Park Life 2011

 Palmerston Park, Southampton. One White Marquee, One God and One Gospel. What a week?!

When approaching an event like Park life you never know what to expect. God always likes to surprise us, and this was no exception. I soon learnt that little formal advertising had been done and in fact the main way of getting people to the meeting was through scattering. 

Scattering was the term used for the hour before the meeting where we would go out into the city and talk to people and invite them along. I was blown away by the openness of so many people---especially the younger generations.

Have you ever wondered what New Testament church would have been like? I certainly have and I think I experienced something very close to it last week. Never have I seen so many responses to the Gospel (38 over the Wednesday to Saturday meetings, and then several more on the Sunday), people so open to be prayed for and people from different walks of life coming together under one canvas to hear about the risen King Jesus.

Among the healing seen were a broken arm mended, a semi-blind eye restored and a leg growing (I missed it but apparently it was pretty cool). God was really wanting to restore physical bodies and our faith was stirred to push into him more.

One of my highlights of the week was on Saturday night when after many responses to the Gospel we all piled down to the front and worshipped our hearts out. Among those dancing and singing were Christians, drug addicts,  recovering drug addicts, alcoholics, recovering alcoholics and I swear there may have even been a dog running around. 

Being able to serve at Park Life has really changed my life. Seeing God work that powerfully in an English city (with all it's scepticism) was really a kick up the backside. We need to be pushing into all that God has for us and not allowing our culture to get in the way. Let God use you...I dare you!