'An unprecedented opportunity for the gospel across this nation'
The current uncertainty in the UK means openness to the Gospel is potentially far greater than in calmer periods, and Christians need to be ready for this opportunity - that was the message from Gavin Calver at this year’s Spring Harvest
The UK is in a ‘junction moment’, said Gavin, director of mission at the Evangelical Alliance, accredited Baptist minister and Spring Harvest chair: junction moments are periods of drastic life change that bring us out of the everyday realities of life and make us look for answers to deeper questions. Most people who come to faith as adults do so at junction moments, such as marriage, job loss, a house move, or the loss of a loved one.
Gavin shared that while out running one day, he had an ‘overwhelming sense of the Lord’ pointing out that the whole of the UK is facing a junction moment of its own. We know there is much uncertainty ahead, however we voted for Brexit. No one fully knows what the next couple of years will hold for this nation, and many things people previously relied on seem in doubt.
This current ‘junction moment’ provides the church with ‘an unprecedented opportunity' to show what is different when we too face this uncertainty, but we do so with Jesus,’ Gavin said during the closing celebration address at Minehead Week One on Saturday (13 April).
‘How does this impact the way we behave? What difference should it make to our sense of hopefulness? How can we help those who don’t know Jesus to see the difference this hope makes?
‘We find ourselves in a time when much is up in the air, and the certainty we have in Jesus seems more counter-cultural than ever. Now is a key moment to let your salt bring flavour and your light shine even more brightly than normal.
‘Let’s not miss the opportunity presented to us to see many of those we know impacted for the Gospel as we all face this ‘junction moment’ together!’
This year’s
Spring Harvest is taking place in Minehead, Skegness and Harrogate, with the theme ‘Unlimited when you pray.’ It is the 40 year anniversary of the conference.
Another two Baptist ministers serve on the Spring Harvest planning group. They are the Revd Lisa Holmes, minister of Skipton Baptist Church, who is giving the
Saturday evening address at this year’s
Baptist Assembly, and the Revd Anne Calver, a minister at Stanmore Baptist Church.
Follow Spring Harvest on Facebook and Twitter, and find out more on this year’s event the #sh2019 hashtag.
Baptist Times, 17/04/2019