Gospel, amazement at the vastness of God’s grace and commitment to the Great Commission of disciple-making in and through everything we do.
On the other hand, we need to see role models and practical examples of how it is possible not just to survive, but be an active minister of reconciliation and kingdom transformation in the world.
Together, both factors lead to a crisis of spiritual ambition, where young working adults do not realise that we have been called to such a radical partnership with God.
We need to see role models and practical examples of how it is possible not just to survive, but be an active minister of reconciliation and kingdom transformation in the world.
And I think not enough is being done to address this issue. While terms like “marketplace ministry” and “kingdom” are very much in vogue today, many events and conferences approach the topic without bringing in actual practitioners across industries and fields who are playing their part as radical kingdom ambassadors.
In fact, we often limit our imaginations of such activities purely to sharing the Gospel at work and being good at our jobs.
While both are important, it is of tremendous significance for us to realise how we are called beyond that to engage and transform the culture by transmitting God’s kingdom values through the work we do, the policies we set and the objectives to which we are working to.
So we need to affirm the intrinsic value of every member of Christ’s body. A high-flying banker does not have a more successful CV than a social worker at a Family Service Centre. Conversely, the social worker’s job is not inherently more holy or meaningful than that of the banker.
All of us are placed in various families, workplaces and communities. The Church as a whole needs to examine and understand how we can proactively go out there to be voices of righteousness and shining lights in the nation.
We often limit our imaginations of such activities purely to sharing the Gospel at work and being good at our jobs.
We are called to be gatekeepers, watching over the metaphorical “gates” of our city. This means that we need to move from a day-to-day “survival” mode in the workplace to becoming a transformative influence wherever God has placed us.
I believe that God, the God of miracles, constantly opens up creative possibilities and kingdom opportunities for the taking. It is up to us to walk into these amazing possibilities that God has prepared for us, in our families, workplaces and communities.
The desire to raise up more young kingdom ambassadors led to the formation of the LuminoCity conference, which was birthed during a discussion at the Hong Kong international airport in 2015. Horace Hui, a young professional from Hong Kong, discussed with the leadership team of FGB Gatekeepers Singapore the importance of rallying young Christian working adults across Asia over a common platform.
The team was then returning to Singapore after conducting a kingdom/marketplace training school for professionals in Hong Kong. In that Holy Spirit-inspired moment, they saw the present need for a platform to rally young professionals across Asia-Pacific to catch the vision of transforming the culture of society and discipling nations.
Thus, plans were made for the inaugural edition of LuminoCity in 2016. Although originally intended for young Christian professionals from the Asia-Pacific, the first edition saw participants come from as far as Finland and Ghana.
It was clear that the Lord was impressing on our hearts that it was imperative for LuminoCity to be a global coalition of like-minded believers, passionate about influencing cultures with the values of God’s kingdom.
The verse that God had given us came from Isaiah 60:1 – “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you” – which reflected the vision of believers arising and bringing the glory of God and His Kingdom over their cities and nations.
LuminoCity is a gathering of the nations for God’s kingdom purposes. It is a rallying point and a time of renewal and seeking the Lord for personal revelation and national destinies.
It is also a significant spiritual event and a global declaration to the spiritual realm, that the Lord’s people will do the Lord’s work in the places that the Lord has placed them in – no turning back, preceding revival in the nations.
We also hope that the diversity of topics across the whole spectrum of society and insight from an eclectic, international mix of speakers will provide sufficient inspiration, best-practices and practical steps for participants to bring back to their life, living and livelihoods.
We hope that LuminoCity will serve these purposes for young Christian professionals as they dialogue with one other in this intimate, three-day conference.
Can we accomplish this in a three-day event? No – the deeper work of discipleship takes months and years. Hence FGB Gatekeepers Singapore, the parent organisation behind LuminoCity, focuses on providing a variety of intergenerational mentoring and discipling relationships and platforms.
LuminoCity is a 3-day forum that will bring together thought-leaders and disciples in the marketplace for conversations to shape the culture of our day. It will be held from November 3 to 5, 2017, at The Pavilion. Visit the LuminoCity website for ticketing information, and follow them on Facebook for updates. The early bird offer of $180 (usual price $250) ends this Saturday, on September 30, so book early to avoid disappointment.
