Flow Issue 11

Open forBusinessALL IN A DAY’S WORK: HELP OUR ENTERPRISE CENTRE BUSINESSES TURN LIVES AROUND AS THEY TURN A PROFIT

MESSAGE20 FULL COVERAGEANDY HAWTHORNE: INNOVATION

PROXIMITY2013 PREVIEW

THE MAGAZINE OF THE MESSAGE | ISSUE II WEB EDITION

EDITOR: Alistair Metcalfe

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Ian Rowbottom

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGN:Dan Hasler – Message:Creative

CONTRIBUTORS:Andy Hawthorne, Anthony Delaney

ADVERTISING: E: [email protected]: 0161 946 2300

SUBSCRIPTION & SUPPORTER ENQUIRIES:E: [email protected]: 0161 946 2300

GIVING:E: [email protected]: Lauren Mangold 0161 946 2304

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

COVER SHOTLucy West:www.lucywestimages.co.uk

INTERNALSJames Chapman:www.thepaisley.co.uk

Message 20 – Paul Watson

FLICKR 2.0 LICENSEP14: Liverbird nikoretrTWELVE24Tiffany LivelyBaptism – melodi2 (sxc.hu)P21 cc-x-ray delta one

THE MESSAGE:

CONTACT:E: [email protected]: 0161 946 2300

flow – The Message MagazineLancaster HouseLancaster CampusHarper RoadSharstonManchesterM22 4RGwww.message.org.uk/flow

The paper used for flow is manufactured using pulp sourced from sustainable

sources from within Europe.It is 100% TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) and is

manufactured to ISO14001 standards.

The Message Trust is a registered data user and only uses personal data in connection with its charitable purposes.

Registered Office:Lancaster House, Lancaster Campus, Harper Road, Sharston, Manchester, M22 4RG

The Message Trust is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales No. 3961183 Registered Charity No. 1081467 VAT Registration No. GB 727 177616

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT

PAGE 4-10Message 20

Coverage

PAGE 12-13MEC –

We’re Open!

PAGE 18Mini Updates:

All the news we didn't

have space for.

PAGE 22-23Your Bucket List

PAGE 25Innovation:

Andy Hawthorne

PAGE 26God’s New Thing: Anthony Delaney

MEC staff preparing to welcome customers to the newly opened MEC businesses, Mess Café and Shine Hair & Beauty. Managers Abi Guttridge and Damian Barker (far left and right) are joined by apprentices Martin Lake and Amy Harrison. The MEC is now open for business and we’d love to you come down and tell your friends – turn to page 12 for more.

WHATANIGHT

MESSAGE 20 28|11|2012 22:40 LATITUDE 53° 29’ 5.26”N LONGITUDE 2° 15’ 9.38”W

ˇ

flow11SPRING2013 0 4

The Message

We’ve got 70 Manchester 10k places but they’re filling up fast.

Fancy running Manchester’s premier road race on May 26?

Contact Lauren on 0161 946 2304 flow11SPRING2013 1 8

SPONSORED EVENTS

In the 2007 film, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman set off on a road trip to complete a list of things they want to do before they die – their ‘Bucket List’.Everybody’s got something they’ve always dreamt of doing – so why not make 2013 the year you finally do yours, and use the opportunity to raise money for The Message?


ur touchstone scripture, Isaiah 43:19, begins ‘See, I am doing a new thing!’ God didn’t just

bring that scripture to Isaiah 640 years before Christ. He brought it to Andy Hawthorne, too, about 1987 years after Christ. And he says it to you today. The Lord is constantly saying, ‘See, I’m doing a new thing – don’t you see it?’

God has not run out of ideas to see the Great Commission fulfilled. He is a creator God who is still creating today. God has unlimited ideas to pour into the hearts of those willing to seek him.

WILLING TO TRY AND FAILThe founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, who famously would try anything to reach people with the gospel of Jesus – from uniforms to brass bands to ladies riding backwards on horses in night-dresses! – said, ‘Beginning as I did, with a clean sheet of paper, wedded to no plan... willing to take a leaf out of any-body’s book... and above all, to obey the direction of the Holy Spirit... we tried vari-ous methods and those that did not work we unhesitatingly threw overboard and adopted something else!’

Like Booth, we need to be a movement that tries lots of things, and which is unembarrassed when some of them fail. Look at Steve Jobs, hailed as one of the most visionary innovators of our times – he failed plenty of times before he hit on the iMac, the iPod and the rest.

The world has yet to see the new sounds that are going to come out of this place. The new visions. The new income streams. The new initiatives. He’s going to show us ways to bless the poor and preach the gospel that we haven’t even dreamt up yet.

‘ALWAYS REFORMING’Unfortunately the church has a habit of getting stuck in a rut.

Four hundred years ago roughly, religion and institution had replaced revival and inspiration. From the fires of Jerusalem, the church had gone cold.

So the Reformation took place, an amazing time in church history when innovators dragged the church kicking and screaming back to where it needed to be. Their motto was ‘semper reformanda’, ‘always to be reformed’ – in other words, holding to scripture truth but always looking to creatively interpret it in language people could understand.

Of course, one by one, the reformers got burned at the stake. So 400 years later, lots of the church is still using their prayer book. Somewhere in heaven, Cranmer is holding his head in his hands, crying, ‘Duh! Don’t you realise that book wasn’t meant to be for 400 years!?’

ANYTHING GOESIt’s a challenge for all of us. We can all easily get stuck in the past. So how far can we go in trying something new?

I believe that when we’re rooted in our other three values – passion for the lost, rooted in the local church, working it out in accountable community – anything goes. We can try anything.

So you’ll find us in the prayer room praying for Twelve24, MaLoKai and others: ‘Give them a new sound – a sound that grabs the attention of young people. Something they’ve never heard before. Give James fresh creativity as he tries to mobilise a movement – a spark that will set people on fire for prayer.

‘For the prison teams, the MEC, Eden, In Yer Face – give them the kind of innovation that will change everything. The kinds of ideas that will change the world.’

IDEAS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD

are available on audio CD, FREE to any supporter upon request – call Jo Nicholson on 0161 946 2328 for yours.

You can also download via iTunes (search ‘Message Podcast’) or listen on our website:

www.message.org.uk/media

Andy’s four short talks on our core values:

Passion, Church, Community and Innovation

TEACHING

the

world

has yet

to see

the new

sounds

that are

going to

come out

of this

place

the new

visions.

the new

income

streams

the new

initiatives

Andy on the fourth and final of our core values: Innovation

www.message.org.uk/flow 2 1

od is up to so much at the moment in and through The Message. Here are just a few of the stories we ran out of room for in this issue.Check out the website for the full articles

1BAND IN DEMAND

Twelve24 are now in such high demand that the band is booked solid until the end of this school year. If you want to check out how young people are responding to their gospel message, check out the band's Twitter feed @Twelve24.

2

EDEN IS

EXPLODINGFour new Edens are set to go live this spring including our first project in Liverpool. Doors are also swinging open in the Midlands and Glasgow – and we’re talking with possible partners in the US and Australia too.

3

SOWING IN

TEARSReflex worker Jo Hirst is seeing wonderful new things happening in Hindley prison, the answer to many prayers sown in tears over the last year: ‘Recently we have had several baptisms and young people accepting Christ and really growing in their faith…’.

4

FOOTBALLTO

FAITHWhat happens when you take a team of lads to play football in Norway? ‘Victory did not always come on the football pitch but it certainly did in the lives of the lads that came along…’ says Lawrence from the Eden Openshaw team.

5

A STORM IS

BREWINGThe next Prayer Storm gathering takes place on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 May 2013.Keep an eye on prayerstorm.orgfor venue details and the latest info.

5

ACADEMY, APPLYNOW!

You may have noticed our subtle change to the Genetik course (on the back page). It’s more than just a new name.We’re revamping and rewriting the course from Sept 2013 onwards, with even more great bible teaching, guest speakers and loads of hands-on placements with our projects and teams across the city.If you know someone who is aged 18-25 and they're looking for a year out with a difference, then tell them to join ‘The Message Academy’.

MINI UPDATES



wenty years ago, while I was a police officer here in Manchester, I met Jesus and became a Christian. I

suddenly became really concerned to see the young people in my neighbourhood starting to come to know Jesus like I had. But I knew if that was ever going to happen, God had to do something new.

It was about this time that I first heard of The Message. I watched them fill the Apollo Theatre with the kinds of young people that the local churches just weren’t reaching, so I said to them, ‘Could you send a team into my local school and do something like that?’

I was amazed when a guy called Mark turned up – and he said he was the team! I walked him to the library where there were about 20 kids. He got out a big beatbox, pressed play and sang and danced. That Friday, his friends turned up and I heard Andy Hawthorne preach the most passionate sermon that I think I’d ever heard up until that point. Kids responded like I’d never seen before.

It’s all about God’s new thing. At Message HQ you’ll see two big banners with their touchstone verse from Isaiah: ‘See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’

God’s new thing is what this groundbreaking youth charity has always been about. Through the World Wide Message Tribe, Message 2000, Eden and many more initiatives, The Message has blazed a trail in words and actions that’s led to churches capturing a new vision for their communities.

God’s next ‘new thing’ is the Message Enterprise Centre. Just a year ago, the MEC was a derelict building and yet now

there’s this amazing transformation. It’s a picture of the real transformation that The Message’s teams are seeing every week in our young offenders’ institutions – young people are meeting Jesus in unprecedented numbers. But as they’re coming out of prison, they’re needing hope, they’re needing help, they’re needing training, they’re needing homes.

The MEC is there to give them exactly these things, rescuing them from a death loop of repeat offending that keeps them without hope.

As a local church leader it just makes sense for me to get involved with The Message and to partner with them to do whatever we can together to reach out and make a difference in Greater Manchester and across the nation.

Now God’s challenging them to do a new thing and as part of that, I’m feeling that challenge myself. So we’ve stepped up our personal giving as a family and as a church. For The Message team to be able to finish the MEC with excellence and get the first six businesses up and running, it’s going to take about £300,000.

The only way we can do it is one person stepping up their giving at a time – and that’s my challenge to you. If you’re a first-time giver, please give big. If you’ve given before, please give more. Let’s get involved and support The Message together to see God’s new thing.

GOD’S NEW THINGLocal church

pastor Anthony Delaney

on why he’s backing

The Message

TEACHING

Anthony Delaney is the Team Leader at Ivy Manchester

www.ivymanchester.com

4-10

22-23 25 26

1812-15

As I write this, I can honestly say that I’ve still not quite got over the excitement of our 20 Year Celebration Event at the end of November.

I am usually my own worst critic of our events – I tend to go over and over in my head every little detail and every last thing I’ve said, often wishing we could have done things better. But after this one, I felt a real sense of contentment – I’m not really sure how it could have been much better! As you will see from this edition of Flow, there was a quality and quantity to the testimonies that we’ve perhaps not seen before.

In the week following the event, I felt God speak to me clearly through the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. I think it’s true to say that we are not a ‘five talent’ ministry (I wish we were!) but maybe at this stage we could be described as a ‘two talent’ ministry. I believe that while we clearly haven’t been perfect, we have added to what he’s given us. And the good news is that to these people, the Lord says, ‘Well done good and faithful servant, now I will put you in charge of many things... now I will put you in charge of many things.’

As we launch the Enterprise Centre with its many businesses discipling young men and women, and as we see many new Eden teams launched and creative outreach teams released, it does feel like we are entering an amazing exciting season of multipli-cation. Please keep standing with us as we believe that, in his strength, we might soon be touching the lives of millions.

Thank you so much for the part you are going to play in that great adventure.

Andy on stage at The Message 20 event.

We filmed the whole event for broadcast on

God TV soon – schedule available

at www.god.tv

ANDY’S RANT


PS: You’ve probably noticed that we’ve given Flow a fresh new look starting with this is-sue – we hope you like it! It’s all part of a refresh of our logo and visual identity designed to keep us looking relevant to young people, supporters like you and the wider public.

WHATANIGHT


ˇ


UR 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION NIGHT AT AUDACIOUS CHURCH, MANCHESTER WAS AN EXPLOSION OF POWERFUL TESTIMONIES AND PERFORMANCES THAT GAVE GLORY TO GOD AND CULMINATED IN A SHOUT OF PRAISE THAT NEARLY

RAISED THE ROOF. WELL OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE JOINED THE PARTY. IF YOU COULDN’T BE THERE, THIS IS WHAT YOU MISSED…


ˇ

‘WELCOME INDEED TO THE MESSAGE TRUST 20TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION… ARE YOU UP FOR THIS?’ANDY HAWTHORNE


EVENT REVIEW

JENNY B

ROWN –

20:5

6 ˆ

SIMON HAWTHORNE – 20:40ˇ

EMMA OWEN – 20:58ˆ

‘IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE BEAT IS AS LONG AS JESUS IS BEING PREACHED. IT DOESN’T MATTER IF IT’S THUMPING OR IF IT’S GOSPEL OR WHATEVER IT IS, AS LONG AS KIDS ARE BEING SET FREE.’ DERONDA K LEWIS

LIVES CHANGED BY THE TRIBE

Former Tribe member Emma Owen shared three of her favourite stories of young people who became Christians through the Tribe, and who are now on the frontline of gospel ministry in different ways.

Meg Howardheard the Tribe at a gig in Southend and wrote regularly to Emma for advice and encouragement in her new faith. Because of the difference it had made in her life, she became an evangelist to girls with a ministry of her own.

Georgia Houghtonwent to Tribe gigs in Manchester, found Jesus and enrolled on the Genetik course two years ago. She’s now working with Emma on a new schools outreach project called Respect Me talking about sex and relationships from a Christian perspective.

Jenny Brown,who joined Emma on stage, became a Christian 13 years ago after the Tribe came into her school. Her new relationship with Jesus started a chain reaction of change in her life: got a degree, got a career, a great role model to her family and friends. She’s also now working with young people in her church in Bolton: ‘At a summer camp this year, we took 70 kids away with us. God showed up in a big way and all of them became Christians that night.’

‘IT’S A SHORT LIFE. WE’VE GOT TO MAKE IT

COUNT FOR GOD.’ SIMON HAWTHORNE

APOLLO TO THE TRIBEAfter the monster youth missions of 1988 and 89, Mark Pennells came up with the idea of Message to Schools in 1990. From this work sprung The World Wide Message Tribe, which, through line-up changes and a succession of best-selling albums, would go on to perform to well over a million people worldwide.The most surprising part of the line-up – including to him – was Andy Hawthorne, who in his own words possessed ‘no musical talent whatsoever… It must have been the Holy Spirit that convinced you that it sounded good – because it didn’t!’Thankfully, things improved: ‘After I left, it got quite good,’ said Andy on the night before introducing perhaps the Tribe’s most distinctive vocalist, Deronda K Lewis.

‘WHAT’S REALLY EXCITING IS THAT SAME PASSION, THAT VISION FLOWS THROUGH THE VEINS OF EVERYBODY WHO’S PART OF THE

MESSAGE TODAY. EXPECT GREAT THINGS!’

EMMA OWEN

FOR HIS GLORYThe night was all about giving glory to God but it was also a tribute to the ‘unsung heroes’, the people who have poured their lives into The Message, giving generously, volunteering to make events work and praying for doors to open.


CONT...

JENNY B

ROWN –

20:5

6 ˆ LUCY WEST – 21:09 ˇ

NIC SCHOLEY 21:09

ˆ

HOLLY BLUNDERFIELD – 21:10 ˇ

JESS COOK – 21:08ˇ

EMMA OWEN – 20:58ˆ

‘WE LIVE IN AMAZING SPECIAL DAYS, WHERE IF WE’LL PRAY AND IF

WE’LL BE CREDIBLE AND REAL AND PRESENT

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH RELEVANTLY, SCHOOLS

ARE WIDE OPEN TO US.’ ANDY HAWTHORNE

GIVING IT AWAYOne young person who saw The Tribe and Blush perform around that time was a young Christina Otoo-Anakwa: ‘I was there at Festival:Manchester in 2003… I was blown away by their passion. I remember standing there just looking up, going, “Lord, I would love to do what they do.”’ Genetik (previously Xcelerate) and now The Message Academy was born for exactly that reason – to harness the gifting and passion of a new generation of gifted evangelists. Having completed Genetik herself, Christina is now Team Leader of Twelve24, working in schools with the target of visiting every single school across Greater Manchester over the next five years. ‘We get to share the gospel with all these young people and we’re seeing loads respond – it’s amazing.’

‘NEVER FORGET THE POOREST’The Message is uniquely called to the urban poor, both here and abroad.In the build-up to Message 2000 and in response to a direct prophetic word ‘never to forget the poorest of the poor’, Andy visited Compassion’s work in Haiti which has led to our seeing hundreds of children sponsored through education, building schools and supporting women in prison there. The Message tithes its income to causes mainly supporting the poorest of the poor.Former members of our girl band Blush – Lucy, Nic, Holly and Jess – came to sing ‘Not Alone’ which members of the band wrote after a moving visit to Haiti with Andy.

‘SEE, I’M DOING A NEW THING…’The Tribe were a new thing – radical, creative evangelists who were passionate for a city. Isaiah 43:19, which had been our touchstone verse since the beginning, also became the hallmark of the way we work. ‘We blaze a trail, we pioneer things so other people can move into their calling,’ said Andy.Message 2000, 2K1, and Festival:Manchester saw an explosion of gospel proclamation in word and action across Manchester. Thousands of hours of community projects went hand in hand with bold gospel proclamation from the city’s biggest stages. ‘We weren’t the most gifted, we weren’t the most resourced but man, we had a heart,’ said Andy. ‘The Lord supported us tremendously, and as a result thousands of people came to Christ. I meet them wherever I go.’ Nineteen-year-old Lewis Wilkins was one. He met God during Message 2000 and was never the same again. He is now a key part of Audacious Church which hosted the event and was helping backstage on the night.

CHRISTINA – 21:15 ˆ


CAN’T KEEP IT TO OURSELVESThe night was full of stories about how the last twenty years has also been about passing on the baton of mission to more and more young people. Lindz introduced Danielle who the band met when LZ7 came into her school in St Anne’s.‘My life was a mess,’ Danielle said. ‘I was being bullied and because of that, I wasn’t a nice person at home or to my friends. LZ7 came in and at the gig, they spoke about forgiveness. For me that was huge. It was the beginning of a new start for me.’The change didn’t stop there: ‘It’s not cool to keep something so good to yourself. I wanted to talk about God, say this is who I am now. So I set up a CU… I got a bit of stick for it, but the first year we saw eight kids come to know Jesus which was absolutely incredible.’

SIR

PETE

R FA

HY

MANCHESTER TO THE WORLDAnother former Tribe member who God has used powerfully since leaving Manchester is Beth Redman, who shared how she came to be involved in the early days of the World Wide Message Tribe. ‘When I was 19, I heard about this organisation that were doing schools work and evangelism and I auditioned… I couldn’t believe we got a small wage to do what was our passion. Then I rocked up a few years later and there’s nearly 100 employees, thousands of school kids have become Christians.’Beth was joined on stage by husband Matt plus Lindz and Lucy West to perform 27 Million, the chart single they released to raise awareness of human trafficking based on a true story of a young girl sold by a family member, trafficked to Greece and later freed from prostitution.

‘THEY’VE NEVER LOST THEIR VISION OR THEIR FOCUS, NEVER GOT PUFFED UP, STILL FAITHFUL… IT CHANGED MY LIFE TO BE A PART OF IT.’ BETH REDMAN

DANIELLE – 21:27 ˆ

BETH REDMAN – 21:32

ˆ

LINDZ WEST – 21:36ˆ

‘THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO –

WE WANT TO SEE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CHANGED WITH THE

GOOD NEWS OF JESUS.’LINDZ WEST

MULTIPLICATION!It’s been thrilling to see how God has used The Message to multiply mission across the UK and the world through our bands and Genetik.Another Tribe member who has gone on to establish a global platform with LZ7 is Lindz West. Since scoring a UK chart hit with ‘This Little Light’, LZ7 have been in enormous demand around the world. A recent 50-date tour saw the band performing to over 750,000 people and a massive 12,000 young people giving their lives to Jesus. The band, now under their own Message partner charity called Light, are taking the DNA of The Message to new places but are still committed to local schools. In the week running up to the celebration, a schools tour in Reading saw 250 people starting journeys with Jesus: ‘We’re about breaking stereotypes, getting into young people’s faces and saying, “You know what? There’s a God up there who thinks you’re that awesome that he sent his Son to die on a cross in your place. That’s the meaning of love,"' said Lindz.To loud cheers from the audience, the band’s performance of This Little Light burst into The Real Thing, featuring a special guest performance by Cameron Dante.


CONT...

SIR

PETE

R FA

HY

‘WE’VE GOT SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE BUT WE HONESTLY BELIEVE THE BEST IS YET TO COME.’ ANDY HAWTHORNE

I’m really pleased to send congratulations to The Message Trust

on their twentieth birthday. This is a remarkable achievement. The Message Trust

is a great example of churches getting out from behind the walls, getting out into local communities,

and helping people in real need. It’s great to see the development of the Eden projects as they spread around the

country but I’ve been particularly impressed with the work that the Message Trust does with people in prisons – people who have often been

through awful experiences, through addiction and getting involved with the wrong crowd. The Message Trust is there alongside them,

helping to turn around their lives. I know there are more exciting developments planned with opportunities to

help them with employment and accommodation. So it’s great to be able to congratulate The Message

Trust on their first twenty years but I know you’ve got some really exciting plans for

further developments in the future.

REVIVAL IN THE

PRISONS?‘The Message Trust is a revival movement,’ said Andy. ‘Were going to keep going and we are going to see revival in our lifetime. Revival doesn’t just mean full churches; what it means is people transforming society and young people getting incredible passion for those who don’t know Christ and the broken and the marginalised. And it’s happening.’ The nearest thing we’re seeing to revival is what we’re seeing in the prisons at the moment. In one of the prisons where we’re at work, a full 15 per cent of the inmates are currently going through a Four Points gospel course. Lots of them come to Christ at the end of it. At the end of the discipleship course, if they’re really serious about their faith and are willing to stand up in front of others, we baptise them. In the month leading up to our event, 38 lads in that one prison were baptised.Nick Shahlavi, a former drug user and violent criminal, who now works in north west prisons, gave testimony to some of the things he’s seeing on a daily basis: ‘Guys are becoming Christians, getting baptised, sharing that message with others, they’re then coming and giving their lives to the Lord, there’s healing. The Kingdom is in the prisons!’

I’m really proud of the fact that The Message Trust is

based in my constituency. I’ve seen the difference that they’ve made over

many years at local level and also when I was the Prisons Minister saw the difference

they made for many young people in prison. The Message makes faith come alive and brings hope

to the lives of people, particularly to people who’ve had a hard time and have been on

the edge of society. So I congratulate them on all they’ve done and well

done on twenty years.

DANIELLE – 21:27 ˆ

BETH REDMAN – 21:32

ˆ

LINDZ WEST – 21:36ˆ

MESS GES FR M

FRIEN STONY CAMPOLOAU

THOR & EVA

NGELIST

NICK SHAHLAVI – 21:45ˆ

PAUL GOGGINS M

P

(WYT

HEN

SHAW

E

& SA

LE E

AST

)

CHIEF CONSTABLE, GM

PCongratulations to

The Message Trust – you’ve been around for a

long time now doing good work for the Kingdom. Keep on keeping on, doing the good things that God

has called you to do in urban settings across the United

Kingdom.


JASON – 21:56ˇ

RIGHT: Ahead of a thirty-date tour in schools, prisons and churches, In Yer Face Theatre Company performed a short segment of their Christmas show.

IT WAS SO

GOOD WE'VE DECIDED WE'LL BE HAVING A 21ST

BIRTHDAY PARTY NEXT NOVEMBER WATCH THIS SPACE

IN

YERFAC

E – 22:02ˇ


ˆ AMY – 21:56

MEET THE APPRENTICESAfter a video tour of the new Message Enterprise Centre, Andy introduced our first two MEC apprentices, both of whom are now learning trades on the job, with decent places to live and supportive church communities around them.

Amy‘I was a drug dealer, really angry, aggressive, selfish. I ended up going to prison and that’s when I met people from the Reflex team. They opened my eyes to Jesus, and I became a Christian in prison. Now I’m doing an apprenticeship in the hair and beauty salon. I’m so excited to see it open and to be a part of it.’

Jason‘I was in and out of children’s homes, a violent criminal, a drug dealer, a drug taker, didn’t believe in God. I was suicidal, twelve years in prison, had an encounter with Jesus, changed my life, met Reflex, now working for five months with the MEC, learning the trade, got a purpose in my life, thank you Lord!’

‘I BELIEVE THE MEC IS A GAME CHANGER FOR

US.’ ANDY HAWTHORNE

IF OUR GOD IS FOR US…The more fruit we’ve seen in prisons, the more painful it is to see ex-offenders leaving prison and struggling to find decent jobs, places to stay and people to support them. It’s no wonder so many fall back into destructive lifestyles and ultimately offend again. We’re convinced the building next door to our HQ – the new Message Enterprise Centre – was saved for us and it was a thrill to collect the keys the day before our Anniversary Event.But it’s not been smooth sailing getting here, explained Andy: ‘It was really exciting… until we signed the lease with the council and we told them we were going to raise over a million pounds to spend on the building. And you start working with the first few of these people who have a few issues… Twelve months ago, I was on my knees during Message Prayer Day, praying ‘Oh God, what have I done…? It’s all over! We’re finished!’‘But that same day, Matt Redman led worship with ‘Our God is greater, our God is stronger… If our God is for us, who can ever stop us?’ And we felt faith come. It’s his heart.’This year, we’ve continued to grow as a ministry while also raising over a million pounds for this new building.

JASON – 21:56ˇ

MATT, AARON & ROY – 21:56ˇ

YOU DESERVE IT ALL. YOU DESERVE ALL THE GLORY.

THANK YOU FOR TWENTY YEARS OF FAITHFULNESS. YOU’VE BEEN

SO GOOD. AND WE WANT TO WORSHIP YOU, YES FOR WHAT

YOU DO, BUT MOST OF ALL FOR WHO YOU ARE. YOU’RE THE MOST

GLORIOUS GOD AND WE’RE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU. WE GIVE YOU ALL

THE PRAISE.’ANDY HAWTHORNE

‘THE GOSPEL IS NOT JUST ABOUT LAMP ON A STAND; IT’S ALSO ABOUT YEAST IN THE DOUGH. IT HAS AN INVISIBLE WAY OF

CHANGING THINGS.’ MATT WILSON

‘JESUS, YOU’RE AMAZING.

‘THE AMAZING THING ABOUT

THE KINGDOM OF JESUS IS IT’S ALWAYS GOING

FORWARD. IT’S ALWAYS ADVANCING; IT NEVER STAYS STILL.

IT NEVER GOES BACKWARDS;

IT ALWAYS GOES FORWARDS.’ MATT REDMAN

IT WAS SO

GOOD WE'VE DECIDED WE'LL BE HAVING A 21ST

BIRTHDAY PARTY NEXT NOVEMBER WATCH THIS SPACE

MATT REDMAN – 22:19

ˇ


ˆ AMY – 21:56

STORIES FROM THE STREETSLast year, 2012, also marked 15 years since the first ever Eden project in Benchill, Wythenshawe – at that time, statistically the worst neighbourhood in Britain. There are now 23 Eden teams around the nation – more outside Manchester than inside Manchester – and they’ve reached thousands of teenagers since 1997.Two lads that Eden Eccles has been working with since it launched in 2010, Aaron and Roy, talked about how the team has given them new purpose. ‘Growing up was pretty awkward really,’ said Aaron. ‘It’s a rough estate, I’ve done the wrong things, I regret them. Bad influences. Since Eden formed, it’s changed my life, honestly. Eden Eccles, I want to give a big massive thank you for what you’ve done for me.’Roy started talking about how people used to think about him: ‘They would describe me as a horrible person – I was nasty to people and I didn’t really respect people. But since Eden came into the picture, I’ve sorted my life out, turned myself around – I’m in college, working towards my future dream career.’



uite something, isn’t it?’ beams Frank Green, as he gives a small group

of excited visitors a guided tour of the nearly-completed Message Enterprise Centre. ‘It’s been like watching a miracle unfolding before our eyes… and the very best is yet to come.’

The trans-formation is a picture of what’s taking place in the lives of young ex-offenders

<<< MEC 4-PAGE PULLOUT (PRINT EDITION ONLY)

COVER STORY

Frank’s not exaggerating. He and the whole Message team have watched in awe over the last six months as the derelict warehouse next to Message HQ in Sharston, South Manchester has been transformed into a state-of-the-art business hub, with onsite café, hair and beauty salon, cycle recycling shop and premises for new businesses yet to be launched.

The transformation is a picture of what’s already taking place in the lives of seven young ex-offenders who have so far joined the Enterprise Centre businesses as apprentices. Within three years that number will be at least 50 – each no longer a drain on society, but an asset.

Although the MEC’s official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the end of January, several of the businesses have been trading since late December, allowing staff teams to start working together. Both the Mess Café and Shine Hair & Beauty have attracted a steady stream of customers from local businesses and friends of the Message. The property isions have been working on properties around the city. Bespoke, a cycle recycling shop and the fifth new business to launch, is set to open its doors this month. At the heart of each business are the young apprentices. As they are trained on the job

by skilled and experienced managers, each apprentice is also being mentored in living a stable, productive life with a decent salary, a safe place to live, and supportive community through local churches.

‘What’s key now is that people really get behind these businesses,’ says Frank. ‘They’ve already started turning lives around, but to keep

going, they also need to turn a profit.’‘We need everyone to come over and

see what we’ve got on offer here – popping in for lunch or a meeting over coffee in The Mess; trying out a beauty treatment at Shine; checking out our refurbished bikes or bringing yours in for repair. And then spreading the word among friends

and family.‘The miracle is still unfolding, and

we’re inviting all our friends to be a part of it.’

bikesrepairsbrakessalescustom buildsaccessoriesadvicebike donationcycling proficiency

//////////////////////////////////opening times

monday–friday 10am–4.30pm

saturdayby appointment

///////////

We refurbish and repair bikesdonated by the general public

and from the local police and sell them through our shop

and online via eBay.

We also offer high qualityservicing, repairs and accessories

for cyclists from our MEC shop.

To book your bike in,call us on 0161 946 9490.

For the latest bikes, check out:www.bespokemanchester.com


///////////opening times mondays tuesday–friday saturday 10am–2:30pm 10am–6pm by appointment

//////////////////////////////////

Our selection of popular beauty treatments will make you look great and feel fabulous.

A professional, friendly atmosphere and excellent customer service means you can relax, unwind… and Shine! For appointments, call 0161 946 9494.

Price list at: www.shinemanchester.com

hair & beauty

nailsmassagewaxinghairhighlightsmanicurelashestanning


////////////////////////////////// opening times monday–friday 9am–2.30pm

///////////

coffeecakelight-bitesbreakfastssnackssandwichesteabiscuitspanini

We serve fine coffees and teas all day and our selection

of light meals, snacks and pudsis sure to tempt your tastebuds.

Our delicious breakfast menuwill get your day off to a great start.

Also available for private functions,

evening meetings and courses,church away days.

Call 0161 946 9496 for more details.

Find our full menu at:www.themessmanchester.com


brickworkroofing

building repairsmaintenance

decoratingplasteringplumbingpainting

fitting

Our building and property teams work around the city – look out for their van! If you know of a property that might be suitable forredevelopment or renovation, we’d love to hear from you.

Contact Simon on 07950 043710We also offer a reliable buildingmaintenance service covering most tradesand specialising in plumbing, roofing,painting and decorating, gardenmaintenance and ground work. If you need a quote or are awareof a maintenance contract for whichwe could bid, please get in touch.

Contact Dom on 07741 242929

PUTTINGDISCIPLESHIP

FIRSTThe Message Enterprise Centre

is a brand new concept in socially responsible business.

As well as offering you excellent quality at competitive prices, we’re helping to train and

create jobs for young people who need a second chance in life. Each of our businesses is run by an

experienced manager working alongside apprentices training ‘on the job’. Profits from each business are

invested back into training and developing more young people. We want to play our part in tackling the

problems of youth unemployment and reoffending so common in our city. And every time you stop in

and use one of our businesses, you can too.


od is up to so much at the moment in and through The Message. Here are just a few of the stories we ran out of room for in this issue.Check out the website for the full articles

1BAND IN DEMAND

Twelve24 are now in such high demand that the band is booked solid until the end of this school year. If you want to check out how young people are responding to their gospel message, check out the band's Twitter feed @Twelve24.

2

EDEN IS

EXPLODINGFour new Edens are set to go live this spring including our first project in Liverpool. Doors are also swinging open in the Midlands and Glasgow – and we’re talking with possible partners in the US and Australia too.

3

SOWING IN

TEARSReflex worker Jo Hirst is seeing wonderful new things happening in Hindley prison, the answer to many prayers sown in tears over the last year: ‘Recently we have had several baptisms and young people accepting Christ and really growing in their faith…’.

4

FOOTBALLTO

FAITHWhat happens when you take a team of lads to play football in Norway? ‘Victory did not always come on the football pitch but it certainly did in the lives of the lads that came along…’ says Lawrence from the Eden Openshaw team.

5

A STORM IS

BREWINGThe next Prayer Storm gathering takes place on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 May 2013.Keep an eye on prayerstorm.orgfor venue details and the latest info.

6

ACADEMY, APPLYNOW!

You may have noticed our subtle change to the Genetik course (on the back page). It’s more than just a new name.We’re revamping and rewriting the course from Sept 2013 onwards, with even more great bible teaching, guest speakers and loads of hands-on placements with our projects and teams across the city.If you know someone who is aged 18-25 and they're looking for a year out with a difference, then tell them to join ‘The Message Academy’.

MINI UPDATES


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online fundraising from

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PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD ARE BEING INSPIRED AND RESOURCED BY WHAT WE’VE LEARNED DOING NEIGHBOURHOOD MISSION

t’s clear that God is on the move through Eden. What started as a pragmatic response to young people coming to

know Jesus on a Wythenshawe estate 15 years ago is now reaching 23 needy communities across the UK. Four more partnerships with churches are set to launch this spring.

People from elsewhere in the UK, and indeed around the world, are now starting to ask the same kinds of questions: how do we do this? What works? What really doesn’t? And three resources released by Eden last year are helping to answer them.

National Director Matt Wilson’s book Concrete Faith sets out the whole warts-and-all story of Eden, interspersed with true stories of lives changed.

‘When we read Concrete Faith, we bought 10 copies and started putting them in the hands of our church leaders as well as strategic others,’ says Steve Rudman, who is leading an Eden-inspired incarnational ministry project in the Southcote estate in Reading.

‘A year ago, we and a couple of dozen people moved from a large town-centre “network church”, to use the phrase in Matt’s book. We’ve joined St Matthews, a neighbourhood Anglican church slap-bang in the middle of the Southcote estate. We’re wanting to see people on the estate find Jesus as Lord and Saviour, especially teens. It’s not a favoured area in the town, but there are some lovely people living on the estate and they should get a good chance to hear the message.’

Eden’s two DVD resources are also helping to share vision and values as well as some of the best ideas we’ve learned over the last 15 years.

Esther Finney (pictured right) helps lead Love Stretford, a missional community sent out by Lifechurch Manchester. A team of nine people live near one another in the area’s Meadows estate, aiming to build deep relationships and create a sense of family through kids and youth clubs and community lunches.

‘We’ve used the Formation DVD in our core team cell for the past few months as the distinctives it talks about are very much our values too – being relational, incarnational. It’s been a really helpful way to open them up and ask ourselves, how well are we doing at living them out?’

‘The Resource Bank is also helping to move our work on. It’s been of particular benefit to the youth workers in our team as they seek to build up their projects.’

EDEN


EDEN:SHARING

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EDEN:SHARING

THELOVE

The Message

We’ve got 70 Manchester 10k places but they’re filling up fast.

Fancy running Manchester’s premier road race on May 26?

Contact Lauren on 0161 946 2304 flow11SPRING2013 2 2

SPONSORED EVENTS

In the 2007 film, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman set off on a road trip to complete a list of things they want to do before they die – their ‘Bucket List’.Everybody’s got something they’ve always dreamt of doing – so why not make 2013 the year you finally do yours, and use the opportunity to raise money for The Message?

Fundraiser: www.riversandrobots.com

‘I’ve never been sporty so this was very much a challenge for my body. It was hard work to get started but thankfully I began slow and steady, training well ahead of time. I know that God helped me a lot. The highlight for me would have to be the whole final kilometre. As I got close, I began to hear Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now. It’s always been a favourite of mine and it just gave me the biggest grin to hear it and I sped up. My fundraising target was £200...

‘I wanted to raise money in a non-fitness way. (The year before I completed the Three Peak Challenge

– and even though it was an amazing experience, I wanted to do a fundraising event that was a bit less stress on my legs!) A Swishing Party is the perfect girlie fundraiser: raising money and recycling gorgeous clothes. It was also a great opportunity to make some new friends. With £5 per ticket, a treat stall full of homemade cookies and cakes for sale, and a raffle with donated prizes from local businesses...

Bethan (graphic designer)

Swishing Party Fundraiser:

... raised £250.’

... but managed

‘Around two years ago I felt God was calling me to start to write worship songs with a new, creative sound. I just love the whole process of

creating songs, experimenting with sounds and forming ideas into songs. The recording of my

album seemed to fit nicely with the Message 20th anniversary so it was great opportunity to

be able to use my album sales to raise money for that. My target was to raise £400...

and that’s without playing any of the songs live yet!’

Now it’s over to you. Everyone’s got something

they want to do before they ‘kick the bucket’, so why not

do it in 2013 – and do it for The Message?

How about swimming with sharks? Shaving your hair off?

A Scalextric championship? A Star Wars marathon? (And that’s just the S’s!)

Whatever your idea is, would you become one of our 100 volunteer ‘bucket list’ fundraisers this year?

Victoria (finance assistant)

Sheffield 10k RunFundraiser:

Jonathan (Web designer) Recording an

album

...so far ’ve raised £300

So, what’s on your

‘Bucket List’?

to raise £325!’

To sign up, plus for help and advice with getting started, visit

www.message.org.uk/fundraisingor contact Lauren on 0161 946 2304

that’s one to tick off your bucket list!


ur touchstone scripture, Isaiah 43:19, begins ‘See, I am doing a new thing!’ God didn’t just

bring that scripture to Isaiah 640 years before Christ. He brought it to Andy Hawthorne, too, about 1987 years after Christ. And he says it to you today. The Lord is constantly saying, ‘See, I’m doing a new thing – don’t you see it?’

God has not run out of ideas to see the Great Commission fulfilled. He is a creator God who is still creating today. God has unlimited ideas to pour into the hearts of those willing to seek him.

WILLING TO TRY AND FAILThe founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, who famously would try anything to reach people with the gospel of Jesus – from uniforms to brass bands to ladies riding backwards on horses in night-dresses! – said, ‘Beginning as I did, with a clean sheet of paper, wedded to no plan... willing to take a leaf out of any-body’s book... and above all, to obey the direction of the Holy Spirit... we tried vari-ous methods and those that did not work we unhesitatingly threw overboard and adopted something else!’

Like Booth, we need to be a movement that tries lots of things, and which is unembarrassed when some of them fail. Look at Steve Jobs, hailed as one of the most visionary innovators of our times – he failed plenty of times before he hit on the iMac, the iPod and the rest.

The world has yet to see the new sounds that are going to come out of this place. The new visions. The new income streams. The new initiatives. He’s going to show us ways to bless the poor and preach the gospel that we haven’t even dreamt up yet.

‘ALWAYS REFORMING’Unfortunately the church has a habit of getting stuck in a rut.

Four hundred years ago roughly, religion and institution had replaced revival and inspiration. From the fires of Jerusalem, the church had gone cold.

So the Reformation took place, an amazing time in church history when innovators dragged the church kicking and screaming back to where it needed to be. Their motto was ‘semper reformanda’, ‘always to be reformed’ – in other words, holding to scripture truth but always looking to creatively interpret it in language people could understand.

Of course, one by one, the reformers got burned at the stake. So 400 years later, lots of the church is still using their prayer book. Somewhere in heaven, Cranmer is holding his head in his hands, crying, ‘Duh! Don’t you realise that book wasn’t meant to be for 400 years!?’

ANYTHING GOESIt’s a challenge for all of us. We can all easily get stuck in the past. So how far can we go in trying something new?

I believe that when we’re rooted in our other three values – passion for the lost, rooted in the local church, working it out in accountable community – anything goes. We can try anything.

So you’ll find us in the prayer room praying for Twelve24, MaLoKai and others: ‘Give them a new sound – a sound that grabs the attention of young people. Something they’ve never heard before. Give James fresh creativity as he tries to mobilise a movement – a spark that will set people on fire for prayer.

‘For the prison teams, the MEC, Eden, In Yer Face – give them the kind of innovation that will change everything. The kinds of ideas that will change the world.’

IDEAS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD

are available on audio CD, FREE to any supporter upon request – call Jo Nicholson on 0161 946 2328 for yours.

You can also download via iTunes (search ‘Message Podcast’) or listen on our website:

www.message.org.uk/media

Andy’s four short talks on our core values:

Passion, Church, Community and Innovation

TEACHING

the

world

has yet

to see

the new

sounds

that are

going to

come out

of this

place

the new

visions.

the new

income

streams

the new

initiatives

Andy on the fourth and final of our core values: Innovation



wenty years ago, while I was a police officer here in Manchester, I met Jesus and became a Christian. I

suddenly became really concerned to see the young people in my neighbourhood starting to come to know Jesus like I had. But I knew if that was ever going to happen, God had to do something new.

It was about this time that I first heard of The Message. I watched them fill the Apollo Theatre with the kinds of young people that the local churches just weren’t reaching, so I said to them, ‘Could you send a team into my local school and do something like that?’

I was amazed when a guy called Mark turned up – and he said he was the team! I walked him to the library where there were about 20 kids. He got out a big beatbox, pressed play and sang and danced. That Friday, his friends turned up and I heard Andy Hawthorne preach the most passionate sermon that I think I’d ever heard up until that point. Kids responded like I’d never seen before.

It’s all about God’s new thing. At Message HQ you’ll see two big banners with their touchstone verse from Isaiah: ‘See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’

God’s new thing is what this groundbreaking youth charity has always been about. Through the World Wide Message Tribe, Message 2000, Eden and many more initiatives, The Message has blazed a trail in words and actions that’s led to churches capturing a new vision for their communities.

God’s next ‘new thing’ is the Message Enterprise Centre. Just a year ago, the MEC was a derelict building and yet now

there’s this amazing transformation. It’s a picture of the real transformation that The Message’s teams are seeing every week in our young offenders’ institutions – young people are meeting Jesus in unprecedented numbers. But as they’re coming out of prison, they’re needing hope, they’re needing help, they’re needing training, they’re needing homes.

The MEC is there to give them exactly these things, rescuing them from a death loop of repeat offending that keeps them without hope.

As a local church leader it just makes sense for me to get involved with The Message and to partner with them to do whatever we can together to reach out and make a difference in Greater Manchester and across the nation.

Now God’s challenging them to do a new thing and as part of that, I’m feeling that challenge myself. So we’ve stepped up our personal giving as a family and as a church. For The Message team to be able to finish the MEC with excellence and get the first six businesses up and running, it’s going to take about £300,000.

The only way we can do it is one person stepping up their giving at a time – and that’s my challenge to you. If you’re a first-time giver, please give big. If you’ve given before, please give more. Let’s get involved and support The Message together to see God’s new thing.

GOD’S NEW THINGLocal church

pastor Anthony Delaney

on why he’s backing

The Message

TEACHING

Anthony Delaney is the Team Leader at Ivy Manchester

www.ivymanchester.com

www.message.org.uk/flow 2

RESPOND

Please commit to praying daily for The Message during 2013. We need God’s power to break through and bring change to young lives. Use our free Prayer Calendar (call 0161 946 2300 for more copies) enclosed with this issue of Flow.

You can donate to The Message online at:message.org.uk/donateor call 0161 946 2300 to make a new regular gift (or raise your existing Direct Debit) in February or March and receive a FREE copy of the Message 20 book and CD set (RRP £20).

Tell your church, home group and other friends about what we’re up to. Please put up the pullout poster in the centre of this issue of Flow in your church to tell people about the MEC.To enquire about having a Message speaker visit your church, contact Jo Nicholson on:0161 946 2328.

Become one of our 100 Message Fundraisers in 2013 and help us meet our fundraising goals. See page 16-17 for more details.

YOUR response

GIVEPRAY SHARE FUNDRAISE

In 2013, there are more opportunities before us than ever in schools, communities and prisons.

Now, it’s over to you.

If you feel concerned about your young people and gang culture, being trapped in estates that seem to be hopeless and forgotten; if you feel that light needs to be brought into high schools and prisons; and if you believe ex-offenders need to be rehabilitated rather than just managed, then please stand with us.

New creative teams to reach

every high school in Greater

Manchester

New Edens, bringing life and hope to

the toughest communities

New enterprises to train, employ

and disciple young men

and women

7

GET EQUIPPED FOR MISSIONWWW.MESSAGE.ORG.UK/SHOP THE BEST

URBAN YOUTH-WORK

RESOURCES FROM THE GUYS WHO

WROTE THE BOOK!

RESOURCE BANK

DVD £14Effective methods and wise

advice for those working to reach urban youth, from street-level first contact to

mentoring and discipleship.

PROXIMITYTICKETS

£55Discounted ‘Early Bird’

tickets are available for £45 until March 10

CONCRETE FAITH

BY MATT WILSON

It’s packed with inspirational and personal stories and shares the lessons learned and challenges faced by Eden teams over the last 15 years.

Paperback: £6.99Kindle edition: £5.99

(from amazon.co.uk)

FORMATION DVD £2O

A 10-part 2-DVD group training resource

for groups involved in seeking to bring about

holistic transformation in challenging neighbourhoods.

FORMATION VOL. 2 DVD COMING SOON:

Featuring Will van der Hart & Rob Waller of Mind & Soul

www.mindandsoul.info

Documents

Flow Issue 11