As I woke up today, this was the day we should have been travelling to Spring Harvest at Skegness for my 33rd Spring Harvest (my first was in 1988) but COVID-19 has disrupted the entire world causing the cancellation of events large and small across the world, including this year’s Spring Harvest at Skegness, Minehead and Harrogate.
I met Rachael, my wife, at the event in 1989. We have not missed a year since. Our kids are 17 (soon), 20 and 22 (soon) and they have never missed a year of the event since each of them were born. Spring Harvest has been foundational in all of our spiritual lives and as we have developed as human beings.
I am a big fan of Working Out Loud Circles. I have now done 7 of them. One of the exercises you do in each circle is a “My Top 10” list related to your personal goal in the circle.
As I was thinking and praying about this year’s event this morning and the amazing work that has gone on to make Spring Harvest happen online, I decided I would do this Top 10 List. This was done in one stream of consciousness.
For another list of Spring Harvest things, see this A to Z of Spring Harvest I did back in 2012.
For 50 Facts About Me, see this list.
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- Preaching and teaching
Lots of my most powerful encounters with the Bible have been at Spring Harvest.
Some of the preachers I still listen to and hunt out I first heard at Spring Harvest including RT Kendall, Alistair Begg, Danielle Strickland, Gerard Kelly, Clive Calver and so many others.
I am grateful for all of the themes each year giving a focus for the week.
Grateful that Spring Harvest encourages us all to think. Reminded of Gerald Coates (I believe) who said that “most Christians would rather die than think”. It is great to hear diverse views and then make up our own minds on what we personally believe.
I love the opportunity in seminars etc to discuss subjects with people I do not know.
Great to engage with the same content through different lenses – memorably one year based on the newspapers we read or TV channels we watch. - Worship
I love being led in worship by leaders who I have only heard from their recorded/live works or am new to for the first time. Memorable nights of worship in the Big Top/Skyline.
Spring Harvest has been instrumental in my own worship life and leading of worshippers.
I love hymns written thousands of years ago all the way through to songs written yesterday. I love how songs published in YouTube one day are immediately sung in churches all around the world. - Leadership
My own leadership has developed as I have experienced Spring Harvest being delivered.
Love the mix of males and females which has been the case for decades and ahead of the wider business world.
Grateful for the leadership-specific content at Spring Harvest.
Great to see leadership of worship “events” in action and how things are let to change as the Holy Spirit moves.
Great to be led by leaders who foster a safe yet “dangerous” space for each of us to encounter the Living God in new and deeper ways. - Event planning and execution
I am always in awe about the organisation and execution of Spring Harvest.
As someone from the business world, I regularly say that Spring Harvest is the most professionally-run event I have ever been to given the numbers of people involved – team, stewards, guests –, the complexity of putting on sessions for all ages from 0 - 100+.
A great reminder that a lot of planning often / always provides the environment and platform for God to do His work with us. - Broad “evangelical” church
I value the hugely wide spread of views and beliefs about Christianity represented by the team and guests.
A great reminder to me that we are not all the same and more importantly we should know what we believe and why.
Great to be challenged in my faith as the world changes. - Fellowship / Friendship
I have valued the chat opportunities during the event with friends and family that I have gone with but also new friends we meet for the first time.
I love the dynamic of being in sessions with varying numbers of people including hundreds and thousands in the Big Top / Skyline.
Spring Harvest is also a real holiday. - Equipping the Church for action
For me, this is the core and heartbeat of Spring Harvest. This is the one line I start with when pitching Spring Harvest to people.
Yes, I go to get blessed but more importantly I go to get equipped in new ways for another year of action as a disciple of Jesus and as a part of a local church.
Love the bias to action. That each Christian has gifts and a role to play. - The Arts
Another thing I always say to people is that Spring Harvest has some of the most creative people I know about in all areas of life.
My use of graphics etc in presentations started decades ago seeing speakers at Spring Harvest doing that memorably and powerfully.
My use of video clips in events first started after seeing this at Spring Harvest and I have now been leading a Culture Club for 15 years as a result.
I love drama to communicate in powerful, challenging ways.
Many memorable After Hours events.
Spring Harvest has encouraged me to always think creatively about everything I plan and do. - Humour, fun and emotions
Being able to laugh and to be real generally with my emotions (including tears) in all areas of my life has also been developed deeply in me by my Spring Harvest experience.
Amazing what humour does to lower the barriers and defences in people’s minds for points to be made and for connections to be made.
As a family and friends we have had memorable humorous and fun moments during and outside of Spring Harvest sessions. - Evangelism and making disciples
It is always great to see the large numbers of people of all ages who become Christians at the event.
I love the focus at Spring Harvest of God moving all of us on - that none of us have arrived that we are all on a journey and encoraging all of us to encourage each other to keep on keeping on in our walk with God. - Prayer (eek 1 more than 10 !!)
My prayer life continues to develop and my love of praying with people and for people has been deeply impacted by simply experiencing Spring Harvest.
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