“The centre of the gospel is not you. It’s not about you. It’s Jesus. His glory is at the centre of everything.”

Dave Jensen’s words rang throughout the crowded room at the inaugural Hearts on Fire conference last Saturday, in an event that will spark a series of rallies across Sydney and Wollongong next year. More than 500 young people from 60 churches gathered at St Paul’s, Carlingford, some driving from as far as Shellharbour, to get fired up about Jesus’ glory and sharing the gospel. 

The new evangelism conference was started to empower and equip young people to share Jesus with those around them. It was born out of the desire to keep the urgency of gospel proclamation at the forefront of people’s minds. 

“We are thrilled we had so many Christians here who are keen to see people know Jesus,” says Mr Jensen, the assistant director of Evangelism and New Churches. “My great hope is that people walk away stunned by the glory of Jesus that we see in the book of Romans, allowing that to shape the way they view life and the people around them… and we get to work proclaiming the gospel.” 

Why another evangelism conference?

Mr Jensen says that, first and foremost, he wanted to create Hearts on Fire because of the glory of Jesus. 

“He’s worth our glory, and the way he is most glorified is by people loving him, trusting him and obeying him,” he says. “We want to see more people do that. We held this conference because evangelism is a great thing, and we wanted to spend time together encouraging and equipping each other to be better and do it more, so that people can go to heaven. 

“For young adults, we have a great opportunity where people are forming opinions and ideas. We’re really obliged to do one thing: teach them the gospel and teach them to tell others the gospel.”

“We’re really obliged to do one thing, teach them the gospel and teach them to tell others the gospel.”

Fired up

Excitement and urgency were in the air as people listened to three talks on the first chapters of Romans. 

“A throwaway line, or one little statement, will really stick with me,” says Eugénie, from St Michael’s Wollongong. “I really liked it when Dave said that ‘God’s majesty is in his mercy’.”

Nicholas from Campbelltown was struck by appearing as a fool in the world's eyes, yet having the wisdom of the gospel. “Hearing how brothers and sisters went out in mission, it would have been foolish terms for the world, but it’s for the salvation of those who are lost,” he says. 

When Saurav from Liverpool was asked what he was taking away, he said it was “definitely a heart that’s full of fire, ready to go and evangelise my friends and family”. 

"Alive" rallies

Also launched at the conference were the Alive rallies – gospel proclamation events  planned for Sydney and the Illawarra in 2026. 

“[It will be] a movement of churches united, of young adults awaiting, of the gospel going out with courage and clarity,” Mr Jensen says. “We want to testify to the world with stories of peoples lives transformed and the gospel clearly proclaimed.” 

Everyone was encouraged to begin praying and preparing to invite others to the rallies next year, with Mr Jensen reminding the room that “the people most likely to [become Christians] are the people that you know”.