Re-View: New Word Alive
New Word Alive: what did I learn?
We are bigger than we think.
5000 people enjoyed nearly a week on the Llyn Peninsula. 4000 on the site of the Haven Holiday Park- but with Starbucks, Burger King, Sky Sports and Wifi access it was definitely more la di da than hi de hi (!) The other 1000 joined the programme from local B&B’s, camping sites and on day visits.
This remarkable clan gathering of evangelicals was inspiring to be a part of. It was good to see that right across the UK there are churches like Highfields united around and passionate about proclaiming and living for Christ.
We are more diverse than we think.
It wasn’t just the fact that the Rector of All Souls wore an open necked shirt and chinos to preach or that Stuart Townend and Lou Fellingham led the praise or that Becky Manley Pippert had a major teaching role alongside Wayne Grudem; it was that different choices, cultures, ages, and expressions were positively allowed to breathe together. I learned again that we must only be as narrow as the gospel itself and that in non essentials there must be lashings of liberty.
We are more responsible than we think.
I met generations of people who have been through Highfields and are now actively involved all over the country in their local church. We are a strategic training ground for future leaders, preachers and servants of the gospel whose mission field is a hospital, a board room, a lecture hall. I was greatly encouraged by conversations with people I hadn’t seen for years in which they said “Highfields gave me core values that have made a difference to my life”, and Ministers who commented, “thank you for sending us…”.
Yes it’s a long and winding road to Pwllheli from Cardiff. But in such glorious weather and on the coast I was reminded of the line from the pop song, “Every day when I wake up, I thank the Lord I’m Welsh!” But much more importantly among the students, children, or 20-80 somethings gathered in chalets, marquees or the Wonga Bonga Beach club, I thanked the Lord that I was a Christian .
Peter Baker
