Flow Magazine – Issue 04

issue

AUTUMN 2010

04 FREE

The Magazine of ManchesTer’s BesT KepT secreT, The Message TrusT

Also inside:

www.message.org.uk/flow

SPECIAL REPORT: Urban Hero Awards LEGENDS: Shane Claiborne EDEN: Calling all tentmakers

From the schools to the nation... and back again

PLUS:

The Blessings of Growth by andy hawthorne / Hope Together / Urban Impact

THE MESSAGE MAGAZINE

ISSUE 04

Editor:

Alistair Metcalfe

Associate Editor: Ian Rowbottom

Senior Art Director: Dan Hasler

Graphic Designer: Bethan Ranftler

Contributors: Matt Wilson

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

Cover Photo: Lucy Smith

Contributing Photographers: Lucy Smith: www.smithimaging.co.uk Giles Smith: www.giloscope.com With thanks to: Manchester Evening News THE MESSAGE: Ian Rowbottom, Alan Saunders & Matt Wilson

Contact:

E: flow@message.org.uk T: 0161 946 2300 flow – The Message Magazine Lancaster House Harper Road Sharston Manchester M22 4RG

Why we n Prayer is right at the heart of life here at The Message. Every day starts with team prayers, and once a month we all ‘down tools’ for a whole day to hear the great stories of what God is doing through our work and to lift the whole thing up in prayer.

Right at the centre of our building is our Prayer Room where we go to seek breakthrough again and again. On the wall of this room is a poem inspired by the words of Leonard Ravenhill:

‘God forbid that we should have…

Many organisers, few agonisers; Many players and payers, few prayers; Many singers, few clingers; Lots of rappers, few wrestlers; Many fears, few tears; Much fashion, little passion; Many interferers, few intercessors; Many writers, but few fighters.

If we fail here we will fail everywhere.’

Welcome to

, the

Turn over for coverage of the Urban Hero Awards starting on page 4

www.message.org.uk/flow >>>4–5

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Shane Claiborne on living The Simple Way on page 16

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need you to pray I guess that just about sums it up. We are so aware that what we are trying to achieve here in Manchester, and more recently on the toughest estates across our nation, is an impossible thing. But the good news is, it’s not impossible for our God. Yes, it’s true that we really need pounds at the moment. So much more could be done if only we had more finance coming in. And yes, we desperately need more people to join dozens of new Eden teams up and down the nation over the next few years, and to be part of our fantastic Genetik training programme.

But, most important of all, we need more prayers. Please spend some time every day praying that God would continue to bless The Message and that through us, multiple thousands of lost and hurting young people will be reached.

Thanks, as ever, for all your support.

FOUNDER AND CEO

magazine of The Message Trust Meet John McGuinness, our Urban Hero of the Year on pages 10-11

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Testimonies from the New Wine Urban Impact venue on page 20 >>>18–19

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Twelve24 perform at the Urban Hero Awards, Palace Hotel, Manchester, Friday 9 July 2010.

shorTs

urBaN Hero awarDs 2010 This year’s Urban Hero Awards took place on Friday 9 July at the Palace Hotel in central Manchester. Almost 700 of Greater Manchester’s finest turned out to honour the achievements of five exceptional nominees whose stories have amazed and inspired friends, families and communities over the last year.

Special guests included Lord Mayor Mark Hackett, business leader Sir John Zochonis, and GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy. They joined Olympian Diane Modahl and a host of stars from stage and screen.

Five awards winners were named before the overall Urban Hero of the Year was announced. Short video clips were produced for each nominee which can now be viewed on the Message website, www.message.org.uk.

Fifteen-year-old Andrei Keating won the Achiever Award for impressing family and friends by transforming his attitude to school and achieving significant qualifications over the last year. An innovative partnership between the church, police, local authorities and the housing association in Limeside, Oldham won the Champion Award. Nick Shahlavi, a former drug dealer who transformed his life and is now helping others transform theirs, walked off with the Inspiration Award. And sixteen-year-old Cody O’Grady from Openshaw who has been fighting aggressive cancer this year was named winner of the Courage Award.

But the Volunteer Award and the overall Urban Hero of the Year title went to John McGuinness, 15, from Old Trafford.

Until two years ago, John was regarded as a local trouble maker, regularly excluded from school and a problem at home. But it all changed when he started getting involved with Eden Old Trafford. Turn to page 10 to read John’s story.

AWARD WINNERS – CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Andrei Keating & Andrew Leakey, Neil & Lydia Newbury with Jilly Farthing, Cody O’Grady with Sam Ward & Gordon Haynes, and Nick Shahlavi with Paul Nadin.

BELOW: Celebrity guests included stars from Coronation Street

FREE SOUVENIR SUPPLEMENT

Our Urban Hero Awards media partner, the Manchester Evening News, produced an eight-page supplement which appeared in the paper across Greater Manchester on July 16. We have souvenir copies available for our supporters. Call Jo Nicholson on 0161 946 2328 to reserve yours.

URBAN HERO OF THE YEAR: John McGuinness with Award Sponsor, Mark Threapleton, MD of Stagecoach Manchester flow_the message magazine_

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shorTs

HoPe TogeTHer TAKES THE HOPE vISION FORWARD

The Message is excited to be one of the organisations backing HOPE Together, building on the momentum generated

by Hope ’08 in seeing UK churches doing more, together and in both word and action for their local communities.

Above: Roy Crowne speaks at the launch of Hope Together

Launched last week, HOPE Together is a continuation of Hope ’08, which saw groups of churches in 1,500 areas find ways of being good news and bringing hope outside of their church buildings.

The initiative aims to help the Church build on mission activity and become even more outward-looking over the next four years, leading toward an all-out year of mission in 2014.

Roy Crowne, Executive Director of HOPE Together, spoke to over 40,000 people at the launch which took place at the ExCel Centre, London on 23 July.

He said: “Our dream is that we would see what the Lord Jesus sees – he doesn’t see the differences in tradition or styles of worship but he sees His Church, the body of Christ. His prayer is that we would unite in the purpose and the mission of God – that mission is to cause our church to be outward focused, to express acts of kindness and then to communicate the love of God in the good news of Jesus Christ.

“We may differ in the things we do but we need to celebrate diversity and understand that we have strengths when we work together – find a way to work together for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the sake of those outside of the kingdom.”

Message CEO Andy Hawthorne was one of the founders of Hope ‘08, alongside Soul Survivor leader Mike Pilavachi and then-YFC head Roy Crowne.

They set up Hope ‘08 to be a catalyst to encourage and inspire churches in villages, towns and cities to do mission in order to demonstrate God's love by doing more, doing it together, and doing it in word and action, and working with government bodies, police and the media within communities.

Find out more about HOPE Together on their website: www.hopetogether.org.uk 6

_flow_the message magazine

‘THIS lITTlE lIGHT’

out SEPt 26

LZ7’s This Little Light gets its long-awaited mainstream release on September 26 via iTunes, priced at just 99p. The band’s new album Light follows later in the autumn.

There’s also an official launch party at the Manchester Apollo – and you’re invited! Read our lead story starting on page 12 to find out more.

Andy SMITH

>>>>>>> THe LIve

ALbuM

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> AVAILABLE FROM

www.MEssAgEtRAdIng.cO.uk

DOWNLOAD

‘YAHWEH’

THE FirsT TrAck

TOTALLY FREE FROM

loNdoN edeN DirEcTOr APPOiNTED

Daniel Haigh has been appointed to the key role of Director of Eden London.

Dan joins the Eden team after a successful career in both business and the voluntary sector, most recently for Participation Works and West London YMCA. He has also served as Assistant Minister at St Paul’s Ealing.

He joins at a foundational time for Eden London. Two new Eden teams are to set to begin, each with a full-time leader and its own local mission strategy. Over the next few years the goal is to see Edens all across Greater London positively impacting communities with the gospel in word and deed.

Above: A housing estate in North london

‘I’m really excited to be working with partner churches in north, south, east and west London to begin new missional communities in some of the most deprived places in the capital,’ says Dan. His main priorities getting started will be to develop prayer support, recruit team members for the new projects and to raise finance to underpin the vision.

‘Dan is an amazing addition to the national Eden team,’ commented Matt Wilson, national director. ‘His natural gifts and professional experience make him a perfect fit for this key strategic role.’

More about Eden London at www.eden-network.org or find us on Facebook. in 2009/2010, lZ7 performed to 25,000 young people in Greater Manchester and holland and saw an amazing 1,500 first-time commitments to christ.

ANDY TO SPEAK AT church plANtiNG coNfereNce Message Chief Executive Andy Hawthorne will be one of the keynote speakers at the PLANT CHURCH / SHAREit conference in Sheffield on November 10 and 11, 2010.

Sheffield is one of four city venues across Europe hosting the conference, designed by the European Church Planting Network (ECPN) to inspire and equip a new generation of church planters.

Andy will share the platform with Nicky Gumbel (HTB and Alpha), Mick Woodhead (St Thomas Crookes, Sheffield), Paul Maconachie (St Thomas Philadelphia) and Bishop Steven Croft (Fresh Expressions).

Above: Andy & Nicky Gumbel, two of the guest speakers at the conference

The conference will explore tried and tested models and strategies for church planting, including how Eden can be integrated to bring a focus on young people in the toughest neighbourhoods. Delegates will also have the opportunity to build relationships for future work in the UK or abroad.

The conference takes place at the Philadelphia Conference Centre and tickets cost £55 per adult (early bird discount also available). Find out more at ecpn.org.

UrbAN imPAcT oN the roAd

After another fantastic year at New Wine North, the Urban Impact venue team is hitting the road in March 2011, taking in stops in Tyneside, Teesside, Sheffield, Manchester and London.

Hear your favourite Urban Impact speakers with performances from In Yer Face and Andy Smith leading worship. Get the dates in your diary now! See page 20 for all the details. flow_the message magazine_

7

accept the challenge BOOK EARLY - DON’T MISS OUT!

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Accept the challenge and you can join one of our International Interdenominational teams for six days or six months, sharing the Gospel in Asia, Europe, the Middle–East, Africa, Latin America, or aboard an OM ship.

connect Contact us now and we’ll send you a copy of Go4it the brochure that gives you more information about the short-term mission opportunities with OM.

For students and young professionals looking for an exciting summer holiday or a life-changing experience, it’s the perfect opportunity to experience God’s faithfulness and develop your gifts.

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SHORTS Word4U 2Day, the daily Bible reading notes written by In Yer Face, reaches over 120,000 young people each quarter in three languages. The podcast recently topped 1 million downloads.

In BusIness? a year Share our viSion? in the FLow: FROM THe eDITOR Business people who share The Message Trust’s aims and Christian values are warmly invited to become part of the Message Business Network.

Above: network member Gordon Haynes at the urban Hero Awards

This is Issue 04 of Flow Magazine and marks one year since we launched with the goal of keeping you more in touch with all that God’s doing through the work of The Message.

Thanks for all your kind letters and emails which we’ve received over the past year. We really love to hear from you and what you liked and what you want to see more of. Please keep your comments coming.

The Network offers a great way to get involved with Message life alongside CEO Andy Hawthorne and the senior management team.

If you’ve missed any issues of Flow, you can now get hold of back issues absolutely free.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur just starting out or a seasoned business person, you’d be welcome along at one of our breakfasts, dinner events with top business speakers and round tables.

Current Network member Gordon Haynes, MD of Safe Records Management, says, ‘Whether someone’s from a large or small enterprise, The Message Business Network is a really great way to engage with this dynamic, cutting-edge Christian charity.

Issue 01 included a special feature on Eden, a behind-the-scenes look at our schools work and an interview with George Verwer and much more. issue

SPRING 2010

now have

only products exclusive

direct from available

‘It not only enables you to share your knowledge and expertise in a way that will really make a difference but also provides an opportunity to meet with, and be encouraged by, like-minded people working in today’s demanding business environment and for me that has had tremendous value.’

For more information, please contact Gordon Haynes at: gjh@safegroup.co.uk or 0161 345 4848.

Don't Forget!

Message Podcasts are Available from iTunes

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Bringing hope

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Issue 02 featured our work in

new life inside prisons through the eyes of our Reflex team, THe MAgAzin

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to young offende

Also featuring: curtain call

BLUSH: Final Ritchie TEACHING: Mark Crowne LEGENDS: Roy

PLUS:

From / Latest News

a history of our bands from the World Wide Message Tribe through to Twelve24 and a guest teaching spot from Mark Ritchie.

Eden

And Issue 03 contained a look back on ten years since Message 2000 and a look forward to the Shine Your Light campaign; a profile of the Eden Bus ministry and guest teaching from Simon Guillebaud.

NO PAIN, NO

GAIN by Andy

Your Letters Hawthorne /

For any back issues, or to request extra copies of Flow for your church or home group, please contact our Supporter Care Officer, Jo Nicholson, on 0161 946 2328

Here’s to another great year of news and testimonies!

a SPeCiaL MeSSaGe FROM AnDY HAWTHORne From time to time here at The Message we have the joy of opening a letter and finding out that a dear friend has left us a legacy in their will.

It’s joyful for two reasons. Firstly, we celebrate another brother or sister being ‘promoted’ – going home to be with the Lord after serving him faithfully here. And secondly, we rejoice because we know that gift they’ve chosen to give will mean many more young people will come to know the same Lord, and that they really have left a legacy of faith.

Making a will is a very personal thing. But if you share our vision and heart for young people in Greater Manchester, we’d love it if you’d remember The Message in yours. Thank you. flow_the message magazine_

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urBan hero

Young dru who found mmer his g

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This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problema Urban Hero of the t and a leadic behaviour aroun Year award winner d tu er among his peers to become a follow rned his er of Jesu s 10

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John receiving his brand new Gretsch drum kit live on stage at the Awards

John McGuinness won the Volunteer Award at the Urban Hero Awards 2010, shortly before also being named the overall Urban Hero of the Year.

He was presented with his trophy and a prize of ten drum lessons with LZ7 drummer Rob Evans and a brand-new Gretsch professional drum kit inscribed with his name.

Collecting his award on the night, John said, ‘I’m never going to go back to the way I was. I like the way I am now. I’d say to people who get in trouble that it’s important to get help. If anyone offers you help, you should take it.’

Brian Souter, chairman of Stagecoach Group the main sponsor of the Awards, said: ‘John is a real inspiration. Through his own strength of character, discipline and commitment, he has gone from being looked down on as a ‘rascal’ to being looked up to as a role model.’

We knew John from the age of about ten,’ says Ben Woodfield, team leader of Eden Old Trafford and youth worker of Urban Hero Awards 2010 winner John McGuinness.

‘He was known in Old Trafford as a little rascal – or words to that effect! – and it was clear that his behaviour was starting to get out of control.’

Until two years ago, 15-year-old John was regularly being excluded from school and grounded at home. Anger and confusion at the early death of his father led to John making some destructive choices and getting a bad reputation in Old Trafford.

But support from the Eden team and their partner church, St Brides, helped John to find a different path.

‘We began to get to know him, his mum Barbara and her partner Nick, and gradually John got involved in some of our youth activities,’ recounts Ben. ‘Through his relationship with us he experienced people's real faith in action. He saw people moving into Old Trafford, attempting to follow Jesus in his neighbourhood, and often experiencing tough things.’

‘...knowing God has turned his life around.’

His discipline and commitment surprised everyone.

John started taking an active role in the work of Trafford Housing Trust, completing the first stage of an apprenticeship as part of their Repairs team. He also led the way in putting together a proposal for a new permanent play area for children on his estate.

‘John is inspirational in his commitment to see his local area improve,’ comments Michaela Baker from Trafford Housing Trust. ‘He gets involved on many different levels – he helps plan programmes, runs litter picks and gets fully involved in decision-making groups – often sitting with people with more experience than him but contributing at the same level. He’s really well thought of within the Trust – people look up to him.’

John recently sat his GCSEs and has secured a place at Trafford College to study plumbing next year. He hopes to continue his work with the Housing Trust alongside his studies.

Ben Woodfield adds, ‘It has been an honour to journey with John the last few years. He has really grasped what following Christ is about in a tough place with tough things happening around him.

John made a decision to follow Jesus and began to be mentored by Ben who ‘He hasn't lost his personality – this hasn't immediately saw enormous potential in been a “socialisation” process. He has met him: ‘We saw he was obviously a strong Above: John, accepting the Volunteer with Jesus in a deep and profound way. He’s character and had leadership written all award at this year’s urban Hero Awards proved to us that he’s not just saying he’s over him,’ says Ben. ‘As he entered his changed – there’s real fruit to those words.’ teenage years, we started to see a change. He began to get his head down and realise that some of the decisions he was ‘He would honestly say that knowing God has turned his life making weren’t good for him.’ around.’

John was given the chance to join the St Brides worship band on drums. As he learned to serve, he found himself wanting to put something back into his community.

Help us raise more Urban Heroes

Your gift to The Message today means we can help more young people like John turn their lives around. Turn to page 23 now.

flow_the message magazine_

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From the to the n and bac

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LZ7 are hoping to score a chart hit this autumn with This Little Light. But why is a band that is so committed to Manchesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schools releasing a single? Flow finds out.

e schools nation... ck again

flow_the message magazine_

13

LeaD sTorY

‘We need more people in schools like them, promoting self-respect and positive choices’

Teaching assistant, Preston

‘It was a really successful partnership with Sold Out Youth Works and City Church in Preston – they really stepped out in faith for it,’ comments band leader Lindz West. ‘We saw 121 first-time responses at the end of the week and about 100 more recommitments.’

Among the schools in which the band taught sessions on prejudice and discrimination and making positive choices was Archbishop Temple School (pictured).

Back in the nineties, when the Tribe were experiencing unheard-of success in the American charts, the record execs we were talking to just couldn’t understand us when we said “for us it’s all about the schools.”’

So says Andy Hawthorne, one-time member of The World Wide Message Tribe and founder and chief executive of what has become The Message Trust.

‘Schools ministry is where it all began for us, and that’s not changing. Even when we were winning Dove Awards and getting invitations to play from all over the world, we just couldn’t wait to get back home and into some more high schools. That’s our heart.’

Andy believes that God has honoured that heart over nearly 20 years and for that reason, The Message’s vibrant schools ministry keeps on growing. In the 2009/10 school year, The Message’s bands and In Yer Face theatre company fulfilled more invitations to do schools weeks than ever before, putting them in front of well over 70,000 young people across Greater Manchester.

Schools weeks are always tailored to the particular school but are usually a mix of assemblies, classroom teaching on issues of self-respect, making positive choices and RE, and gigs at lunchtimes or after school.

The bands travel with The Message’s inhouse Operations Team which provides flexible technical support.

Whatever the format, they are always set up in partnership with a local church which ensures continuity with the school and that there is ongoing contact with pupils who choose to find out more about being a Christian during the week.

The Message’s flagship schools band LZ7 recently fulfilled a demanding two-week schools mission in the Preston area, taking in ten schools and closing with a gig at club venue 53Degrees.

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One Year Ten pupil, Rio, gave her thoughts: ‘It was really good having LZ7 come in… it’s fun and they give a really good message. They’ve been teaching about becoming a Christian – that’s more than just going to church. And about making good choices and respecting each other. It’s made me think differently and I think people’s attitudes have been changing.’

Teachers and support staff also welcome the bands, even if they are sometimes sceptical to begin with: ‘I was a bit unsure at first,’ comments Maureen Brennan, teaching assistant at Archbishop Temple School. ‘I wondered about what angle the band were coming from. But watching them, I thought the message was very good and people’s stories were very positive. We need more people in schools like them, promoting self-respect and positive choices.’

It’s an effect that lasts: read the first person testimony from one of last year’s Year Ten pupils overleaf.

As well as their positive contribution to the curriculum and the life of the school, schools work often attracts young people to the band’s live shows such as their upcoming gig at the Manchester Apollo on Saturday 25 September. At these events, many young people hear the gospel for the first time, some choosing to make a commitment then and there. Many others sign up to begin discovery courses run by partner churches and youth groups across the city.

LZ7’s influence has grown fast over the last two years. As well as their tireless work in schools week-by-week, the band’s gigs and festival appearances – together with the power of social media and the internet – has meant their music has gone further than ever before.

At LZ7 shows, many young people hear the gospel for the first time

One song in particular has received special attention – This Little Light. It was snapped up as the official theme song to the government’s Shine campaign last year and the song’s video has since garnered over 140,000 hits on YouTube.

This Little Light has also been the anthem of the Shine Your Light campaign, a nationwide initiative to get young people sharing their faith through acts of kindness in their local communities. The campaign website encourages youngsters to do 15 specific good deeds such as ‘Bless a Bobby’ and ‘Hang with a Gran’, with the goal that these small acts of kindness point towards a loving God who longs to bless people.

‘It feels like with this song we’ve hit a big wave’

Andy Hawthorne

It is a song that has opened doors and, as Andy Hawthorne explains, the time feels right to give the song a mainstream release: ‘I often say that ministry is a bit like surfing. You’re out there, working hard, trying make a wave, and then suddenly a big wave comes along. It just feels like that with this song, we’ve hit a big wave. The kids go wild for it. This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.’

Testimony from Wendy Taylor (16), a student from last year When LZ7 came to my school there was something about the way they talked about God that made me want to know more.

When I was younger, I went to church with my family but I was forced to go. Around the age of 10 I stopped going altogether because there was nothing in it for me. In my heart I didn’t want to be there and I didn’t feel like I fitted in. Then LZ7 came and after their concert something clicked – I wanted to know more about why I was here and what God had planned for me. I filled out a welcome card for a Christian youth group, SoldOut Youthworks, so that I could be guided on the right path to help me on my journey with God. Since then my life has changed loads. I feel like God has given me confidence to help other people more. I was given the opportunity to help to lead our youth group for a month, I think because God wanted me to share my experiences about him.

During this time, I preached for the first time to some of the youth about becoming a Christian, and even though I am not that confident saying things in front of people, I believe God gave me the strength that night to help pass on my message.

My life has completely changed since the LZ7 concert. They brought me closer to God and now I couldn’t see my life any other way. I feel like a completely different person now that I know God is with me. I feel like any mistakes I have made in the past don’t matter because God has changed me and made me into a new person in the last few months.

This Little Light will be released as a download-only single on September 26, with the goal of making a chart position the next Sunday and securing long-term radio play and exposure. Club mixes have been We need o going out to DJs throughout the summer to create a buzz. everyone wh ‘Releasing the single is not at all about wanting to put another Christian band in the charts,’ insists Andy. ‘It is about fuelling the movement, making God famous and goodness fashionable.’

e Message supports Toh d in this to get inv mlvpeaign. With exciting cawe can get the your help essage of This positive m ns of ht to millioth Little Ligp across e UK young peondle a beyond.

To officially launch the single, LZ7 are doing a ten-date schools tour, building up to the Manchester Apollo gig on September 25. The show will feature favourite tracks, sneak previews from the forthcoming album Light, and – of course – This Little Light.

TE: RELEASE DbAer

Septem 26

‘It’s going to be a no-holds-barred show – the best gig we’ve ever done. Do not miss it!’ says Lindz West.

This Little Light will be released into the UK charts on Sunday 26 September. The track is only available as a download.

Buy your copy, just 99p, via iTunes.

You can also pre-order* the song by texting SHINE to 81088. But you must redeem your purchase to make it count towards the charts (details given when you text).

GET TO THE GIG: Watch LZ7 in action at the Manchester Apollo on Saturday 25 September. Support from Twelve24 and BeBe Vox. Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets, just £5, available at: www.message.org.uk

Ts & Cs: Pre-order costs £1 plus standard text message cost.

UK Only, unavailable to Virgin network subscribers.

For support or help e-mail support@indie-mobile.com or call 0844 351 1191

LEGENDS

SHANE CLAIBORNE ‘We’re not doing it to win awards; we’re doing it because it feels like what we’re made for.’

How do you approach living among the poor?

We talk about ‘exegeting our neighbourhood’: reading it in light of scripture and trying to figure out what are the beautiful things that are there and what things are broken.

We’re not doing it to win awards; we’re doing it because it feels like what we’re made for. It’s not always easy but it’s a beautiful way of living. In some ways the only reason it looks radical is because of the kind of Christianity we’re become used to.

Do you think western expressions of the church tend to overlook the poor?

Without a doubt the incarnation of Jesus is about entering into the suffering of the world. The God of the universe leaves all the comforts of heaven to move into a neighbourhood where they said ‘nothing good can come’.

Everything in our culture compels us to move away from suffering but every Christian’s story should be to enter into the suffering around us.

I see people in my community coming alive because they are reorienting around the needs of the suffering.

But don’t the well-off need God too?

I think that’s true – and God is rescuing some from the ghettoes of poverty and some from the ghettoes of wealth.

In much of our culture, wealthy individualism breeds real suffering. Why is it that the richest people also have the highest rates of loneliness, suicide and depression? There’s something healing for all of us when we bear each other’s burdens – that’s what we’re made for.

Shane Claiborne is the best-selling author of The Irresistible Revolution and a well-known speaker on issues of social justice and living a radical Christian life. He is also one of the founders of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner-city Philadelphia with many similarities to Eden.

How would you describe The Simple Way?

Locally, we’re building community that is trying to embody God’s love in some of the broken neighbourhoods in our city. We have half a dozen houses which we welcome people into, we do gardens, we help kids with homework, we’re part of local life.

But out of the neighbourhoods bubbles a real heart for justice – around big issues like housing and healthcare, the war in Iraq…

It all flows out of love for Jesus and our neighbours.

We all want to see big change in our society – but how does it happen?

The most powerful change starts very small. It comes out of the integrity of people’s lives – whether it was the 12 disciples or small monastic movements, these are very small minorities that have a large ripple.

It shouldn’t be our concern to change the world, but to change ourselves first. Saving society starts with us.

Who are some of your role models?

Mother Teresa, definitely; John Perkins, who I’ve recently written a book with; Tony Campolo has been a teacher and a close friend. Many people that no one’s ever heard of – Sister Margaret, an 80-year-old nun who really inspired me; Miss Sunshine, my neighbour… my mom!

Our Eden teams are strategically placed in some of the toughest neighbourhoods in the UK. Is that why you chose Philadelphia?

Actually it feels like the neighbourhood chose me. I was a student in the suburbs but got involved with a crisis of housing where people were living in an abandoned cathedral and being evicted.

That was the catalyst – we felt compelled to get involved.

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Listen to more of Shane

Shane Claiborne’s address to the Message Prayer Day earlier this year is available in its entirety for free via The Message website, www.message.org.uk. Find out more about Shane’s work at www.thesimpleway.org.

LegenDs

Be still, and know that I am God. Go to wordlive.org to enjoy a multimedia Bible experience

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Do you want to have a greater impact on children in your area this Halloween?

This ‘Halloween’ take the opportunity to reach out and witness to the children who come to your door to ‘Trick or Treat’ - with the Bag of Hope.

The Bag of Hope is an initiative from UCB where we want to challenge and equip churches to reach out to the children and young people in their areas.

This bag is aimed at 5 - 11 year olds and contains containstwo twoBooks Books of of Hope Hope and anda aWord WordFor ForToday Today

For your church to order FREE Bags of Hope (min order of 25, no max) visit ucb.co.uk/bagofhope.

Last orders 30th September.

Baagg of Hope UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS

EDEN

IS GOD CALLING YOU TO LIVE INSIDE OUT?

By Matt Wilson

ver the summer the Eden team blitzed the conferences and festivals, taking the message of transforming communities ‘from the inside out’ to thousands of people.

One of the great things about these summer gatherings is that they all happen on huge campsites – and that affords us the perfect image to convey an important point – tents!

You see, when we’re recruiting for our poverty-fighting Eden teams, the invitation is to become more than just a volunteer or a team member – we’re looking for ‘tentmakers’.

The inspiration for this incredibly effective way of mobilising people in mission comes straight from the pages of Acts and in particular, the life and ministry of Paul.

Tentmaking was a trade that Paul could use to earn a living wherever God called him, particularly at times when raising financial support from fellow believers was difficult.

Alongside full-time Team Leaders, the vast majority of our Eden team members are tentmakers, working in their chosen profession or career in order to pay the bills, and then giving whatever surplus time they can to reaching young people and their families in the neighbourhood they now call home.

‘Being a teacher keeps me busy but I know God’s called me to live here and he helps me find creative ways to impact my community.’ Susie, Eden Eccles

There are lots of advantages to founding a ministry on the tentmaking principle – here’s just a few: • It provides the team member with a daily routine and prevents the feeling of becoming overwhelmed by the demands of ‘full-time ministry’ • It sends out a great signal to local youth who often have very few role models in their life who work for a living (see 2 Thes. 3:7-9) • It means we can build larger, more sustainable teams as each team member is not an additional salary requiring new fundraising The Eden Network is at a really exciting stage right now. In the last year we’ve launched four new teams in Manchester.

In the autumn we’ll be launching our first three in the North East and the first two in London.

All in all we need to find about 100 new tentmakers to, as we say, ‘do the John 1:14 thing’ – to ‘move into the neighbourhood’ and join an Eden team.

Have you ever prayerfully considered whether God could be calling you to live this way? Do you have the initiative to become an agent of change in a community that is struggling to overcome decades of decline? Are you willing to take that job you do and turn it into a means of furthering the gospel – by using it to become a tentmaker?

For more information

Visit the Eden website at www.eden-network.org or you can request an info pack by emailing eden@message.org.uk

flow_the message magazine_

19

TESTIMONY

Surrounded by miracles!

Andy Hawthorne brings an update from New Wine North 2010

We had another great week at New Wine North running the Urban Impact venue back in July. This is a really wonderful partnership and it’s going to continue and grow with an exciting tour planned for next year (see right).

Lots of wonderful things happened at the festival this year, but here’s a really quick story. On the last morning of New Wine North after my last preach, a guy came up to me and told me he was a businessman. He said, ‘I really want to help but I don’t quite get this Christianity stuff.’

I asked him why not. He replied, ‘I’ve been to this venue the last couple of years and I think I believe it all but I just haven’t “got it” yet.’ I asked him whether anyone had ever shown him Revelation 3:20, about God standing at the door of his heart and knocking. He said no, so I did!

Then I said, ‘Have you felt God knocking on your door this week and would you like to give your life to Christ, right now?’

He answered, ‘Well, yes I would – I want to.’ So I called his church leader over and then and there, we led him to Christ.

The first thing he said afterwards was, ‘That’s amazing – now, how can I help?’ It turned out that this man is a successful businessman who really wants to use his skills and resources to help us get the word out about The Message. Amazing!

Shortly after, I took him off to our stand to get a copy of my book. While I’m writing a personal message to him, a girl runs up to the stand carrying a rucksack and a couple of folded-up walking sticks. ‘I’ve just run all the way from your talk!’ she panted. ‘God’s just healed me in your session!’

It turned out that she’d crawled out of her tent that morning in great pain and staggered to the meeting because of terrible arthritis in her hips. But God had wonderfully healed her during the meeting – and she’d run all the way to tell me! I stood there surrounded by miracles – new salvation on one side, a miraculous healing on the other – truly, God’s Kingdom breaking out!

Urban Impact venue

– on the road

The Urban Impact Team are hitting the road in March 2011 to spread the word and celebrate all that God is doing.

Ian and Nadine Parkinson (pictured) will host the evenings with Andy Hawthorne, Ian Henderson and Matt Wilson speaking. Andy Smith will be leading worship and In Yer Face will, as ever, bring cutting-edge theatre.

THE DATES:

Thurs 3 March, Sheffield (St Thomas Crookes) Mon 7 March, Tyneside (Heaton Baptist Church) Tues 8 March, Stockton-on-Tees (Oakwood Centre) Weds 9 March, Manchester (Ivy Manchester) Fri 11 March, London (TBC) Check our website for more details:

www.message.org.uk

Get closer to The Message

A great way to get closer to life here at The Message and to make your giving more meaningful is to receive personal news and updates from a member of our team.

We can allocate you a staff member, or perhaps you already know someone who works for The Message and would like to encourage them with your support.

You’ll get to see first-hand the work they do, hear all the news and prayer needs first, and know that you are making a tangible difference on the streets, in schools and in prisons.

Darren and Emma Cormack decided to support staff member (and Flow design guru) Dan Hasler last year and now feel more connected to the vision of The Message: ‘Once you’ve committed to something financially as well as in prayer, I think you realise that you are a small part of what is driving the work, therefore you naturally become more interested in the outcome of what you’re giving to,’ comments Emma.

Your gifts help support the whole work of The Message and your messages of support really encourage our staff.

Join us for an evening of five-star excellence with exquisite food, world-class entertainment and remarkable stories from the heart of Manchester.

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Teaching

The Blessings of Growth Andy Hawthorne on the five types of blessing we can expect as we grow in God

n Acts 9:31 we read how the church enjoyed five types of blessing.

It says, ‘Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.’ Anybody like the sound of that?

The passage leading up to that verse – from the middle of verse 19 – give us some major hints about how it came about.

We get to see what Paul was up to in the three-year buildup to verse 31. There, we can find a model for a church that grows, a church that succeeds and a church that breaks through.

Right after his conversion, Paul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus (v19). He knew instinctively as a believer, he belonged with his brothers and sisters. Even though only days before he’d been trying to wipe them out, he now wanted to be with God’s people.

At once, he began to preach (v20). He wasn’t just called to the church - he was called to those outside the church. That’s the other sure sign that someone really does know Jesus.

And Paul grew (v22). That’s supposed to be our expectation as a people. That we move from one degree of glory to another.

One of the things I’ve loved about hosting a venue at New Wine North over the past couple of years has been being there with a team. And a team that is growing in their gifts.

I love that and I want to see that more.

Paul grew so powerful, in fact, that the Jews conspired to kill him and he had to make a swift exit in a basket!

Can you imagine how much Paul must have been looking forward to going back to Jerusalem and meeting the church there and telling him their story?

Moreover they were afraid of him (v26), and wouldn’t even believe he was a disciple.

Praise God at times like that for people like Barnabas – a guy whose nickname was ‘son of encouragement’. Barnabas takes this massive flyer on Paul and becomes his PR man (v27).

I want to be that kind of individual and ministry which sees potential where others don’t. Who believes in people the rest of the church rejects. I want to be an encourager, in the face of all the discouragement that comes from without and within.

In short I guess there are only three big questions we need to ask ourselves about whether we’re growing in God. Looking back on when we first became Christians: Do we love the church more? Do we love the lost more? Do we love Jesus more?

Hear more great teaching

hear more teaching from andy and other great communicators for free on the Message podcast. go to iTunes and search for ‘message Podcast’ or access through our website, www.message.org.uk

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