Someone once said that to be a good leader, you must be a good follower. In our desire to be led, we invited people to pray alongside us for a venue for Mission Fest 2025.Through a great miracle and an answer to prayer, the Lord opened the door for us to host Mission Fest in the Fraser Valley this year. After it seemed every door had closed, we went to our knees as a team. As we listened, the Lord prompted one of the team members to consider the Red Barn (Heritage Park) in Chilliwack. By faith, He put it in the calendar for Feb 13-15 after sharing it with me. We were under the understanding that there were no dates available there until late June. In obedience and surrender, we sent another email. We heard nothing. After sending our latest prayer update and being wholly set on looking for a venue in the Vancouver area, we received a surprising email saying there was “a significant cancellation. Theonly dates we can give you are Feb 13-15.” These were the dates He provided last year, the anniversary dates to our “yes” to pick up the Mission Fest mandate. The Lord’s heart, attention and affection for Mission Fest was to bring our conference to the Fraser Valley this year. Every time we gather, we believe there’s a Hudson Taylor and an Amie Carmichael in BC that the Lord is excited to find.
Our theme – I Will: When the theme of the conference emerged in a time of prayer, we, as leaders of Mission Fest, felt sure that the one who “wills and works” (see Phil 2:13) would lead us to where the conference would be held. However, with doors closing and the possibility of being postponed, the Lord once again revealed himself as the Lord who makes a way when it seems there is no way. He is the Lord who WILLS and WORKS for his pleasure. With extremely short notice, as the venue wasn’t secured until December 1st, we had only a few weeks to plan the conference.
The theme, “I Will,” is about discovering all the places in the Gospels where strength and willingness depend entirely on what Jesus Himself does. There’s nothing more freeing and exciting than being around the One who is willing, who does the work, and who is present and active! To put it another way, these I will active statements reveal where our trust, affection and surrender are to rest. Ministry must first be about partnership with the living Jesus in the midst of us. Mission Fest conferences are about giving Jesus every minute to call, connect with, and encounter the next generation of cross-carrying lovers of Jesus to take the Gospel wherever He leads.
Our plan: This year, we have brought back the school field trip day with over 600 students registered already. There will be a Youth Encounter night as well as the popular “Mission Talks,” which highlight and display the agencies across the world who are doing the works of Jesus. This year’s speakers are from all over Canada and share a common passion for Jesus to be All. So far, more than 70 Agencies, including Praise 106.5 and many Fraser Valley partnerships, will make this year’s atmosphere tremendous and something new and refreshing.
The location: Chilliwack Heritage Park, or as we like to call it ‘The Red Barn,” is just a short distance for some and a road trip for others. Full access to the event and free parking make this venue attractive and affordable for all.
This year’s emphasis is making space for the tangible presence of the person of Jesus. This is different – in both substance and atmosphere – from most conferences, which often focus on learning, growth, and strategy. All of these are important, yet focusing on Jesus, meeting with Jesus, and being refreshed for mission by Jesus are the main priorities for our three days together. We believe that Jesus is the one who changed the location for this year’s conference, opening this door while closing others. We didn’t initiate moving Mission Fest to Chilliwack and didn’t have these dates in mind. The way everything is coming together encourages us to believe that Jesus is “on it,” actively at work and guiding our steps. When He’s the one doing the work, wonderful things lie ahead!
We encourage you to invest your time and effort in joining us this year. If coming to this conference leads you to experience a fresh touch from Jesus, refreshing and energizing you for your ministry and life, it’s worth it. We hope to see many familiar and new faces as we gather to lift up Jesus together.
Steve Schroeder
Mission Fest BC
Feb 13 – 15
Chilliwack Heritage Park
44140 Luckakuck Way, Chilliwack, BC V2R 4A7
https://conference.missioncentral.ca/mfbc2025
Press Release
Wow – God really left this one to the last moment. He knows!! I will be there somehow.