...at "The Big Event"

Phew - what a day and what a way to launch my new blog!

Today saw 'The Big Event' take place in Hereford. It's an opportunity for the residents from the south of the river Wye to get together, have a fun day out at the fairground and browse the stalls put on by local businesses and charities.

My families new church, Challenge Community Church (CCC), had a marquee full of cakes, children's face painting, a story time and a small bouncy castle. They'd asked Dad to take some sheep and piglets along for the kids to pet too.

In the centre of the picture above you can see the huge portable stage that 'Make Jesus Known' brought with them. They're a Christian rap  group from Manchester who seek to, as the name would suggest, make Jesus known! Now most of you will probably have realised that rap music doesn't feature that heavily in my I-pod's 'most listened to' playlist. But despite my general lack of appreciation for the genre, in my opinion the guys performed really well, with a clear gospel message that wasn't diluted in their performance but was clearly proclaimed as the reason for performing and living.

There were lots of other stands around and about, one of which was a tarot reading stall. The older lady who was doing the readings spent the whole day being blasted with a rhyming rhythmic gospel message played at extremely high volume.
When she wasn't being deafened by the noise she was being witnessed to by Dave, one of the MJK team. Dave has only been a Christian 18 months but is possibly the most passionate evangelist I have ever met. Please pray for this lady and the few people who had their tarot cards read by her, that they would realise that their future can only be secured by trusting in Christ Jesus, His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, because He is the author of time and holds all things in His hands.

The MJK team have performed, and taken lessons at my old High School this week, and today we've invited lots of people to come along tomorrow to an open air Church service and free barbeque!
I've been really excited by this weekend, I'm encouraged by the unashamed boldness of the MJK crew, seeking to exalt Christ in their rapping, and the creative and inviting ways CCC are seeking to reach out to, and engage with, a lost and dying world!
Isn't this the very reason the Church exists - to make Jesus known? Or am I misinterpreting Matt 28:16-20?

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."