Monday, 18 January 2010
Back to the scene of the crime!
While up in Leeds visiting Dayspring Church, I went to the outdoor amphitheatre that was the scene of 4 huge family events we created in 1994 and 1995. I remember so clearly looking out at the crowd and realising that we had the chance to create dynamic outdoor events that could draw many people to experience the love of God and life of his church. I was already heavily involved in presenting the Gospel on the streets but the Leeds events were the start of what became Miracle Street in many ways.
This weekend in Leeds was fantastic. Ian Mayhew and I spent 24 hours with 12 of the guys and girls in their 20’s and 30’s and took them through my InsideOut training and mentoring programme. It was a great privilege to get in on the stories that God is writing in their lives and he was powerfully at work. Dayspring is a church I worked extensively with in the 1990’s and it was awesome to be back with old friends. I also visited the brilliant Kids Club that is now city wide with double decker buses collecting kids from all over Leeds. I remember being part of the discussions at the very beginning alongside Berni and Graham Fell who paid a huge price to chase the vision and have made it what it is today.
Next weekend I return again to Normandy with Tim Archer and Gary Stupple to meet with the team that is now really emerging to oversee the plans to run a Mainstage festival and two months of outreach across Normandy. We are seeking, alongside Francis and Diane Dognon, to establish once again a bridgehead in Normandy that will ultimately touch the rest of France and beyond with the Gospel. The amazing story of the PLUTO fuel line (Pipe Line Under The Ocean) is the backdrop God has given us to raise the funds and the resources we need for the job. More about that next week!
