Half a million people filled the National Mall in Washington, DC, on a hot summer day to reset their focus on Jesus. The event was targeted at millennials, uniting them around the shared belief that “Jesus changes everything” and encouraging them to continue Jesus’s work in the world.
“This event has never ultimately been about coming to the Mall. It’s always been about sending a generation out from the Mall,” said Nick Hall, the visionary behind Together2016 and founder of Pulse, a student-led evangelistic movement.
The gathering had several familiar markers of large-scale Christian events—well-known evangelists, keynote pastors, popular bands—but it offered a unique spin. Rather than trying to introduce people to Jesus, Together2016 focused on bridging divides within the church. Hall described the event as a chance to “reach across the aisle for conversation.” One major focus was bringing together Catholic and evangelical believers. Leading up to the event, Pope Francis released an endorsement video, waving a promotional shirt and encouraging everyone to attend.
The organizers were also strategic in heading for the heart of the nation’s capital. In the heat of the election season, people were given an opportunity to unite around Jesus rather than political affiliations. So, after this gathering, how were people equipped to go forward? Scripture engagement played a pivotal role—and the creative ideas here may give us valuable ways to help people engage with Scripture at our own events.
1. Devotional booklets. To draw them deeper into knowing Jesus, people were handed devotional booklets with reflections on Jesus’s teachings and lessons from his earthly ministry. These also tied into current issues millennials face. Idea: Give people content on the spot. Events normally have downtime. People with a physical resource in hand have something to do in the lag periods and something they can pick up again when they return home.
2. Together2016 App. The organizers made their Together2016 app an integral part of the event. It had a map, schedule, lineup, and links to social media platforms. But it also facilitated Scripture engagement before and now after the event. Users could sign up for a seven-day reading plan, after which they could choose other Bible resources. Event organizers hoped to see 200,000 people connecting with Scripture in this way. Idea: Events bring people together—offering support, excitement, and shared vision. Let this momentum carry into a habit of Bible reading. Get people to commit to engaging Scripture together following the event. Connect them with small groups, email lists, or online forums. Use a reading plan you create or draw on resources from available apps like YouVersion.
3. Partnerships. Together2016 was fueled by multiple partnerships. These included churches, schools and nonprofits. These partnerships offer different ways to get involved in Scripture engagement following the event. The Together2016 app is helping people get involved through connecting to local churches, Alpha classes, and other ministries.
Idea: We are stronger together. What ministries can your event connect people to—inside or outside your church? Who else is engaging Scripture well around you? Could you host an outside organization that teaches the Bible? Invite a special guest to lead a class? Promote someone else’s Scripture-based event? Consider fostering partnerships that can take Scripture engagement further. Together2016 ended with representatives of a generation being sent out from the Mall, filled with excitement about Christ. Unfortunately, the heat of the summer led to the event ending five hours early. Yet the premature ending seemed appropriate. A fire ignited in people’s hearts, and at the height of its heat it began to spread.
