This summer, whilst the media has shouted loudly about all the secular music festivals that have become so popular in Britain, tens of thousands of Christians have also been gathering at annual camps like New Wine, Newday and CreationFest.

Last week we took a party of young people from our church to Soul Survivor in Peterborough, where they enjoyed a week of worship, teaching, fellowship and fun. Gathering with roughly 9,000 others to worship the Lord (and this was just one week, of four) is always a huge encouragement to our youth group, who often struggle with feeling isolated in their faith at school or college.

Desperation for Rescue

I am aware that events like Soul Survivor are not perfect, but setting such debates aside for a moment, I was struck this year particularly by a palpable sense of desperation amongst young people for rescue by the Lord Jesus.

From the very first meeting – and this didn’t let up through the week – it seemed that the Lord was wasting no time in urging teens to draw near to Him, whether simply in asking for prayer or in surrendering their whole lives into His care for the very first time. Teenage shyness seemed absent from the room as hundreds jumped at the chance to come forward and express their need, receive prayer and pray for each other.

Three of our number gave their lives to the Lord which prompted much celebration in our camp – and I imagine even more in Heaven! One was so overcome that she spent most of the week crying with joy and grinning from ear to ear, her face seeming to glow with the beautiful presence of the Holy Spirit.

Across the four Soul Survivor festivals this summer, 1,350 young people committed their lives to Jesus. That’s encouraging news if ever I heard some! Do pray for these vulnerable youngsters as they head back to ‘real life’ (often to very challenging circumstances), that the Lord will complete this work and bring them to a full knowledge of their rescue and safety in the Messiah Jesus, strengthening them to stand firm and overcome in every trial that lies ahead.

The Harvest is Plentiful

We live in devastating times and it’s easy to become downcast and overwhelmed. Jesus Himself said that “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt 24:12-13). It is important to keep reminding each other that the point of God shaking the nations – the reason He is allowing disasters and traumas to affect so many - is to turn a great many hearts to Him before the end.

The point, in other words, is the harvest that is ripening (or, if Soul Survivor is anything to go by, is already ready), even now. God’s immense work of salvation is alive and well today in Britain - “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Matt 9:37). Will you answer the call to the fields?

Author: Frances Rabbitts