SoulSurvivor USA

[ahab]

Are any of our ECUSA and Candian churches youth involved/attending this tour? http://www.soulsurvivorusa.com/tour/
:clap:

[ahab]

SoulSurvivor is the major Christian youth ministry in the UK and an Anglican 'spin-off' There is a SoulSurvivor USA as well, has non-one heard of SoulSurvior?

[AveMaria]

I've never heard of it. Or them?

Anyone? Anyone?

[TomUK]

You sure that soulsurviver is an Anglican spin-off - it seems a bit too trendy for us!

[Bingley]

I think Philip Yancey wrote a book called Soul Survivor -- potted biographies of various people he admires whose writings and example had contributed to his growth as a Christian.

[ahab]

Yes it is Anglican ministry. Its not trendy to some of us, rather radical and effective discipleship.:clap:

[AveMaria]

So..what's it about? All I could tell from googling 'soul survivor' is that it's music-based.
What makes it radical and effective, in your opinion?

(I don't work with the youth group at church, but if I see any of them this weekend, I'll have to ask if they've heard of it.)

[ahab]

Hi AveMaria,



The youth are trying to worship God 24/7, to honour God in all aspects of their lives, including as you say with the music, in worship.

How about this link …. http://www.soulsurvivor.co.uk/ (http://www.soulsurvivor.co.uk/) will give some idea of the effective ministry.

I would be interested to hear if your youth group have heard.:wave:

[ahab]

There are references to SoulSurvivor all over this forum, except amazingly in the Anglican section. :scratch:

[TomUK]

I went to the soul surviver uk website, and didn't realise that matt redman was also raised anglican! i doubt he still worships in one, but it's nice to know he started here. :)

[Cjwinnit]

You sure that soulsurviver is an Anglican spin-off - it seems a bit too trendy for us!

When the Alpha Course came out, I thought it was too..

[AveMaria]

I managed to corner some of the youth during coffee hour, and asked if they knew anything about Soul Survivor.

One thought it was a rock band, two thought it was a soon-to-be-released movie, and one thought it was a book. In fact, one of the ones who thought it was a movie was convinced he had seen a preview for it, and it was going to be released this Christmas *giggle*.

And the youth are also now convinced I'm crazy. Guess I can't blame them!

[ahab]

Hi AveMaria,



And the youth are also now convinced I'm crazy. Guess I can't blame them!

Why?




As far as the UK is concerned, Soulsurvivor are a major Christian ministry of young people and growing, and the Alpha course is a major internationally and inter-denominationally accepted tool for introducing the gospel.
So why so much press and mdeia of falling attendances and decline in the Anglican church?

[Labayu]

"Soul Survivor Watford" is a Church of England church plant. It originally started with a group (less than 20, and including Matt Redman) young people from the St Andrews Choleywood youth group. It now has two warehouses, and untill recently held a discipleship training type course. The assosate pastor is a qualified COE vicar, and the local parish vicar is sometimes about.

"Soul Survivor ministries" is a seperate legal entity, but all/most of the office staff are members of the church, and the ministies pays the salary of the head pastor (Mike Pilivachi).

Matt Redman now is part of a church in Brighton (Christ the King?).

Soul Surviovr L.A./USA and Canada are non-denomnational churchs (I think) who also help local churches put on "youth services".

Soul Survivor also put on various "youth" festivals around the world (grew up out of the "new wine" festivals). Including a couple of weeks of social action in london (search for "Soul in the City" in google), which Holy Trinity Brompton pretty much bankrolled (providing apox a 3rd of the £3millon it cost!)

Very worship orintated...

...and yes, we are far too cool to be seen in this forum, so I'll go now :P

[ahab]

I think SoulSurvivor are under the authority of New Wine.:clap: New Wine is a growing ministry in the UK as well http://www.new-wine.org/

And still the media always seem to talk of decline.

[SirTimothy]

Hey! I resent the remark about it being too trendy. The Anglicans started Alpha, and it's used worldwide as an evangelism program.

Timothy

[pmcleanj]

Hey! I resent the remark about it being too trendy. The Anglicans started Alpha, and it's used worldwide as an evangelism program.

Timothy

Yes, but it was started by trendy Anglicans ;)

[ahab]

It depends what one means by trendy, in presentation and style of evangelism perhaps but in their theology traditional and conservative.

[AveMaria]

Ahab -


Re: "And the youth are also now convinced I'm crazy. Guess I can't blame them!"

Probably because they're not used to being charged down by a half-crazed overzealous blonde Anglo-Catholic who is miraculously carrying 6 steaming mugs of coffee and a plate of banana bread! (I guess I forgot to mention that part!)

[ahab]

Hi AveMaria,

Re: "And the youth are also now convinced I'm crazy. Guess I can't blame them!"
Honestly this is lost on me, what do you mean, why do you they think you're crazy?:)

[pmcleanj]

Hi AveMaria,


Honestly this is lost on me, what do you mean, why do you they think you're crazy?:)
AveMaria is obliquely implying, that in the course of her conversation with the youth of her parish, she broke some of the social norms about adult/youth interaction in her parish, and that the youth showed bemusement, or mild confusion, regarding how to respond appropriately to her unaccustomed actions.

She phrased her implication in a mildly humourous tone, by overstating their reaction, which is a fairly common way that people build a comfort zone around new forms of social interaction that they are exploring. It invited others on this board to say things like "that's okay, people think I'm crazy, too" (BTW, Ave, they do ... they even come up after worship occasionally and say it to my face :) ). Unfortunately, explaining that kind of phrase in detail tends to eliminate the humourous, comfort-building effect.

Her subsequent post implies that what she did was allow her enthusiasm to override her dignity. Her subsequent post also implies, that she's completely unrepentent and actually feels good (as she should) about helping to change some of these social norms.

Ahab, did that help?

AveMaria, did I read you right?

[ahab]

That clarifies it. Thanks for asking them and finding out AveMaria:thumbsup:

[AveMaria]

Pmcleanj, you read me fairly well. :)

I should perhaps also add that the youth truly don't quite know what to make of me. I'm the sort of sick individuals who has been known to have heated discussions during coffee hour on topics such as precisely which shade of blue ought to be used during Advent or how the different parish priests' personal theologies are discernable through their enunciation and elocution during the benediction.

Add to this, of course, the fact that when I'm not wearing makeup, I easily pass for ten+ years younger than I am, and one day when I made the mistake of going cosmetic-free, a member of the Senior High youth group thought I was a new youth in the parish and actually asked me out. ^_^ Boy, was he ever embarassed to find out he'd made a pass at an 'old lady'!

So when I come swooping down upon them, balancing multiple coffee mugs, and asking "Hey, do they still teach the Prayer of Humble Access?" or "How would y'all feel about doing an Evening Prayer service in Latin, for fun, for the historical value?" they honestly don't know what to make of me. Except for the charming young man who asked me out - he just cringes and turns pink and gets very interested in his coffee cake.

Hmm, am I too young to be an old fogey?

[pmcleanj]

Hmm, am I too young to be an old fogey?
Lass, you are wa-a-a-a-ay too young to be an old fogey. A dignified spinster,yes (or dignified matron). Even a dignified mature matron. You don't get to claim the term "old" until you're reading the little brown bottle that says "covers up to 60% grey" and wondering "am I more or less than 60% grey*? Fogeyness is just cynicism and intransigence -- you never get to claim that. Especially not while you're charging around with an excess of coffee cups!


*I have to go brown again for Nutcracker -- maybe I'll post a picture of the "pmcleanj tries to pass for a young matron on stage" look).

[wackyjo]

I was raised Anglican too! like a proper anglican, my mom and dad aint anything....i went to soul survivor this year in shepton mallet,,,,was amazin'

[ahab]

Yes praise God. There are also a whole load of ministries, Anglican or otherwise, that get involved with SoulSurvivor in some way; which should get a mention but the list is long. Just like Alpha it reaches out across denominations and just like Alpha it impacts the community.

[CSMR]

Lass, you are wa-a-a-a-ay too young to be an old fogey.[/size]
I have been called a young fogey, quite accurately!

wackyjo, welcome, good for you.
Once Anglican, Always Anglican I would say - unless you do something really extreme like accept an appointment to be a Catholic Cardinal, or get a punk hairstyle - then it's your choice!

[pmcleanj]

Once Anglican, Always Anglican I would say ...

Or as I've been known to say, Anglicanism is like malaria: once it's in your blood the best you can hope for is a remission of symptoms... ;)

[SirTimothy]

Yes, but it was started by trendy Anglicans

I wonder what Nicky Gumbel would think of being called trendy... or more importantly what his kids would! Although, he didn't start it (I believe), he's just the main person seen as related to it.

Timothy

[Songspinner]

Hmm, am I too young to be an old fogey?

Good Gravy! yes!...and I say that as someone the same age as you!

Nicky Gumble Wrote the books that Alpha is based on...or did it work the other way around?

[AveMaria]

I've never actually been through Alpha, but I am somewhat familiar with the materials. My last parish was considering using it, so the Associate Rector bribed a few of us to review the program with her. I didn't get the sense of it being 'trendy', but trendy is so subjective.

I do wish there was more variety in Adult Christian formation type education, though. *sigh*

[Songspinner]

I

I do wish there was more variety in Adult Christian formation type education, though. *sigh*

:amen: I got so deperate for some last year I actually retook my catachism....(actually very informitive as I was confirmed when I was 11 and really didn't remember much!)

[AveMaria]

Songspinner, I think that's a terrific idea! I've often felt it would be a good idea to encourage people to retake the catechismal classes every several years.

[ahab]

However, SoulSurvivor is a ministry that makes an impact. What ministries and what impact on society for the gospel are the young people making in some of the ECUSA churches, ie whats the equivalent of SoulSurvivor, YWAM, YFC, The Message etc?:thumbsup: