Flow Magazine – Issue 01

ISSUE AUT/WIN 09

01 ONLINE VERSION

The Magazine of Manchester’s Best Kept Secret, The Message Trust www.message.org.uk/flow

featuring:

LEGENDS: George Verwer TEACHING: Andy Hawthorne PRAYER: James Aladiran

ALSO:

BEHIND THE SCENES with Nathan Milnes / Your Letters / News from the Bands

eams in t

he d

“

Se

am I e

hing… there will b t w e n a g n i e str do Over the last 22 years, I have had a number of ‘wow’ moments when I have had to stand back and think,

‘How the heck did we manage to pull that off?’

I had another one at our prayer meeting

recently as Jess from our girl band Blush invited all the different teams to share what they were believing for over the next few months. The room was bristling with faith as different people shared their exciting plans for the future, lots of which you will read about over the next few pages.

The answer to the ‘How the heck…?’ question, of

course, is that only God could have done it. When my brother and I employed a few young people from inner-city Manchester at our business in the mideighties, we felt the Lord pulling on our heart about their messed-up lives and lack of any real understanding of the gospel. We had no idea that, alongside lots of amazing partners, we would build a ministry that would eventually touch the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people.

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1993

1997

1999

2000

2001

Fresh Resource DVD For Youth Groups

EDEN hattersley EDEN failsworth

HQ Moves – Sharston HQ Grand Opening

EDEN Bus 2 Hits the Streets

2K1 The Urban Adventure

EDEN Swinton EDEN Harpurhey

Evangelist Training School Opens

‘The Tribe’ Xcelerate

WWMT becomes

LifeCentre Salford Grand Opening EDEN Longsight EDEN OPENSHAW

10,000 YOUNG PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY ACTION AND MISSION PROJECTS

Message 2000 – city-wide FESTIVAL

EDEN salford

EDEN Bus 1 Hits the Streets

launched

Partnership in Wythenshawe

EDEN

First

TAKE A LONG HIKE WWMT DEBUT CD RELEASE

Get God 1 Resource Video For Youth Group

1991

Planet Life – Begins at St Mary’s Cheadle

The World Wide Message Tribe

1988

schools band formed

MESSAGE ‘88,

MANCHESTER APOLLO 20,000 YOUNG PEOPLE ATTEND

ANDY HAWTHORNE Founder and CEO The Message Trust.

2002

t n i desert and rivers

.” d n a l e t s a w e h

Back then, all we could think of was to write to

I like the name ‘f low’ for this new magazine.

every church in Manchester encouraging them to

When we first had the idea to do this city-wide stuff

reach out to inner-city youth and, in faith, book what

in Manchester the scriptures God spoke through

was then the biggest rock venue in the city for a week

were the words of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 43.

of outreach events called Message ’88. We hadn’t got

The Lord says through him,

any real qualifications for heading up something

like that; all we had was a heart.

‘See I am doing a new thing... there will be streams in the desert

What I have learnt over these years is that, first

and rivers in the wasteland.’

and foremost, that’s what God is looking for – check

Over these 22 years we’ve started to see those

out 2 Chronicles 16:9 for example. I’ve also learnt

streams and rivers flow in Manchester and right

that when God is up to something he tends to bring

now we are longing for that flow to become a mighty

together people with that same heart – people who

flood – not just here, but in all the toughest parts of

have since given, moved and prayed like crazy to see

our nation. My sense is that will only happen when

us get to where we are today.

more good-hearted people like you get on board.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

EDEN GOES NATIONAL

Youth Ministry Training Course

GENETIK becomes an accredited part-time

six days of passionate praise and worship AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS –’10,000 Hours of Hope’

EDEN leigh EDEN westwood AUDACIOUS 09 SUMMER YOUTH FESTIVAL

EDEN arbourthorne

national mission

Hope 08

CHRISTIAN THEATRE COMPANY JOINS THE MESSAGE

IN YER FACE

The only attraction is Jesus

Breathe launches

‘The Tribe Academy’ opens

GENETIK

‘deep’ DVD 6-Episode Award-Winning Youth Resource

Big Deal Launched Pioneered by Greater Manchester Police and The Message

LZ7‘Ruckus’ Debut Album

EDEN OLD TRAFFORD

Message to the Masses (2004) - Compilation The Tribe take their final bow

Reflex – The Message and Youth for Christ partner to work with young offenders

EDEN FITTON HILL

5000 Christian young people on the streets 55,000 attend open air events

Festival: Manchester

Space new monthly event

Blush uk ‘Sunshine’ Debut Album Released

Read on and hopefully you’ll have your own ‘wow’ moments too.

THE MESSAGE MAGAZINE

2009 flow_the message magazine_

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!AUDACIOUS

AUGUST3-8,2009 THE MESSAGE MAGAZINE

ISSUE 01

Editor:

Alistair Metcalfe

Associate Editor: Ian Rowbottom

Senior Art Director: Dan Hasler

Design Assistant: Bethan Ranftler

Contributors:

Dev Lunsford, James Aladiran, Mel Loudon, Nathan Milnes, Tess Hartley

Advertising:

E: advertising@message.org.uk T: 0161 946 2300

Subscription & Supporter Enquiries:

Jo Nicholson E: jo.nicholson@message.org.uk T: 0161 946 2328 Contributing Photographers: COVER PHOTO: Lucy Smith: www.smithimaging.co.uk Amanda Morgan: www.amandamorganphotographer.co.uk THE MESSAGE: Alan Saunders, Dan Hasler & Ian Rowbottom

Contact:

E: flow@message.org.uk T: 0161 946 2300 flow – The Message Magazine PO Box 151 Manchester M22 4YY

PLEASE RECYCLE

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Fifty community action projects across Greater Manchester including clearing paths, painting railings and outdoor family activities, attracted the attention of local residents and opened the door for gospel conversations.

PHOTO CREDIT: AMANDA MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHER

www.message.org.uk/flow

On the last night, approximately 1,800 people filled Manchester Central for a memorable gig featuring Message bands LZ7 and Blush and teaching from Reggie Dabbs.

Stagecoach generously donated 24 double-decker buses complete with drivers to transport the 1,000 young delegates across Manchester to their projects.

PHOTO CREDIT: AMANDA MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHER

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SHOR T S

Blush show the face of true beauty Message girl band Blush’s new focus on teaching girls about true beauty is having an amazing impact on the girls they work with in Manchester’s schools.

The band recently illustrated the principle by filming a photo shoot, showing the girls with and without makeup.

The reason? To show girls that they believe what they say: To God, they are always beautiful.

Recent feedback shows that the group is meeting a deep need among girls in schools where they have been teaching sessions on self-esteem, body language and self-confidence.

Jess Cook from Blush comments, ‘Our sessions expose the lies the modern media tells girls every day, like retouched photographs and plastic surgery. We want girls to see that make-up and nice clothes are fine, but when it’s all stripped away they are beautiful as they are.’

One girl recently wrote to the band to say,

‘I’d been feeling so down about how I looked. There was a lad I liked but I soon realised he was only interested in one thing. I saw your video online and it made me cry… since then I have felt much more confident.’

You can watch the video of Blush’s ‘no make-up’ shoot on our website, www.message.org.uk.

Deep & Fresh go global

An estimated 50,000 copies of The Message’s youth discipleship DVD Deep are poised to be distributed across Central Asia thanks to a partnership with Kairos Media Trust.

Above: Young people with copies of Fresh in Kyrgyzstan

The DVDs, dubbed in Kyrgyz and Russian, are just the latest batch to be distributed. Thousands of copies of Deep and Fresh have already reached young people across Central Asia.

Kairos trustee Nick Hall comments, ‘There is such a need for these DVDs. Over half the population of Central Asia is under the age of 25, yet there is almost nothing on DVD to point them to Jesus. Right now, demand for the resources is far outstripping supply.’

Importing DVDs into countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is fraught with difficulty, so local churches are pioneering production and distribution themselves. But you can help. Every £1 donated pays for two DVDs to be produced.

If you’d like to help, contact silkroad@kairosmedia.org.

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In Yer Face in yer pocket WORD /10 C•JAN 09 NOV•DE

ag inside

All New im

The In Yer Face team now not only write Word 4U 2Day, UCB’s youth Bible reading guide, they also read it to you!

Matt, Brenda and Zoe’s inimitable voices bring timeless truth to life every day by podcast and email.

THE MESSAGE ONLINE You can get the latest news and events, stories and testimonies, plus tons of free media including teaching from Andy Hawthorne and other fantastic communicators… it’s all on our website:

www.message.org.uk

Visit www.ucb.co.uk/w4u for all the details.

UNITED CHRISTIAN

BROADCASTERS

Coming to Manchester 2010...

Betel in Greater Manchester will be opening at the start of 2010

Who, What Where?

Betel is an International Christian charity that has set up recovery communities all over the world. They have seen thousands of people free from drug and alcohol addiction and who have come to know freedom in Christ in the process! In the UK, Betel centres already exist in Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Watford and Ireland.

Entry into Betel is free and can be arranged on the day of first contact. A period of at least 18 months is advised within the Betel community. The residential properties are rurally located and residents are trained to work in the gardening and furniture businesses owned

by Betel.

Their businesses cover over 89% of their running costs. Helping residents to become free not just of drugs and alcohol, but welfare dependence.

Can you help?

If you think you may be able to help with any of the following, please contact Hannah Latty on hannah@latty.org.uk

www.betel.co.uk

* Finding or investing in a suitable Betel property in Greater Manchester. * Giving financially to the start-up of the project. * Referring people in need to the Betel community.

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Get equipped to reach your community

ÂŁ

ÂŁ EmpowEr your community and church with budgeting skills Equip your church with a professional and relevant outreach tool CAP Money is a three-session course to reach your community in a practical way. It features weekly DVD presentations to teach people budgeting skills and a simple, cash-based system. This course has universal appeal and trained volunteers from your church will be empowered to help anyone get more in control of their finances.

www.capmoney.org

CAP M ney

To find training dates near you and order your FREE info pack visit www.capmoney.org or call 01274 760567 CAp money is brought to you by the debt counselling charity Christians Against poverty. Registered Office: Jubilee Mill, North Street, Bradford, BD1 4EW. Registered Charity No. 1097217 Charity Registered in Scotland No. SCO38776. Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in England and Wales No. 4655175.

SHOR T S

BUSIEST YEAR BY FAR IN SCHOOLS

The 2009-10 school year looks set to be the busiest year by far for our bands and theatre company working in Greater Manchester’s schools.

Above: Andy Hawthorne with David, his sponsored child

COMPASSIONATE MESSAGE The Message’s long-standing relationship with Compassion continues to bear fruit.

As well as hundreds of children sponsored by Message staff and supporters, Compassion estimates that well over a thousand more have been sponsored as a result of Andy and Michele Hawthorne’s talks at churches and Christian events.

Last year, Andy, Michele and a team from The Message visited Haiti to see the Compassion’s life-transforming work among the poorest of the poor.

To find out more about Compassion and how you can sponsor a child for around 70p a day, visit: www.compassionuk.org

Matt moves to the UK’s second most important city The Message’s Mission Director Matt Wilson recently moved to London to take on a new role as National Director of the Eden Network, leading the growth of the Eden movement right across the UK. Matt, who has been part of the Eden movement since its inception, has been responsible for its development for the last six years.

Matt is currently overseeing the implementation of regional Eden hubs in London, Sheffield, Newcastle and Bradford and forming strategic partnerships in other cities.

A total of 75 schools weeks are planned for LZ7 (Lindz pictured), Blush, Twelve24 and In Yer Face next year and we are working harder than ever to ensure that the majority of schools weeks are done in partnership with local churches.

Check out the ‘Day in The Life’ feature on pages 10 and 11 for a behind-thescenes look at our schools work in action.

And there’s more.

Look out in the new year for news of our biggest ever evangelism event in Manchester. We can’t say too much yet but it’s going to be… big.

Also next year, we are attempting to get the LZ7 anthem This Little Light into the UK charts, not so that the boys can be stars but so that we can reach even more young people. ‘White label’ versions of the track will appear in clubs from the summer and a release is scheduled for next autumn.

Keep an eye on our website www.message.org.uk for the latest news.

Read our lead article on Eden beginning on page 10.

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D A Y I N T HE LIFE

A Tuesday in the Life of‌ Nathan Milnes 7.30am

11am

10am

PROFILE:

NATHAN MILNES Manchester born and bred, Nathan has been part of the Message team for seven years, working first as Eden Team Leader in Failsworth and now leading our outreach in schools.

Email: nathanm@message.org.uk

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2pm

12.30pm

7.30am

Early start today… we’ve got Blush, LZ7 and In Yer Face all in schools across Manchester this week. I arrive at a high school to check in with LZ7 and to meet the link teacher. Our church contact is also around all this week, helping establish a really strong relationship with the school. The sound check goes OK and after a few small tweaks to the timetable, I head off.

9am

Back to the office in time for Staff Prayers.

I love this part of the job – what other job starts the day with prayer?

10am

Time to check emails, return a couple of phone calls and log on to Facebook. This isn’t a chance to check my own page (well maybe a cheeky peek!) but to check all the bands’ pages – it’s a great way for us to keep in touch and answer questions from past school weeks. We also use Facebook to continue follow-up with young people and encourage them to get along to church.

11am 7.30pm

4pm

Update meeting with Alan Saunders. Alan and I work closely together on finding local churches that want to do mission in their local high school. Our goal is to run every schools week as a partnership with a church because they are absolutely vital in providing prayer, follow-up and finance.

Alan tells me he has met with a local church leader who is excited about a possible schools week but they are struggling with one aspect: it’s likely to cost £1,500 and they can’t afford to pay for it.

We agree to go back to them and say that we’ll find a way to make it work: the opportunity for mission is too good to let it pass by. We’ll say to them to raise what they can and we will underwrite the rest.

12.30pm

Head off to Starbucks to meet up with a local youth leader to catch up with them and find out what’s going on within their church and youth ministry. I try to meet with youth leaders across the city as much as possible.

4pm

Get on the phone to find out numbers for an upcoming curry night for youth leaders. We do these quarterly for youth leaders in the area to network and get some quality input that will benefit them and their ministry. It is a fact that all youth leaders love a good curry.

5.15pm

Snatch a few minutes off before the evening gets going.

6.30pm

Arrive at Costa Coffee. Tonight we’re doing the second part of a four week follow-up course for young people who became Christians at a recent Unleashed gig nearby. We like to do these at neutral venues like coffee shops where kids can feel relaxed. We always do it in partnership with the local church. We talk through the programme and the team prays together.

7.30pm

About forty young people have arrived and are sipping drinks and chatting. The programme kicks off, led by the local youth leaders and with contributions from the Message team. The girls are particularly excited that a couple of guys from LZ7 have put in an appearance!

Tonight we’re looking at more of what it means to be a follower of Jesus and how to live as a Christian. You can tell that the young people are really responding to the talk and building quality relationships with the youth leaders. At the end of the four weeks we hope that most of the young people will feel really at home with the local church and become members of the youth group.

9pm

The young people have gone so there’s just time for a quick debrief about the evening and to share encouraging stories from our small groups. We then pray for the young people and do the job that everyone loves… pack-down!

9.30pm

The day is done and I’m on my way home.

2pm

Find a quiet space in the office (not easy to be honest!) to do some prep for a church I’m speaking at on Sunday. When a church decides to partner with us on a schools week we’re committed to helping the whole church buy into the vision of a schools week and pray for it. I will be preaching about mission and the call we have to tell people about Jesus.

Get The Message in your school

You’re only one call away from having one of our bands or theatre company coming to your local high school. If you’re a church, please ask for Alan Saunders. For schools, ask for Nathan Milnes.

Our contact number is 0161 946 2300.

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o I feel

like a missionary?

No, not really – I just live here.’ Twenty-one year old Harriet Atkins makes the challenge of living on Eden in one of the nation’s most needy estates sound like the most natural thing in the world.

But her journey from a middle-class home in one of the nicer parts of Manchester proves that this is a woman sent by God and called for a purpose.

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LEA D S T OR Y During this time it became clear to Harriet what God wanted from her life: ‘Being in a youth group, working with the hard-to-reach ones made me realise what I was supposed to be doing: realising potential in young people.’

Harriet’s involvement with Eden Harpurhey came through a chance conversation with then team leader Lucy Smith. As she described her heart for mentoring young girls, it became obvious that she was a perfect fit for a new role as a mentoring coordinator.

‘Studies have shown that mentoring is the number one need in Harpurhey for young people. There are so few role models for the kids who have been left behind.’

‘I grew up in a Christian home but to be honest I felt like God was passing me by. I knew he was the reason I’d had a great childhood but I didn’t have an understanding of who he was to me. ‘One day a person I really admired asked me, “Have you got a relationship with God?” That was where my journey with Him started.’

After feeling God speaking to her at a Planet Life event as a teenager, Harriet was accepted to the Genetik youth training course at 18.

‘Genetik was the most amazing time of my life – understanding the promises God had made over my life, getting to know the Holy Sprit, learning my Bible – I couldn’t get enough of it.’

As a passionate Genetik graduate, her skills in youth work were quickly in demand at her parents’ church.

‘It was a nice middle class area so the kids who had been brought up in nice Christian homes were really engaged. But the ones who were either rebelling or hadn’t been brought up in such great homes seemed to be neglected. I found my heart was broken for these girls.’

Harriet began a small prayer group in her basement with three of the girls. Before long this became six.

‘Because I was only a couple of years older than them, the issues they were going through were the same ones I had gone though and had seen breakthrough in. My heart ached when I heard them say things like “God does things for other people but not for me.” That is exactly how I used to feel.’

‘Eden gives people a format for how to live as a Christian among people who are broken.’

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Harriet fell in love with Harpurhey’s people, the community, the church and the way Eden functioned as part of the church.

‘The Eden team in Harpurhey “do” church. Before, I thought you “went to church”. But they live church out in community with the people, the kids, the families.’

Harriet’s work is a crucial part of the Eden team on the streets of Harpurhey. With the team, she interacts with dozens of young people on a weekly basis from detached work on the streets, a drop-in centre run in partnership with the local Lighthouse Group centre, and one-on-one discipleship and prayer with young people.

‘We work with a lot of young girls who have no self-esteem whatsoever. One girl in particular we’ve really seen blossom.

She had been told all her life she looked like a man which was patently not true. Yet whenever I saw her she was covered up head to toe in baggy tracksuits.

‘Over weeks and months, we gradually got her to realise that she is in fact beautiful and to understand that her identity doesn’t have to lie in covering herself up. It was about getting her to a place where she had heard and she knew that she was totally loved by God. ‘We helped her make a ‘God wall’ which she plastered with scripture and God’s promises to her. On a particularly low day, she took it all down saying she no longer believed any of it. One of the other young people came in and said “Don’t you dare take that down”, and read them all back to her, one by one.

Her confidence has gone up ten-fold. Educationally, she’s doing really well. She passed her exams and got a fantastic job she loves. Everyone she knows is just overwhelmed with the change they’ve seen in her. God wants to do that kind of transformation every day.’

How does she feel about living in one of the most deprived parts of the UK where health is poor, unemployment is high and police sirens are part of the ambient noise?

‘There are some people who say to me, “How is it living in Chavland?” which is a common view. And it’s funny listening to other Christians talk about their problems and thinking, “You have no idea!” But I’ve never once felt unsafe. I know we have a massive God. It’s home.

‘Eden is great because it gives people a format for how to live as a Christian on an estate among people who are broken. I just feel like if Jesus were walking around now, this is where he would be living. He wouldn’t be living there as a mentoring coordinator, he’d literally be just living there, being light in the community and doing life with people. That’s Eden.’

EDEN GOES NATIONAL CAN YOU HELP US?

The map below shows the 10% most deprived areas in England and Wales – the communities most often forgotten by commerce, government and, sadly, the church.

Eden was born out of a vision to see these areas transformed from the inside out by the love of God, starting with young people.

In 1997 a pioneering team relocated into one of Manchester’s toughest estates to live long-term as salt and light in the community. Since then, hundreds of people like Harriet (left) have chosen to become ‘downwardly mobile’ and join Eden teams right across Greater Manchester.

In 2008, God opened the door for Eden to go nationwide and we are now looking to plant Edens right across England and Wales focusing on the nine hot-spots of deprivation on the map below.

‘Working with the hard-to-reach ones made me realise what I was supposed to be doing: realising potential in young people.’

We are now in the process of establishing regional Eden hubs in London, Sheffield, Newcastle and Bradford with strategic conversations already underway in other cities as well. Matt Wilson has taken up the role of National Director, spearheading the expansion of the Eden Network across the country from his new base in London. Keep checking the Eden website for updates on how things are developing.

We long to see thousands of young people in the nation’s most deprived places realising their God-given potential.

We now urgently need more people who share our vision to join us on Eden teams. If you believe God is calling you to join us, find out more at www.eden-network.org or email: eden@message.org.uk. flow_the message magazine_

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Interview with

LEGE N D S

GEORGE VERWER George founded Operation Mobilisation in 1957, which today has over 5,000 missionaries in 110 countries around the world, motivating and equipping people to share God’s love with millions of people each year. He handed over the international leadership of OM in 2003 and today travels around the world as an advocate for global mission.

Q:

A:

You’re the first in our ‘Legends’ series of heroes of the faith.

Who have been your role models over the years?

I came to Christ from a non-Christian background through the ministry of Billy Graham.

He was my first major role model. Oswald J Smith, through his writing, particularly The Passion for Souls was a huge inspiration in terms of global mission vision.

Q:

A:

By 70, most people in the UK have retired but not you!

What’s the secret to your amazing energy levels?

Energy is a gift from God. I’ve always taken good care of my health but in the end the calling of God on my life is such a motivating thing. To think that someone like me could be working for the King of Kings… whatever I do, I do ‘heartily as unto the Lord’.

Q:

A:

You’ve mobilised hundreds of thousands of people for mission.

What advice do you give most often when people come to you with a heart for mission?

It’s Galatians 2:20. To me, the heart of Christian ministry is our walk with God. My passion is true spirituality: integrity, reality, purity, which to me means I am crucified with Christ. I don’t think it ends there though – it goes on to caring for the poor, reaching people with the gospel and loving your neighbour.

Q:

A:

OM has been in existence over 50 years – The Message isn’t even half that age yet!

What insight could you give to a ministry in young adulthood?

I think it’s about growing in spiritual maturity. Those who think they are already spiritually mature should guess again. We have to continue to grow in grace and that means being ready for change.

For example, six years ago I totally turned over the leadership of OM. I’m not on the committee, not leading from behind. I’m not e ven an advisor. That was my choice. Other founders have found it difficult to do that.

Q:

A:

Wherever you go, you promote books and give away thousands of copies a year.

Why is literature distribution so important to you?

Well, I had a lot of questions as a young Christian – I still do. Billy Graham’s Peace With God answered so many questions I had as a young man. Books open our eyes to the people of the world and they can mentor a person as much as other people – it’s not either-or, we need both.

When it comes to books and films I’m a spiritual glutton! God’s helping me with that.

Q:

A:

I understand you are coming up on your 50th wedding anniversary to Drena.

Congratulations! But what’s the key?

I believe God gave me the right wife! We’re very different but we have the same focus – we are both committed to Jesus and missions.

Q: What’s the story behind your map-of-the-world jacket?

A: God gave me that jacket 25 years ago and I’ve been through 200 of them. I just auctioned

one off for £1,000 in South Africa. It’s just a great visual device.

Q:

A:

Recently staff at The Message watched you give the jacket you were wearing to Andy.

What made you do that?

Only a very important person would get one free! It’s a way of me thanking and honouring him. I’ve shared many of my experiences with Andy over the years and I can see that he is a long-distance runner. We both are.

‘God gave me that jacket 25 years ago and I’ve been through 200 of them.’

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Faith I want to become a doctor so that I can look after people with AIDS. My parents work very hard but they don’t earn much and my mother used to borrow money to pay for my school uniform.

But now I am registered in the Compassion project and they help me go to school and learn everything I need.

For less than 70p per day you can ensure a child like Faith receives education, food, healthcare, clothing and the opportunity to hear about the transforming love of Christ.

Faith Muthoni, sponsored child from Kenya

TO SPONSOR A CHILD AND CHANGE A LIFE, CALL COMPASSION ON 01932 836490 OR VISIT WWW.COMPASSIONUK.ORG/faith Registered Charity No. 1077216

T EACHI N G

The Message’s Prayer Coordinator James Aladiran on keeping a passion for God ‘Shining’ and ‘burning’

Here at The Message, we talk often about working for God. Almost everything we are involved with has a visible public face – whether it’s taking classes and doing concerts in schools, working with young offenders on the prison wings or living long-term in Eden communities.

Fire will test our work

It’s true that God will test our works. First Corinthians 3:13 says that in the final analysis, God will test the works each of us has done by fire, and the quality of what we do for God will be tested not for what size it is, but what sort it is.

It certainly looks good and even people who don’t understand our reasons for doing it can see that what we’re doing is serving a useful purpose. You could say we’re quite good at ‘letting our little light shine.’ But God looks deeper.

I have been challenged recently by what Jesus says about John the Baptist in John 5:35. Looking back on John’s life, Jesus describes him as a ‘burning and shining lamp’. John had served Jesus, going before him preparing the way for him like a lamp.

The truth is, two people could do the same works – preach the same sermon, pray the same prayer. But in God’s eyes one would come out as gold, one would come out as ashes.

Productivity is not enough

What captivates me is that Jesus points out that John was more than a ‘shining’ lamp. He was also a ‘burning’ lamp.

Jesus drew attention to what was going on inside John as well as outside.

It seems to me that there is a tremendous amount of pressure on us to be productive and to be seen to be doing well as Christians. I have discovered that, as good as the external productivity may be, what makes the difference in God’s eyes is the internal conditions of our hearts.

This can create a culture where we allow our performance to measure how well we are doing with God. It is possible for us to believe that how well we sang, preached or even prayed is the thing that qualifies us.

Some will be revealed to be gold, silver or precious stones.

These will withstand the fire. But some will be exposed as wood, straw or hay and all that will be left of these is ashes.

Prayer is the remedy

The only thing that differentiates it is the internal condition of the heart that offered it.

This is where prayer makes the difference. Alone before God, my heart is as plain and as bare as it can be. No external signs of success can disguise it. Leonard Ravenhill says, ‘The pulpit can be a shop window to display one’s talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off.’

I want my heart to burn for God consistently like John the Baptist. His ministry diminished as soon as Jesus came on the scene (‘He must increase, but I must decrease’ – John 3:30). I want that to be true of me too. If God brings pruning and decrease then that’s OK. My heart must still be a burning lamp.

PROFILE:

JAMES ALADIRAN James works on the Message’s Communications team and is also our prayer coordinator.

Email: jamesa@message.org.uk

Come and pray with us

Join us at Message Prayer Nights this year on Oct 12, Nov 9 and Dec 14.

Begins at 7.30pm, Message HQ, Sharston. Also don’t miss the Hope Prayer Event at Manchester Cathedral, Nov 3, 7.30pm.

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POS T B AG

YOUR LETTERS EDITOR’S CHOICE

I’m sure that you’ll get a load of emails like this following Andy’s two messages at Harvest (YFC North East) this year but I just cannot NOT send this, so here goes: When Andy was talking about the Eden projects during his time at Harvest I just felt such enthusiasm rising up in me – it literally took every ounce of my strength not to run up to the stage shouting, ‘Yes, yes, yes! I am so with this!’ I just felt like something in my heart clicked. I now know that in order to truly serve these people I need to be all the way there, and so tomorrow I begin my search for a house on their estate and not outside of it.

I think that the things God is doing through you are amazing – my prayers are with you all.

Tons of love, Mandy

Great to hear stories from our travels this summer. Don’t forget there’s loads of teaching from Andy Hawthorne and others available to download completely free on our website, www.message.org.uk.

For being my Editor’s choice letter we’ll be sending you a copy of Andy’s latest book ‘Hope Unleashed’ on us.

‘BEAN’ MEANING TO COME AND PRAY I want to say thanks for the invitation to come along to the Monday evening Message Prayer Nights.

I’m afraid I’ve not been able to make it along yet, but I definitely intend to get there this time! Thanks for the invite to coffee beforehand – see you there!

Best wishes, Chris

Did you know our monthly prayer evenings here at Message HQ in Sharston are open to all our supporters?

You’d be so welcome to come along. Coffee is served from 7pm and the meeting itself begins at 7.30pm.

Dates for the rest of this year are Oct 12, Nov 9, Dec 14.

DIVING IN HEAD FIRST Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed doing the Great Swim for The Message this year.

Not only was the experience a real personal achievement, but I was also able to raise money for a charity that I know makes such a huge and positive difference in people’s lives. It was great to do something a bit different to a run and I found that people were more willing to sponsor me as it’s an uncommon event.

Thank you for all your help getting me set up with sponsor forms, etc.

Hannah

Well done to Hannah! Could you jump out of an aeroplane, follow in the footsteps of the celebs up Mount Kilimanjaro, cycle from London to Paris, walk the Three Peaks or even ride 160km through Mongolia on horseback? If you’d like to take on a sponsored event on behalf of The Message, find out more on our website, www.message.org.uk, or call Tess Hartley on 0161 946 2304.

PROFILE:

ALISTAIR METCALFE “I hope you’ve enjoyed this first issue of f low. The team has worked really hard so we’d really love to hear your feedback.”

Email: flow@message.org.uk

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Date for Your Diary: Message Open Day April 17, 2010 A LITTLE ILLUMINATION I was at New Wine in Newark this summer and Andy Hawthorne and the crew showed the video of LZ7s’s This Little Light. We would like to use the song and video in our kids’ worship slot in church on a Sunday morning. I’ve found the clip on YouTube on The Message’s channel. Is the video available to buy?

Thanks Simon

Thanks for the question. Right now the video is available to watch and download for free from LZ7’s website, www.lz7.co.uk. See page 9 for exciting news about plans to release This Little Light as a single in the UK charts next year.

ALL RAPPED UP Thank you to everyone on the Genetik Summer Sessions (Tim, Ryan, Blush and everyone else) who helped Chloe and me to rap. It was so funny but we loved doing it. My mum’s face was brill when she watched me perform – she didn’t know I had so much talent! Can’t wait for the after-school sessions.

It was the best two weeks of our summer holidays and we’re looking forward to coming back. Thank you for making God so much fun.

e Message works?

Ever wondered how th What makes us tick? irt mean?

What does Lindz’s t-sh and find out.

Come to our Open Day With live performances from our bands, LZ7, Twelve24 and Blush, hard-hitting drama from our theatre group In Yer Face, and the chance to step aboard our state-of-the-art Eden buses, you’d be crazy not to.

You’ll have a chance to explore our cutting-edge training academy, Genetik, and have a nosey round our offices.

It’s also a great opportunity to meet The Message’s CEO, Andy Hawthorne, and listen to stories of our work and see for yourself the impact of this vital ministry.

It’s open to everyone and an all-round great day out!

Where:

Message HQ, Lancaster House, Harper Road, Sharston, Manchester, M22 4RG

When: Saturday 17th April 2010, 11am-3pm Cost: FREE

Beth

Thanks Beth – the guys love to hear feedback from students. News about our Genetik sessions is available on the Genetik website www.genetik.org.uk ANDY FOR MAYOR? It’s just been on North West Tonight that Terry Christian is looking to be Mayor of Manchester. No! Surely that has got to be Andy Hawthorne’s job!

God bless Joyce

Nice idea Joyce but we all know Andy is far too busy here at The Message. Besides he looks terrible in robes and chains.

What’s your story

Have you got a story to share, a testimony or a word of thanks to one of our teams? Let us know at: flow@message.org.uk.

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T EACHI N G

Is your good stopping you from being your best?

Andy Hawthorne shares some keys on keeping distraction at bay

We’re studying Acts together in our Tuesday morning prayer meetings right now. Recently I shared from Acts 6 on how I have learnt that Satan likes to attack in three ways: Firstly, through persecution: by attempting to undermine our ministry’s reputation as people tell lies and stir scandal.

Secondly, through dishonesty. As opportunities increase, temptation will increase. The Lord never tempts us but Satan will, especially when we’re about to see a breakthrough.

The third, and most subtle, area is diversion. This is when we let the ‘good’ stop us from doing our best. We all love to hear about large numbers responding at our big events and gigs. But we don’t just want scores on the doors or hands in the air, we want disciples who will multiply what we’re sowing.

Acts 6 shows the apostles themselves falling into this trap.

In the days where the number of converts was increasing, the poor were being blessed. It’s always the way: when God starts to move in power, the poor benefit. If you look at revivals down history they all broke out amongst the poor. Yes, the business men and the wealthy may have funded the ministries, but the main benefactors have always been the poor. In those days, there was a ‘daily distribution of food’ (Acts 6:1) amongst the widows and poor.

As people start doing a good thing, other people start murmuring. When you’re having a go and trying to do your best for Jesus, others often start whinging and murmuring and it can chip away at you. At the beginning of Acts 6, one group in particular, the Grecian Jews, are getting overlooked.

There’s no suggestion this is deliberate but probably just poor organisation.

Hear more great teaching

Updated weekly, our free podcast features inspiring teaching from Andy and guest speakers. Listen online or subscribe via iTunes at www.message.org.uk

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Truthfully, it was probably the apostles’ own fault! Not only were they not meant to be doing this job, but they were doing a rubbish job of it, which is so often the case when we do the things we’re not meant to be doing. Yes, of course the church is supposed to be helping the poor, but these apostles were not meant to be waiting on these tables (Acts 6:2). They had a different – not more important, but different – role to fill. I don’t know about you, but I want to spend as much time as possible doing what only I can do.

One key to success is elimination. Another is delegation.

It’s running with what you’ve been called to do and being cool with it, not trying to do everyone else’s ministry.

The big and urgent ‘need’ is not necessarily the call for you. As Christians, we are one body and just like a body, we all have different roles to fill, from administration and organisation, to talking to people.

The busy apostles in Acts decided that they needed to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Everybody was blessed because of this wise decision.

Over

to you 1.

S T A N D W I T H US

Here are three ways you can help right now.

A regular gift is the best way you can help at this exciting time. Join the growing number of people faithfully sowing into this move of God. Fill in the form on the back of the cover sheet to donate or visit

www.message.org.uk/give

2. Pray like

Use the enclosed prayer sheet to guide your prayers. If you don’t already get the bimonthly prayer letter, sign up at

www.message.org.uk/prayer

3. Keep in touch.

Our new website is chock-full of news and

PROFILE:

JO NICHOLSON Jo is waiting for your call!

She’s our Supporter Care Officer so whether you’d like to set up as a regular giver or change your mailing details she’ll be happy to help.

Email: jon@message.org.uk

free media including the latest teaching from Andy, video testimonies and performances from the bands.

www.message.org.uk

Subscribe to our regularly updated tweets www.twitter.com/messagetrust

CONTACTS

The Message Trust, PO Box 151, Manchester, M22 4YY Tel: 0161 946 2300 Email: info@message.org.uk flow_the message magazine_

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’? st a e y d n a lt a ‘S r o ’ d n a st a n ‘Lamp o

e r o m y n a ’ r o r e h it ‘e t o n ’s It

What has washing someone’s car got to do with the gospel?

Committed to bringing the Christian message to young people in his hometown of Manchester, England, Andy Hawthorne was shocked when a missions partner told him he shouldn’t just preach the gospel but also engage in community projects.

It worked. The Message Trust has been recognised internationally as bringing hope and change to the roughest, poorest neighborhoods of Manchester.

And it got him thinking: what, exactly, should the priority of the church be? Should it be the lamp on a stand – bold, unashamed gospel proclamation to as many as possible? Or should it be more salt and yeast – serving and blessing the vulnerable and the marginalised, with no questions asked?

The answer, of course, is both. Christians who truly want to follow Jesus should explain the good news with words – but also make sure to demonstrate the gospel through what’s been described as random acts of kindness. Written in a warm, passionate, nonreligious style, Hope Unleashed is filled with moving true stories and practical ideas and strategies for Christian mission based on word and deed.

Andy Hawthorne’s New Book £7.99 Available now from:

www.messagetrading.co.uk

CLAIM YOUR FREE SIGNED COPY

When you become a regular financial supporter of The Message. See overleaf for details.