‘God encounters’ that stirred people to action

SPRING HARVEST provides the space for God to meet us right where we are and impact us in new and fantastic ways.

It could be the God-dream that gets birthed inside you that has a long-lasting impact for the Kingdom of God. Whether it’s a worship song that prophetically speaks to your heart, or a conversation that leads to new ideas, God has powerfully changed lives at Spring Harvest over the last 40 years. We can take for granted things that have been around for a while, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the impact of these gatherings. Our shared ‘God experiences’ together have created ripple-like effects that have inspired and moved the Church to action.

So, as you read these testimonies of lives disrupted and changed, we hope you’ll be encouraged and inspired for all that God will do in and through us in 2022.

PIONEERING WORSHIP

Spring Harvest was the place where many people first raised their hands, sang out spontaneous love songs to God and danced in worship.”

GRAHAM KENDRICK, WORSHIP LEADER GRAHAM KENDRICK has been synonymous with Spring Harvest since it first began back in 1979. It was there, where Graham introduced his notable song ‘Servant King’ in 1984.

Spring Harvest provided a platform for gifted worship leaders like Graham to be led by the Holy Spirit to write new songs for a new generation. It was where many people first raised their hands, sang out spontaneous love songs to God and danced in worship. Not only that, but it also reflected a larger movement within our annual Easter gatherings, sparking the next generation of worship leaders to rise up to their calling. Among them was Martin Smith, who clearly recalls walking into the Big Top at just 12 years of age…

“I can still remember the feeling of electricity passing through my body as I heard this music from the stage and 5,000 people singing their hearts out. ‘Shine Jesus Shine’ was the anthem the saints were singing and that was the moment the church in Britain went from feeling small to thinking big.

MARTIN SMITH, WORSHIP LEADER

INSPIRED AND STIRRED by a new calling in 2005, Adrian Curtis left the banking industry to start Wales’ first ever food bank three years later in one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK.

He later went on to pioneer the Welsh network of foodbanks and eventually led the UK network as national director. By the time Adrian left his work with The Trussell Trust in 2017, there were around 1,200 church-led foodbank centres in the network run by 420 organisations and supported by 40,000 volunteers, giving three-day food supplies to over 1.1 million people in crisis each year. Since 2017, Adrian’s continued work with a range of Christian organisations has seen him leading the work of Hope Together in Wales, helping churches run debt advice centres with Community Money Advice and helping World Compassion build relationships with churches in the UK that help Christians in Iran, China, Myanmar and Cuba.

“Whilst in an evening meeting, the preacher said, “Are we worshipping the real Jesus, or a version of Jesus that suits our comfort zone?” It was these words that led my wife and I out of the banking industry and I started Wales’ first Trussell Trust Food Bank.”

ADRIAN CURTIS, CHRISTIAN CHARITIES CONSULTANT

Spring Harvest is there to equip people; it’s not a break just for ‘experiences’. It’s a facilitator, both of personal renewal and as a church resource.”

RUTH DEARNLEY OBE, CEO OF STOP THE TRAFFIK

EQUIPPING THE CHURCH FOR ACTION

FOR RUTH, Spring Harvest was that moment where a conversation sparked a fire that has fuelled her life.

In 2006, Ruth responded to the injustice of human trafficking, a global crime that was expanding at a rapid rate, by launching Stop The Traffik. However, this passion for justice didn’t only stir in Ruth’s heart but also in the hearts of so many others, including younger generations. That’s exactly what happened for Abigail, a 15-year-old who was stirred with that same desire for justice to help put an end to modern-day slavery. Walking into the chalet that afternoon full of passion, she wanted to help in a very real, practical way, not just by feeling sorry for modernday slaves. Alongside her brother, Elliot, she came up with the idea of hosting a variety show, bringing together their whole community, to fundraise for their charity. With the support of local businesses, they managed to raise around £2,000 to support Stop the Traffik.

SPARKING A NATIONAL MOVEMENT

DR KRISH KANDIAH founded Home For Good, a charity seeking to find loving homes for children in the care system. He is a passionate advocate for family reunification, fostering and adoption to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable children nationwide.

The organisation faced a massive challenge and was calling out for help. It desperately needed 9,000 more foster families in order to care for children in the UK.

Who responded? The Church! Lots of families at Spring Harvest heard Krish speak of the need for fostering or adoption and responded to the call. Spring Harvest brings us together; it sets our hearts on fire as we think about how we best serve our nation and our nation’s vulnerable children.”

Join our huge family of volunteers!

YOU CAN ALSO be part of these history-making Spring Harvest moments by joining our extensive family of brilliant volunteers, where you’ll be serving our guests with your gifts, making friends for life and enjoying the event from a very different perspective.

TO FIND OUT ABOUT OUR VARIOUS VOLUNTEER TEAMS AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED, VISIT SPRINGHARVEST.ORG/VOLUNTEER OR SCAN THE QR CODE.