HÉRAUTS (tr. HERALDS) is an annual conference organised by GBU Belgium for Christian students who are at university or in secondary/high school (17 years old or older). The purpose of the conference is to motivate and equip students in their mission for Jesus in order to help them make him known to others.

GBU Belgium is an evangelical organisation whose main aim is to see students know Jesus and make him known to others. Groups of students from different backgrounds are encouraged and equipped to do this with the help and guidance from staff and the support of local churches.  For more information about GBU, click here (in French).

The goal of HÉRAUTS is to encourage International and French-speaking Christian students with faithful and pertinent teaching from the Bible, so that they would be more deeply rooted in the gospel, committed to following the Lord Jesus, and equipped in their mission to spread the gospel and make disciples.

The conference is in French (apart from one workshop which will be in English this year), and we provide direct translation into English via an application and your own personal headphones. This enables us to serve International students who are studying in Belgium and surrounding countries, as well as other Belgian students whose first language isn’t French. This is something that we are passionate about.

“How can we live as Christians in a world that is no longer Christian?”

This question, recently asked by a famous journalist, reflects an observation widely shared in the West. Churches are emptying, Christian values are mocked, and faith is being relegated to the private sphere.

How can we remain faithful to God in a culture that denies Him?  Where can we find the strength to stand firm in our faith?  And how can we do more than just stand firm, and even seek to bless the society in which God has placed us?

These are questions that we wrestle with as we live in a context where the Christian faith is no longer the norm, and since this was the context in which Daniel lived, the book that bears his name is particularly relevant for us today.  During this conference, as we explore it together, we will see that the answers it offers are all centred on God Himself.  As we contemplate His power, goodness and wisdom, we will discover that He is a God worthy of our trust as we live in a godless world.

We are keenly aware of it every day. Society’s values are not in line with God’s values, and are even anti-God. It is difficult to know how to live distinctly and honour God in a context where our authorities (bosses, teachers, heads of families, politicians), social media and those around us seek to impose values and ways of living that go against God and His ways.

How is it possible to be salt and light in the world without being of the world? What could that look like in practice?

This workshop will not only encourage you to live without compromise, remaining firm in the faith, but will also equip you practically to react in a gracious way as a faithful witness of Jesus.

Someone once said:

‘Preach the gospel at all times, if necessary use words!’

It sounds wise. Don't actions speak louder than words? However, the Bible tells us, ‘And how are they to hear without someone preaching?’ (Romans 10:14b). So where should we stand? Should we witness and point people to Jesus in action or in word?

In this workshop we will explore this further, with the aim of helping you to have a Christian witness that is not only attractive but also faithful and relevant. We will see that one does not exclude the other, and that a biblical balance is necessary in order to maximise opportunities to share the gospel.

This workshop will be given in English.

As was the case for Daniel, God may one day place you in a position of influence: manager or team leader, politician, renowned professor or artist, influencer, amongst others. If you do find yourself in such a position these, or as you climb the professional ladder, you will meet great pressure to compromise your faith in Jesus. How can you seek excellence and ‘succeed’ while remaining faithful to Him, seeking to please God rather than men?

The example of Daniel and his friends shows us that it is not mission impossible! Drawing on the speaker's own experiences, this workshop will provide biblical encouragement and practical advice to Christians who may one day find themselves in positions of influence. We will also see how these positions can present many opportunities to be faithful witnesses for Jesus and therefore impact the lives of many!

​​Being a Christian sometimes means being perceived as ignorant, naive or intolerant. Sometimes, we may even feel as if we are on trial.

Questions aimed at discrediting the Christian faith can be unsettling. ‘How can we justify “holy” wars in the name of God?’ ‘Aren't miracles ruled out by science?’ ‘Is believing in a resurrected man more than just a beautiful fairy tale?’ ‘How can you still believe in Jesus today when there are so many other options!?’

This workshop aims to equip you to witness faithfully in the face of such objections rather than being overwhelmed. There is no magic formula, but there is an attitude that honours God and ways of answering that He likes to use in order to challenge others and maybe even lead them to Jesus.

Are you a leader in ministry (a pastor or a youth leader)? This workshop is for you!

In His Word, God calls local churches to shine for Jesus (Matt. 5:14-16 & Eph. 3:10-11) and to act as one body in Christ to this end (Eph. 4:11-16). As leaders, we aspire to see more of our congregation members mobilised to be faithful servants and bold witnesses of Christ. However, the sad reality is that it is often just a small handful of people who are committed to making Jesus known, and they seem to be on the verge of burnout. How can we change this and mobilise more of the brothers and sisters we serve?

Through this workshop, God has a message of hope and encouragement for every leader he has given to his Church, so that the saints may be mobilised by and around the gospel! Hérauts is an opportunity to be refreshed by the Word, and to share with and encourage one another, as we sometimes feel alone in our daily ministry.

Michaela May is the management director for Grace Church Greenwich, an evangelical church in London. Born in Germany, she pursued a Masters degree in Economics in Paris, followed by an internship year (training for ministry) with GBU France. She then spent 10 years as an analyst and consultant in the field of pricing (she was mainly involved in changing prices at McDonald's!) in Paris, and later in London. Since 2023, she has been working full-time for her church – and she thinks she has the best job in the world! She also loves to travel off the beaten track. Her latest adventures took her to Rwanda, where she spent 3 weeks exploring the country on her own.

Nathan is married to Magdaléna and they have three daughters together. He is the pastor of a church plant in Paris called Église Ouvrage. He also has a secular job on the side, which doesn't leave him much time for other activities during the week. But when he does have time(!), he enjoys playing board games and watching anime.

Ally Henderson lives in London with his wife and four children, where they are members of Crossway Stratford Church. He works as a solicitor and has been involved in some of the most high-profile cases in the UK in recent years, covering topics as diverse as the Manchester Arena bombing as well as the ban on hormone treatment for children with gender dysphoria. Since 2018, he has also been a commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the regulatory body for equality and human rights law in the UK. He is the author of “Dig Deeper: 1-2 Kings”, published in 2025. On the rare occasions when he has some free time, he enjoys skiing, hiking in the mountains and discovering good food.

Paul is married to Eléonore and they have three teenage sons. He grew up in Belgium and then studied in England before returning to Belgium to serve in Word ministry full-time. He is the student chaplain and a professor of Practical Theology at the Brussels Bible Institute, as well as a pastor of LifePoint Church. He enjoys running, watching football matches and reflecting on the meaning of life.

As a student, Paul was involved with his GBU and prayed for his non-believing friends. He had many interesting discussions with them.

At Hérauts, we provide booklets and pens for you to take notes, and also Bibles.  So all you need to bring is a friendly smile and money to buy fantastic Christian books which we sell at reduced prices (you can pay by card or cash).   These books are carefully selected to be as relevant and edifying as possible, and they are very kindly subsidised by various publishing houses and donors. Make the most of it!

The conference offers direct translation into English for participants who would like it.  This enables us to serve International students and leaders as well as other Belgian students whose first language isn’t French.

In order to receive translation, you will need download the LiveVoice application on your phone (click on relevant button below) and bring your own headphones.  Please indicate on your sign up form that you would like translation so that we can make sure that everything runs smoothly for you.