THAT WAS UNUM24
Watch the recap video or listen to these sermons!
"We don't have the message,
we are the message."
Four days, eleven church services and over 6,000 visitors. At the end of the event, the initiators of the UNUM24 faith conference were overwhelmed by the participants, the atmosphere and the power that emanated from this meeting and are convinced that the participants went home with their hearts changed. For four days, Jesus took center stage across all denominational boundaries and created the space for encounters, forgiveness and a new oneness among Christians. “Something has happened spiritually, the impulses will go their way from here,” said Gerhard Kehl, co-organizer of UNUM24 alongside Fadi Krikor. During these four days, something was released that everyone will now take home to their congregations and communities: “We don't have the message, we are the message”. For 40 days in the run-up to UNUM24, prayer warriors around the world prayed for successful coexistence. This prayer will continue for another 40 days after UNUM24.
In a letter of thanks to all supporters, helpers and prayers, the organizers Fadi and Nicole Krikor, as well as Gerhard and Annette Kehl, summarize their impressions, impulses and gratitude:
We are deeply moved by what we experienced together at UNUM24. The atmosphere was soaked in the presence of God and the devotion and worship in the room was special. Young and old met together on their knees in front of the cross. More than 6,000 Christians from different denominations gathered around Christ. Jesus, the crucified and risen Lord, was the center of these days from the first to the last minute.
During these four days with 11 church services, we walked a path together. Each part of the program added something and could only be understood in the context of all the other parts of the program. This ranged from the Syrian priest's “Kyrie Eleison” to the rap song “Psalms made of plastic”. There was a great breadth and yet it was only a small excerpt. There was no keynote speaker, no main band and no megastar. It was the “we for him” from which a real “we together” emerged, which led to a “ONE IN HIM”.
UNUM24 is difficult to describe, you have to experience it. During these days, God used his brush to paint new colors on the canvas of our hearts. The picture that emerged is as diverse as the people who were there.
Many things moved us, delighted us, challenged us, surprised us, amazed us, struck us or made us think. It was like eating cherries: Don't bite the pits, spit them out and only keep the good stuff.
Fadi Krikor talks about “embracing the cactus” and Gerhard Kehl about “linking, not mixing”. Some sentences caught us, such as Martin Smith's “The GenZ dances into its freedom” or Johannes Hartl's words about “unity in suffering”. Bill Johnson speaks very personally about the depth of disappointment and about “forgiveness as a spearhead”. The joint prayer for the world and for the Middle East was profound. The joy of the youth, the lyrics of the O'Bros and the new song “United in Christ's Body” were stirring. The prayer for Germany and the prayers of the spiritual leaders were powerful. We heard impressive reports from our friends from Syria, Egypt, Israel and Latin America.
It was about God's work in the world, but it also became very personal: “Don't just let Jesus sit in the back seat, let him take the wheel”. The message about the siege and liberation in our time, about vocation and awakening and the prayer of the young for the old and the old for the young got under the skin. There were those moments when the whole hall sang “Pour out rivers of living water” - you can't put these moments into words, you have to capture them in your heart. Every single band has made the name of Jesus great during these days and the times of worship have become times of great joy and deep encounters with God. They were a focal point in the togetherness of these days.
Bishop Timmerevers' message about the boat in the storm and Bishop Bilz' revealing sermon about individuality and antagonism carried great weight. Something happened in the spiritual space, especially in the reconciling prayer for forgiveness by spiritual leaders of different denominations. Sister Vernita spoke about friendships as “cathedrals of the future” and took us into “staying” before we left Munich with the children's song of blessing, changed, expanded and, in the words of an employee of the Olympic Hall, “inspired”.
More happened than we had hoped, it was different than we thought and it changed us more than we expected. It is one of those weekends that will go down in the history of our lives. Our prayers have power and God's plans are coming to fulfillment.
It was an honor to be there, a really great joy to prepare UNUM24 with so many young heroes, and a real gift to be on the road together with old and new friends.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
For the whole team, sincerely united,
Gerhard & Annette Kehl
Fadi & Nicole Krikor