Aside from making me feel incredibly old (it’s really aimed at 15 year olds) Soul Survivor was amazing this year. It’s the first time I’ve been since 2001 and while I didn’t attended any seminars (the offering was pretty much what it was back then) it was just great to chill out with God; both in the main meetings as well as in the lazy times spent in a muddy field. I’ve come back feeling refreshed and excited about what the next year may bring. Which is great!

At Church at the moment I am involved with a small group charged with the task of looking at what we do on Sunday mornings and making changes in the attempted to increase it’s relevance and aid our times of worship. We have taken a lot of advice and welcomed much comment; especially in the area of getting young people to involved and allowing them to be an active part of our family. However, we have really come up against it as many folk have resigned themselves to a suggestion that teenagers simply don’t do church. I have found this very difficult to reconcile and now Soul Survivor has simply blown this out of the water for me.

For five days, in a muddy filed in Somerset, 12000 teenagers queued an hour before 2 services a day; each of which were between 2 & 3 hours long. The services were not too dissimilar to what we do at church (albeit a lot longer). Firstly the notices (30 mins worth!!!), then there were 3 newer songs, a hymn (lead by the band), 2 or 3 quieter, newer songs, a preach (at least 40 mins worth), followed by an extended ministry time. It was long, it was uncomfortable and yet they were there an hour early to get the best spots.

Not only that but a vast majority attended the three seminar slots throughout the day. These were essentially 90 min sermons. So that’s 2 church services and 3 seminars a day. You cannot tell me that teens are not interested in Church.

Of course, I do understand that this was a festival. There were 12000 of us for a start, which always helps. Also, the music and the worship times we stunning. Very professional, very slick; you wouldn’t be disappointed if you get this level of professionalism from a top gig but I’m not sure that all these young people are so shallow that a big sound and some flashing lights is all it takes to get them interested.

So I’m wondering what is the thing that drives the success of Soul Survivor and similar festivals. When I think back to when I was a teenager the thing that made me interested in Church and hanging out with other Christians was the guys that were around me loved it. They were passionate about going to church. They were excited about it. Not that the Church I became a Christian in was particularly young people friendly. It was a fairly tradition Baptist Church. But the people around me were passionate about that place; what God was doing and what God, with their help, could do.

I think that’s what Soul Survivor has; passion. The guys leading it, love it. They are mad about Jesus and they don’t mind telling you. Every Church isn’t blessed with the gifts and talents that Soul Survivor has at it’s disposal. We can’t all have super slick bands and flashing lights and I’m not sure it’s right that we do. We can, however, all have their passion. If our Churches are full of people that are happy, even excited to be their then we will attract more people; not just teenagers.

As Mike said in one of his many sermons of the week. People are not waiting for a great band, a better light show, a cool new drama or a funny speaker. This country is crying out for people that look like Jesus, sound like Jesus, and smell like Jesus. As we turn into His likeness, others will want to know more.