In January, a sequence of events began that brought to my attention firsthand to “The Pending Global Calamity”.

A number of years ago, a friend advised me to 'always make sure you're involved in something outside of your immediate ministry responsibilities. It helps you keep the bigger picture.' So I began my involvement with what is now the Katoomba Christian Convention NextGen conference (formerly kylc). To have seen thousands of people better equipped to understand and teach the Bible over the past decade has been a wonderful privilege.

Kylc / NextGen, has been going for 20 years. During this time the conference has been planted around the world, predominantly when missionaries from Australia have gone overseas.

But in January this year, something quite different happened. I had the privilege of meeting Enoch Karamuzi, from North Kigezi in Uganda. He was here, in part, to participate in the NextGen Conference at Katoomba.

During his time in Sydney he asked us to consider planting the NextGen conference in Uganda. We have since agreed, feeling a compulsion to at least try.  Over the next week or two, about 20 of us are leaving to run the first ever NextGen Uganda from December 6 to 11. This will be a first for kcc, and also for me personally.

I could just not sit back and do nothing.

The Pending Global Calamity is simply this: that the forces seem to be lining up against Biblical Christianity. Outside of the so called Christian world, there is materialism, secularism, hedonism, and the list goes on. And from within the 'Christian world' comes Liberalism and Pentecostalism. This is the environment of the Ugandan Church, and many others.

Formerly, churches from USA have helped and supported places like Uganda. But now, with the advances of liberalism, churches like those in Uganda are refusing their help. They just don't have the resources (people and money). One Ugandan man said to me said to me: '[Sydney evangelicals have] a unique opportunity to make a contribution to the world, particularly in the area of theological education. The world wants it. We want it. If the opportunity is there you should go.'

However, it was the next thing he said that remains challenging: 'You will also learn from us. You [in Sydney] are very good at talking. We are good at doing.' We haven't even left yet, and can already see their zeal for evangelism. It means they can't sit still, and take any and every opportunity to tell people about Jesus. That is why their churches are growing. I'm looking forward to becoming infected with their zeal - I think.

Over the last 10 years, guests from around the world have encouraged us that, in NextGen and other similar conferences, we have some of the best exegetical and Biblical theology training in the world. (In fact, some have felt we are at risk of taking such things for granted. But that is a topic for another day).

We don't know what, if any, long term impact NextGen Uganda will have. The youth of Sydney, through the KYCK Convention, have given generously (and in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis) to provide essential funding for this venture. But God has worked through many to bring this about. No door has been closed.

My own western Sydney parish council has encouraged me to go, and I trust this has not been to get rid of me for a few weeks!

They recognise not just the contribution that we can make to our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world, but also the benefit that will come back to us.

Sydneyanglicans have asked me to provide a weekly blog of the trip, and in this opening blog, I have two questions: First, what benefits others have experienced from being part of the bigger picture? Second, is it true that we can be more zealous for evangelism and, if so, how can we do it?